Ezekiel 24:3-14
New English Translation
3 Recite a proverb to this rebellious house[a] and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Set on the pot,[b] set it on,
pour water in it too;
4 add the pieces of meat to it,
every good piece,
the thigh and the shoulder;
fill it with choice bones.
5 Take the choice bone of the flock,
heap up wood under it;
boil rapidly,
and boil its bones in it.
6 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
Woe to the city of bloodshed,
the pot whose rot[c] is in it,
whose rot has not been removed[d] from it!
Empty it piece by piece.
No lot has fallen on it.[e]
7 For her blood was in it;
she poured it on an exposed rock;
she did not pour it on the ground to cover it up with dust.
8 To arouse anger, to take vengeance,
I have placed her blood on an exposed rock so that it cannot be covered up.
9 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
Woe to the city of bloodshed!
I will also make the pile high.
10 Pile up the wood, kindle the fire;
cook the meat well, mix in the spices,
let the bones be charred.
11 Set the empty pot on the coals,[f]
until it becomes hot and its copper glows,
until its uncleanness melts within it and its rot[g] is consumed.
12 It has tried my patience;[h]
yet its thick rot is not removed[i] from it.
Subject its rot to the fire![j]
13 You mix uncleanness with obscene conduct.[k]
I tried to cleanse you,[l] but you are not clean.
You will not be cleansed from your uncleanness[m]
until I have exhausted my anger on you.
14 “‘I the Lord have spoken; judgment[n] is coming and I will act! I will not relent, or show pity, or be sorry![o] I will judge you[p] according to your conduct[q] and your deeds, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ezekiel 24:3 sn The book of Ezekiel frequently refers to the Israelites as a rebellious house (Ezek 2:5, 6, 8; 3:9, 26-27; 12:2-3, 9, 25; 17:12; 24:3).
- Ezekiel 24:3 sn See Ezek 11:3-12.
- Ezekiel 24:6 tn Or “rust.”
- Ezekiel 24:6 tn Heb “has not gone out.”
- Ezekiel 24:6 tn Here “lot” may refer to the decision made by casting lots; it is not chosen at all.
- Ezekiel 24:11 tn Heb “set it upon its coals, empty.”
- Ezekiel 24:11 tn Or “rust” (so also in v. 12).
- Ezekiel 24:12 tn Heb “(with) toil she has wearied.” The meaning of the statement is unclear in the Hebrew text; some follow the LXX and delete it. The first word in the statement (rendered “toil” in the literal translation above) occurs only here in the OT, and the verb “she has wearied” lacks a stated object. Elsewhere the Hiphil of the verb refers to wearying someone or trying someone’s patience. The feminine subject is apparently the symbolic pot.
- Ezekiel 24:12 tn Heb “does not go out.”
- Ezekiel 24:12 tn Heb “in fire its rust.” The meaning of the expression is unclear. The translation understands the statement as a command to burn the rust away. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:768.
- Ezekiel 24:13 tn Heb “in your uncleanness (is) obscene conduct.”
- Ezekiel 24:13 tn Heb “because I cleansed you.” In this context (see especially the very next statement), the statement must refer to divine intention and purpose. Despite God’s efforts to cleanse his people, they resisted him and remained morally impure.
- Ezekiel 24:13 tn The Hebrew text adds the word “again.”
- Ezekiel 24:14 tn Heb “it”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Ezekiel 24:14 tn Or perhaps, “change my mind.”
- Ezekiel 24:14 tc Some medieval Hebrew mss and the major ancient versions read a first person verb here. Most Hebrew mss read have an indefinite subject, “they will judge you,” which could be translated, “you will be judged.”
- Ezekiel 24:14 tn Heb “ways.”
Ezekiel 24:3-14
Christian Standard Bible
3 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!
4 Place the pieces of meat in it,
every good piece—
thigh and shoulder.
Fill it with choice bones.
5 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.
6 “‘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.
7 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)
8 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.
9 “‘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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