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.’”
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- 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
International Standard Version
3 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.
4 Gather together the best pieces of meat on it—
including the thighs and the shoulders—
and fill it with the choicest bones.
5 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
6 “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.
7 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.
8 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.’
9 “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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- Ezekiel 24:5 The Heb. lacks wood
- Ezekiel 24:5 Lit. under it
- Ezekiel 24:9 The Heb. lacks my
- Ezekiel 24:11 Lit. its copper burns hot
- Ezekiel 24:11 Or is poured out
- Ezekiel 24:12 Lit. She
- Ezekiel 24:12 The Heb. lacks me
- Ezekiel 24:12 Lit. great
- Ezekiel 24:14 Or repent
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