Present a (A)parable to the (B)rebellious house and say to them, ‘This is what the Lord [a]God says:

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

‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:

“Woe to the (F)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,
[e]Without making a choice.
For her blood is in her midst;
She placed it on the bare rock;
She did not (G)pour it on the ground
To cover it with dust.
So that it may (H)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:

(I)Woe to the bloody city!
I also will make the wood pile great.
10 Heap on the wood, kindle the fire,
[f]Cook the meat thoroughly
And mix in the spices,
And let the bones be burned up.
11 Then (J)set it empty on its burning coals
So that it may be hot
And its bronze may [g]glow,
And its (K)filthiness may be melted in it,
Its rust eliminated.
12 She has (L)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 (M)not clean,
You will not be cleansed from your filthiness again
Until I have [h](N)expended My wrath on you.

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

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 24:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
  2. Ezekiel 24:4 Lit Gather her pieces
  3. Ezekiel 24:5 Cf. v 10; MT bones
  4. Ezekiel 24:5 Lit it
  5. Ezekiel 24:6 Lit No lot has fallen on it
  6. Ezekiel 24:10 Lit Finish
  7. Ezekiel 24:11 Lit burn
  8. Ezekiel 24:13 Lit caused to rest
  9. Ezekiel 24:14 As in several mss and ancient versions; MT 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