Now speak a parable(A) to the rebellious house. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

Put the pot(B) 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,(C)
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.(D)
In order to stir up wrath and take vengeance,(E)
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!(F)
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.(G)
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.(H)
14 I, the Lord, have spoken.
It is coming, and I will do it!(I)
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.(J)

This is the declaration of the Lord God.’”

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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

So compose a parable for the rebellious house. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says:

“Prepare your pot for boiling!
    Set it in place.
        Fill it up with water, too.
Gather together the best pieces of meat on it—
    including the thighs and the shoulders—
        and fill it with the choicest bones.
Take the best bones from the flock,
    pile wood[a] under the pot[b] for the bones,
bring it to a boil,
    and then cook the bones in it.”’”

Woe to Jerusalem

“This is what the Lord God says:

‘How terrible it is for that blood-filled city,
    to the pot whose rust remains in it,
        whose rust won’t come off.
Empty it one piece at a time.
    Don’t let a lot fall on it.
Her blood was in it.
    She poured it out onto bare rock.
She didn’t pour it out on the ground,
    intending to cover it with dirt.
In order to stir up my anger
    and in order to take vengeance,
I set the blood on a bare rock
    so that it cannot be covered.’

“Therefore this is what the Lord God says:

‘How terrible it is for that blood-filled city—
    I’m also going to add to my[c] pile of kindling.
10 Pile up the wood!
    Make the fire burn hot.
Boil the meat!
    Mix the seasonings.
Burn those bones to a crisp!
11 Make the pot stand empty on the coals
    until its bronze glows red,[d]
its rust can be scoured off,[e]
    and its dross completely removed.
12 The pot[f] wearies me,[g]
    but its thick[h] rust won’t come off,
        even with fire.
13 There is wickedness in your obscene conduct.
    Even though I’ve cleansed you,
        your uncleanness cannot be washed away.
You cannot be cleansed again
    until my rage against you has subsided.’

14 “‘I, the Lord have spoken. It will happen, because I’m going to do it. I won’t hold back, have compassion, or change my mind.[i] They’ll judge you according to your ways and deeds,’ declares the Lord God.”

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 24:5 The Heb. lacks wood
  2. Ezekiel 24:5 Lit. under it
  3. Ezekiel 24:9 The Heb. lacks my
  4. Ezekiel 24:11 Lit. its copper burns hot
  5. Ezekiel 24:11 Or is poured out
  6. Ezekiel 24:12 Lit. She
  7. Ezekiel 24:12 The Heb. lacks me
  8. Ezekiel 24:12 Lit. great
  9. Ezekiel 24:14 Or repent