Ezekiel 24
Good News Translation
The Corroded Cooking Pot
24 On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year of our exile, the Lord spoke to me. 2 (A)“Mortal man,” he said, “write down today's date, because this is the day that the king of Babylonia is beginning the siege of Jerusalem. 3 Tell my rebellious people this parable that I, the Sovereign Lord, have for them:
Set the pot on the fire
and fill it up with water.
4 Put in the best pieces of meat—
the shoulders and the legs—
fill it with choice bony pieces too.
5 Use the meat of the finest sheep;
pile the wood[a] under the pot.
Let the water boil;
boil the bones and the meat.”
6 This is what the Sovereign Lord is saying: “The city of murderers is doomed! It is like a corroded pot that is never cleaned. Piece after piece of meat is taken out, and not one is left. 7 There was murder in the city, but the blood was not spilled on the ground where the dust could hide it; it was spilled on a bare rock. 8 I have left the blood there, where it cannot be hidden, where it demands angry revenge.”
9 This is what the Sovereign Lord is saying: “The city of murderers is doomed! I myself will pile up the firewood. 10 Bring more wood! Fan the flames! Cook the meat! Boil away the broth![b] Burn up the bones! 11 Now set the empty bronze pot on the coals and let it get red-hot. Then the pot will be ritually pure again after the corrosion is burned off, 12 although all that corrosion will not disappear in the flames.[c] 13 Jerusalem, your immoral actions have defiled you. Although I tried to purify you, you remained defiled. You will not be pure again until you have felt the full force of my anger. 14 I, the Lord, have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not ignore your sins or show pity or be merciful. You will be punished for what you have done.” The Sovereign Lord has spoken.
The Death of the Prophet's Wife
15 The Lord spoke to me. 16 “Mortal man,” he said, “with one blow I am going to take away the person you love most. You are not to complain or cry or shed any tears. 17 Don't let your sobbing be heard. Do not go bareheaded or barefoot as a sign of mourning. Don't cover your face or eat the food that mourners eat.”
18 Early in the day I was talking with the people. That evening my wife died, and the next day I did as I had been told. 19 The people asked me, “Why are you acting like this?”
20 So I said to them, “The Lord spoke to me and told me 21 to give you Israelites this message: You are proud of the strength of the Temple. You like to look at it and to visit it, but the Lord is going to profane it. And the younger members of your families who are left in Jerusalem will be killed in war. 22 Then you will do what I have done. You will not cover your faces or eat the food that mourners eat. 23 You will not go bareheaded or barefoot or mourn or cry. You will waste away because of your sins, and you will groan to one another. 24 Then I will be a sign to you; you will do everything I have done. The Lord says that when this happens, you will know that he is the Sovereign Lord.”
25 The Lord said, “Now, mortal man, I will take away from them the strong Temple that was their pride and joy, which they liked to look at and to visit. And I will take away their sons and daughters. 26 On the day that I do this, some who escape the destruction will come and tell you about it. 27 That same day you will get back the power of speech which you had lost, and you will talk with them. In this way you will be a sign to the people, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
Notas al pie
- Ezekiel 24:5 Probable text wood; Hebrew bones.
- Ezekiel 24:10 Some ancient translations Boil away the broth!; Hebrew unclear.
- Ezekiel 24:12 Verse 12 in Hebrew begins with two words, the meaning of which is unclear.
Ezekiel 24
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Boiling Pot
24 In the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:(A) 2 Mortal, write down the name of this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.(B) 3 And utter an allegory to the rebellious house and say to them: Thus says the Lord God:
Set on the pot; set it on;
pour in water also;(C)
4 put in it the pieces,
all the good pieces, the thigh and the shoulder;
fill it with choice cuts.
5 Take the choicest one of the flock;
pile the logs[a] under it;
boil its pieces;[b]
seethe[c] also its bones in it.
6 Therefore thus says the Lord God:
Woe to the bloody city,
the pot whose crud is in it,
whose crud has not gone out of it!
Empty it piece by piece,
making no choice at all.[d](D)
7 For the blood she shed is inside it;
she placed it on a bare rock;
she did not pour it out on the ground,
to cover it with earth.(E)
8 To rouse my wrath, to take vengeance,
I have placed the blood she shed
on a bare rock,
so that it may not be covered.
9 Therefore thus says the Lord God:
Woe to the bloody city!
I will even make the pile great.(F)
10 Heap up the logs; kindle the fire;
boil the meat well; boil down the broth;[e]
let the bones be burned.
11 Stand it empty upon the coals,
so that it may become hot, its copper glow,
its filth melt in it, its crud be consumed.
12 In vain I have wearied myself;[f]
its thick crud does not depart.
To the fire with its crud!
13 Yet when I cleansed you in your filthy lewdness,
you did not become clean from your filth;
you shall not again be cleansed
until I have satisfied my fury upon you.(G)
14 I the Lord have spoken; the time is coming; I will act. I will not refrain; I will not spare; I will not relent. According to your ways and your doings I will judge you, says the Lord God.(H)
Ezekiel’s Bereavement
15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 Mortal, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes, yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down.(I) 17 Groan quietly; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your upper lip or eat the bread of mourners.[g](J) 18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning I did as I was commanded.
19 Then the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are acting this way?” 20 Then I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me: 21 Say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and your heart’s desire, and your sons and your daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword.(K) 22 And you shall do as I have done; you shall not cover your upper lip or eat the bread of mourners.[h] 23 Your turbans shall be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; you shall not mourn or weep, but you shall pine away in your iniquities and groan to one another.(L) 24 Thus Ezekiel shall be a sign to you; you shall do just as he has done. When this comes, then you shall know that I am the Lord God.”(M)
25 And you, mortal, on the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes and their heart’s affection, and also[i] their sons and their daughters,(N) 26 on that day, one who has escaped will come to you to report to you the news. 27 On that day your mouth shall be opened to the one who has escaped, and you shall speak and no longer be silent. So you shall be a sign to them, and they shall know that I am the Lord.(O)
Ezekiel 24
Complete Jewish Bible
24 The word of Adonai came to me on the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year: 2 “Human being, write down today’s date; because on this very day the king of Bavel has begun his attack on Yerushalayim. 3 And tell this allegory to these rebels; say that Adonai Elohim says:
‘Put a pot on the fire;
put it there, pour water in it;
4 Put in it pieces of meat,
all the best parts — the thigh, the shoulder;
fill it with the choicest cuts,
5 taken from the pick of the flock,
and pile the bones underneath.
Bring it to a rolling boil,
till it’s all cooked, even the bones.’
6 “Therefore Adonai Elohim says:
‘Woe to the city drenched with blood,
to the pot whose scum is in it,
and whose scum has not been removed.
Empty it piece by piece,
without troubling to draw lots.
7 For her blood is still in her;
she poured it on bare rock;
she did not pour it on the ground,
to cover it with dust.
8 So in order to rouse my fury
and excite my vengeance,
I have fixed her blood there on the bare rock,
where it will not be covered.’
9 “Therefore Adonai Elohim says this:
‘Woe to the city drenched with blood!
I myself will make a huge bonfire,
10 heap on the wood, light it,
cook the meat and add the spices —
the bones can just be burned.
11 Put the empty pot on the coals,
heat it till its copper bottom glows,
till its impurity melts inside it,
and its scum is burned away.
12 But the effort is in vain:
its layers of scum will not leave it;
so into the fire with its scum!
13 Because of your filthy lewdness,
because you refused to be purified
when I wanted to purify you;
now you will not be purified from your filth
until I have satisfied my fury on you.
14 “‘I, Adonai, have spoken it, and it will happen. I will do it, I will not turn back, I will not refrain or spare or relent. They will judge you as your ways and deeds deserve,’ says Adonai Elohim.”
15 The word of Adonai came to me: 16 “Human being, with a single blow I am about to deprive you of the delight of your eyes. But you are not to lament, weep or let your tears run down. 17 Sigh silently, don’t observe mourning for the dead, bind your turban on your head, put your sandals on your feet, don’t cover your upper lip, and don’t eat the food people prepare for mourners.” 18 I spoke to the people in the morning, and that evening my wife died. So I did the following morning as I had been ordered. 19 The people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these actions of yours mean for us?” 20 I answered them, “The word of Adonai came to me, telling me 21 to speak to the house of Isra’el and say that this is what Adonai Elohim says: ‘I am about to profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the delight of your eyes and your heart’s desire. Your sons and daughters whom you have left behind will die by the sword. 22 But you are to do as I have done — not cover your upper lips, not eat the food people prepare for mourners, 23 put your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet, and neither observe mourning nor cry. Rather, because of your crimes you will pine away and groan to one another. 24 Thus Yechezk’el will be a sign for you; you will do just what he has done; and when this happens, you will know that I am Adonai Elohim.’
25 “As for you, human being, on the day when I take away from them their stronghold, their crowning joy, the delight of their eyes, their heart’s desire, their sons and daughters — 26 on that day a fugitive will come and bring you the news; 27 and on that day your mouth will be opened for you to speak to the survivor and no longer be silent. In this way you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am Adonai.”
Ezekiel 24
The Message
Bring the Pot to a Boil
24 1-5 The Message of God came to me in the ninth year, the tenth month, and the tenth day of the month: “Son of man, write down this date. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. Tell this company of rebels a story:
“‘Put on the soup pot.
Fill it with water.
Put chunks of meat into it,
all the choice pieces—loin and brisket.
Pick out the best soup bones
from the best of the sheep in the flock.
Pile wood beneath the pot.
Bring it to a boil
and cook the soup.
6 “‘God, the Master, says:
“‘Doom to the city of murder,
to the pot thick with scum,
thick with a filth that can’t be scoured.
Empty the pot piece by piece;
don’t bother who gets what.
7-8 “‘The blood from murders
has stained the whole city;
Blood runs bold on the street stones,
with no one bothering to wash it off—
Blood out in the open to public view
to provoke my wrath,
to trigger my vengeance.
9-12 “‘Therefore, this is what God, the Master, says:
“‘Doom to the city of murder!
I, too, will pile on the wood.
Stack the wood high,
light the match,
Cook the meat, spice it well, pour out the broth,
and then burn the bones.
Then I’ll set the empty pot on the coals
and heat it red-hot so the bronze glows,
So the germs are killed
and the corruption is burned off.
But it’s hopeless. It’s too far gone.
The filth is too thick.
13-14 “‘Your encrusted filth is your filthy sex. I wanted to clean you up, but you wouldn’t let me. I’ll make no more attempts at cleaning you up until my anger quiets down. I, God, have said it, and I’ll do it. I’m not holding back. I’ve run out of compassion. I’m not changing my mind. You’re getting exactly what’s coming to you. Decree of God, the Master.’”
No Tears
15-17 God’s Message came to me: “Son of man, I’m about to take from you the delight of your life—a real blow, I know. But, please, no tears. Keep your grief to yourself. No public mourning. Get dressed as usual and go about your work—none of the usual funeral rituals.”
18 I preached to the people in the morning. That evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I’d been told.
19 The people came to me, saying, “Tell us why you’re acting like this. What does it mean, anyway?”
20-21 So I told them, “God’s Word came to me, saying, ‘Tell the family of Israel, This is what God, the Master, says: I will desecrate my Sanctuary, your proud impregnable fort, the delight of your life, your heart’s desire. The children you left behind will be killed.
22-24 “‘Then you’ll do exactly as I’ve done. You’ll perform none of the usual funeral rituals. You’ll get dressed as usual and go about your work. No tears. But your sins will eat away at you from within and you’ll groan among yourselves. Ezekiel will be your example. The way he did it is the way you’ll do it.
“‘When this happens you’ll recognize that I am God, the Master.’”
25-27 “And you, son of man: The day I take away the people’s refuge, their great joy, the delight of their life, what they’ve most longed for, along with all their children—on that very day a survivor will arrive and tell you what happened to the city. You’ll break your silence and start talking again, talking to the survivor. Again, you’ll be an example for them. And they’ll recognize that I am God.”
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson