Jerusalem Is Like a Cooking Pot
1It was the ninth year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the tenth day of the tenth month, a message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2“Son of man, write down today’s date. The king of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem and attacked it today. 3Your people refuse to obey me. So tell them a story. Say to them, ‘The Lord and King told me,
“ ‘ “Put a cooking pot on the fire.
Pour water into it.
4Put pieces of meat in it.
Use all the best pieces.
Use the leg and shoulder.
Fill it with the best bones.
5Pick the finest animal in the flock.
Pile wood under the pot to cook the bones.
Bring the water to a boil.
Cook the bones in it.” ’ ”
6The Lord and King says,
“How terrible it will be for this city!
It has so many murderers in it.
How terrible for the pot that is coated with scum!
The scum on it will not go away.
Take the meat out of the pot piece by piece.
Take it out in whatever order it comes.
7“The blood Jerusalem’s people spilled is inside its walls.
They poured it out on a bare rock.
They did not pour it on the ground.
If they had, dust would have covered it up.
8So I put their blood on the bare rock.
I did not want it to be covered up.
I poured out my great anger on them.
I paid them back.”
9So the Lord and King said to me,
“How terrible it will be for this city!
It has so many murderers in it.
I too will pile the wood high.
10So pile on the wood.
Light the fire.
Cook the meat well.
Mix in the spices.
Let the bones be blackened.
11Then set the empty pot on the coals.
Let it get hot. Let its copper glow.
Then what is not pure in it will melt.
Its scum will be burned away.
12But it can’t be cleaned up.
Its thick scum has not been removed.
Even fire can’t burn it off.
13“Jerusalem, you are really impure. I tried to clean you up. But you would not let me make you pure. So you will not be clean again until I am no longer so angry with you.
14“I have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back. I will not feel sorry for you. I will do what I said I would do. You will be judged for your conduct and actions. I am the Lord,” announces the Lord and King.
Ezekiel’s Wife Dies
15A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 16“Son of man, I will take away from you the wife you delight in. It will happen very soon. But do not sing songs of sadness. Do not let any tears flow from your eyes. 17Groan quietly. Do not mourn for your wife when she dies. Keep your turban on your head. Keep your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your mustache and beard. Do not eat the food people eat to comfort them when someone dies.”
18So I spoke to my people in the morning. And in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did what I had been commanded to do.
19Then the people said to me, “Tell us what these things have to do with us. Why are you acting like this?”
20So I told them. I said, “A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 21‘Speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, “The Lord and King says, ‘I am about to make my temple “unclean.” I will let the Babylonians burn it down. It is the beautiful building you are so proud of. You take delight in it. You love it. The sons and daughters you left behind will be killed by swords. 22So do what Ezekiel did. Do not cover your mustache and beard. Do not eat the food people eat to comfort them when someone dies. 23Keep your turbans on your heads. Keep your sandals on your feet. Do not mourn or weep. You will waste away because you have sinned so much. You will groan among yourselves. 24What Ezekiel has done will show you what is going to happen to you. You will do just as he has done. Then you will know that I am the Lord and King.’ ” ’
25“Son of man, I will take away their beautiful temple. It is their joy and glory. They take delight in it. Their hearts long for it. I will also take away their sons and daughters. 26On the day I destroy everything, a man will escape. He will come and tell you the news. 27At that time I will open your mouth. Then you will no longer be silent. You will speak with the man. That will show them what will happen to them. And they will know that I am the Lord.”
锈锅的比喻
1第九年十月十日，耶和华对我说： 2“人子啊，今天是巴比伦王围攻耶路撒冷的日子，你要记下这日子。 3你要向叛逆的以色列人说比喻，告诉他们，主耶和华这样说，
“‘把锅放在火上，
里面倒进水，
4把羊腿、羊肩等上好的肉块放进锅里，
让锅里盛满精选的骨头。
5要从羊群中选一头上好的羊，
把柴堆在锅下，
烧开锅煮里面的骨头。’”
6主耶和华说：“这像锈锅一样充满血腥的城有祸了！要把肉从这锈迹斑斑的锅中一块块地取出来。 7这城沾满血腥，任凭受害者的血流在光秃秃的磐石上，而不是流在地上用土掩盖。 8我任凭这城把受害者的血洒在磐石上，不加掩盖，好激起我的烈怒，使她受报应。 9所以主耶和华说，‘血腥的城啊，你有祸了！我要预备大堆木柴， 10添在火上，燃起旺火，把肉煮烂，加入香料，烧焦骨头。 11然后，把倒空的锅放在炭火上烧热，把铜烧红，好熔化它的杂质，除净锈垢， 12却徒劳无功，因为锈垢太厚，就是用火也不能清除。 13耶路撒冷啊，淫荡使你污秽不堪，我要洁净你，你却不愿被洁净。所以，除非我向你倾尽一切愤怒，否则你的污秽将不能清除。 14我耶和华言出必行，决不宽容，也不留情，我必照你的所作所为来审判你。’这是主耶和华说的。”
15耶和华对我说： 16“人子啊，我要突然夺去你心爱的人，你不可悲伤，也不可流泪哭泣。 17你要默然哀叹，不可为死人办丧事，仍要缠着头巾，穿着鞋，不可蒙着脸，也不可吃丧家吃的饭。” 18早晨我把这事告诉百姓，晚上我的妻子便死了。次日早晨，我便遵照耶和华的吩咐行。
19百姓问我：“你可以告诉我们，你这样做跟我们有什么关系吗？” 20我告诉他们：“耶和华对我说， 21‘你告诉以色列人，我要使我的圣所，就是你们引以为傲、眼中所爱、心里所慕的受到亵渎。你们留下的儿女必死于刀下。 22那时，你们将像我的仆人一样不蒙脸，不吃丧家吃的饭。 23你们仍将裹着头巾，穿着鞋，不哭泣，也不悲伤。你们必因自己的罪恶而默然叹息，逐渐灭亡。 24以西结做的事都是你们的预兆，你们也将做他做的。当这事发生时，你们就知道我是主耶和华了。’
25“人子啊，有一天我要夺去他们所喜悦、所夸耀、眼中所爱、心里所慕的堡垒，也要夺去他们的儿女。 26那日，幸存的人必来告诉你这个消息。 27那时，你必开口向那人说话，不再沉默。你必成为他们的预兆，他们就知道我是耶和华。”
