Parable of the Boiling Pot

24 The word of the Lord came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month: “Son of man, write down today’s date, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.(A) Now speak a parable(B) to the rebellious house. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

Put the pot(C) on the fire—
put it on,
and then pour water into it!
Place the pieces of meat in it,
every good piece—
thigh and shoulder.
Fill it with choice bones.
Take the choicest of the flock
and also pile up the fuel[a] under it.
Bring it to a boil
and cook the bones in it.

“‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:

Woe to the city of bloodshed,(D)
the pot that has corrosion inside it,
and its corrosion has not come out of it!
Empty it piece by piece;
lots should not be cast for its contents.
For the blood she shed[b] is still within her.
She put it out on the bare rock;
she didn’t pour it on the ground
to cover it with dust.(E)
In order to stir up wrath and take vengeance,(F)
I have put her blood on the bare rock,
so that it would not be covered.

“‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:

Woe to the city of bloodshed!(G)
I myself will make the pile of kindling large.
10 Pile on the logs and kindle the fire!
Cook the meat well
and mix in the spices![c][d]
Let the bones be burned!
11 Set the empty pot on its coals
so that it becomes hot and its copper glows.
Then its impurity will melt inside it;
its corrosion will be consumed.(H)
12 It has frustrated every effort;[e]
its thick corrosion will not come off.
Into the fire with its corrosion!
13 Because of the depravity of your uncleanness—
since I tried to purify you,
but you would not be purified from your uncleanness—
you will not be pure again
until I have satisfied my wrath on you.(I)
14 I, the Lord, have spoken.
It is coming, and I will do it!(J)
I will not refrain, I will not show pity,
and I will not relent.
I[f] will judge you
according to your ways and deeds.(K)

This is the declaration of the Lord God.’”

The Death of Ezekiel’s Wife: A Sign

15 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, I am about to take the delight of your eyes(L) away from you with a fatal blow. But you must not lament or weep or let your tears flow.(M) 17 Groan quietly; do not observe mourning rites for the dead.(N) Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners.”[g](O)

18 I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did just as I was commanded. 19 Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?”

20 So I answered them, “The word of the Lord came to me: 21 Say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the desire of your heart. Also, the sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword.(P) 22 Then you will do just as I have done: You will not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners. 23 Your turbans will remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not lament or weep(Q) but will waste away(R) because of your iniquities and will groan to one another. 24 Now Ezekiel will be a sign for you.(S) You will do everything that he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord God.’

25 “As for you, son of man, know that on that day I will take from them their stronghold—their pride and joy, the delight of their eyes, and the longing of their hearts—as well as their sons and daughters. 26 On that day a fugitive will come to you and report the news.(T) 27 On that day your mouth will be opened to talk with him; you will speak and no longer be mute.(U) So you will be a sign for them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. 24:5 Lit bones
  2. 24:7 Lit For her blood
  3. 24:10 Some Hb mss read well; remove the broth; LXX reads fire so that the meat may be cooked and the broth may be reduced
  4. 24:10 Or and stir the broth
  5. 24:12 Hb obscure
  6. 24:14 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg; other Hb mss read They
  7. 24:17 Lit men, also in v. 22

Parable of the Boiling Pot

24 Now the word of the Lord came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, saying, “Son of man, write the name of the day, this very day. The king of Babylon [a]has (A)laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. Present a (B)parable to the (C)rebellious house and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord [b]God says:

“Put on the (D)pot, put it on and also pour water into it;
[c](E)Put in it the pieces of meat,
Every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder;
Fill it with choice bones.
Take the (F)choicest of the flock,
And also stack [d]wood under [e]the pot.
Make it boil vigorously.
Also boil its bones in it.”

‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:

“Woe to the (G)bloody city,
To the pot in which there is rust
And whose rust has not gone out of it!
Take out of it piece after piece,
[f]Without making a choice.
For her blood is in her midst;
She placed it on the bare rock;
She did not (H)pour it on the ground
To cover it with dust.
So that it may (I)cause wrath to come up to take vengeance,
I have put her blood on the bare rock,
So that it will not be covered.”

Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:

(J)Woe to the bloody city!
I also will make the wood pile great.
10 Heap on the wood, kindle the fire,
[g]Cook the meat thoroughly
And mix in the spices,
And let the bones be burned up.
11 Then (K)set it empty on its burning coals
So that it may be hot
And its bronze may [h]glow,
And its (L)filthiness may be melted in it,
Its rust eliminated.
12 She has (M)wearied Me with work,
Yet her great rust has not gone from her;
Let her rust be in the fire!
13 In your filthiness is outrageous sin.
Because I would have cleansed you,
Yet you are (N)not clean,
You will not be cleansed from your filthiness again
Until I have [i](O)expended My wrath on you.

14 I, the Lord, have spoken; it is (P)coming and I will act. I will not overlook, I will not (Q)pity, and I will not be sorry; (R)according to your ways and according to your deeds [j]I will judge you,” declares the Lord God.’”

Death of Ezekiel’s Wife Is a Sign

15 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 16 “Son of man, behold, I am about to take from you (S)what is precious to your eyes with a (T)fatal blow; but you shall not (U)mourn and you shall not weep, and your (V)tears shall not come. 17 Groan silently; do (W)no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban and put your sandals on your feet, and do not [k]cover your mustache, and (X)do not eat the [l]bread of other people.” 18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And in the morning I did as I was commanded. 19 And the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are doing?” 20 Then I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 21 ‘Speak to the house of Israel, “This is what the Lord God says: ‘Behold, I am about to profane My sanctuary, the pride of your power, (Y)that which is precious in your eyes and the longing of your soul; and your (Z)sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword. 22 And you will do just as I have done; you will not [m]cover your mustache, and you will not eat the [n]bread of other people. 23 Your turbans will be on your heads, and your sandals on your feet. You (AA)will not mourn and you will not weep; but (AB)you will rot away in your guilty deeds, and you will groan [o]to one another. 24 So Ezekiel will be a (AC)sign to you; according to all that he has done, you will do. When it comes, then you will know that I am the Lord God.’”

25 ‘As for you, son of man, will it not be on the day when I take from them their (AD)stronghold, the joy of their splendor, that which is precious in their eyes and their [p]heart’s longing, their sons and their daughters, 26 that on that day the one who (AE)escapes will come to you with information for your ears? 27 On that day your (AF)mouth will be opened to him who escaped, and you will speak and no longer be silenced. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.’”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 24:2 Lit leaned on
  2. Ezekiel 24:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  3. Ezekiel 24:4 Lit Gather her pieces
  4. Ezekiel 24:5 Cf. v 10; MT bones
  5. Ezekiel 24:5 Lit it
  6. Ezekiel 24:6 Lit No lot has fallen on it
  7. Ezekiel 24:10 Lit Finish
  8. Ezekiel 24:11 Lit burn
  9. Ezekiel 24:13 Lit caused to rest
  10. Ezekiel 24:14 As in several mss and ancient versions; MT they
  11. Ezekiel 24:17 Covering the beard and mustache was a mourning custom
  12. Ezekiel 24:17 I.e., food from others for mourners
  13. Ezekiel 24:22 See note 1 v 17
  14. Ezekiel 24:22 See note 2 v 17
  15. Ezekiel 24:23 Lit each to his brother
  16. Ezekiel 24:25 Lit soul’s burden