Ezekiel 24:15-27

Evangelical Heritage Version

¹⁶ Son of man, be warned! With one blow I am taking away from you what your eyes desire. You must not mourn or cry. Your tears must not flow. ¹⁷ Groan silently. Perform no mourning rites for the dead. Bind your turban on your head. Put your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your upper lip. Do not eat the food people bring to mourners.

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

²⁰ I answered them, “This is the word of the Lord that came to me.”

²¹ Say to the house of Israel that this is what the Lord God says.

I am about to desecrate my sanctuary, the stronghold of which you are so proud, the sight your eyes desire, the place your soul yearns for. Your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword. ²² You will do as I have done. You will not cover your upper lip. You will not eat the food people bring to mourners. ²³ Your turbans will remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or cry, but you will waste away in your guilt, and you will groan to one another. ²⁴ In this way, Ezekiel will be a sign to you. You will do everything the same way as he has done it. When it happens, you will know that I am the Lord God.

²⁵ But you, son of man, be aware that on that day when I take away from them their stronghold, their joy and glory, what their eyes desire, and that on which they set their hearts—their sons and their daughters as well— ²⁶ on that day a survivor will come to you to let you hear it with your own ears. ²⁷ On that day, your mouth will be opened when the survivor comes. Then you will speak and be speechless no longer. You will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.