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
English Standard Version
3 And (A)utter a parable to (B)the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord God:
“Set on (C)the pot, set it on;
pour in water also;
4 put in it the pieces of meat,
all the good pieces, (D)the thigh and the shoulder;
fill it with choice bones.
5 Take the choicest one of the flock;
pile the logs[a] under it;
boil it well;
seethe also its bones in it.
6 “Therefore thus says the Lord God: (E)Woe to the bloody city, to (F)the pot whose corrosion is in it, and whose corrosion has not gone out of it! Take out of it piece after piece, without making any choice.[b] 7 For the blood she has shed is in her midst; she put it on (G)the bare rock; (H)she did not pour it out on the ground to cover it with dust. 8 To rouse my wrath, to take vengeance, I have set on the bare rock the blood she has shed, that it may not be covered. 9 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Woe to the bloody city! (I)I also will make the pile great. 10 Heap on the logs, kindle the fire, boil the meat well, mix in the spices,[c] and let the bones be burned up. 11 Then set it empty upon the coals, that it may become hot, and its copper may burn, (J)that its uncleanness may be melted in it, its corrosion consumed. 12 (K)She has wearied herself with toil;[d] its abundant corrosion does not go out of it. Into the fire with its corrosion! 13 On account of your unclean lewdness, because I would have cleansed you and you were not cleansed from your uncleanness, (L)you shall not be cleansed anymore till (M)I have satisfied my fury upon you. 14 (N)I am the Lord. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; (O)I will not spare; (P)I will not relent; (Q)according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord God.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ezekiel 24:5 Compare verse 10; Hebrew the bones
- Ezekiel 24:6 Hebrew no lot has fallen upon it
- Ezekiel 24:10 Or empty out the broth
- Ezekiel 24:12 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
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