Jerusalem as a Cooking Pot
1In the ninth year, in the tenth month on the tenth day, the word of the Lord came to me: 2“Son of man, record this date, this very date, because the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. 3Tell this rebellious people a parable and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“ ‘Put on the cooking pot; put it on
and pour water into it.
4Put into it the pieces of meat,
all the choice pieces—the leg and the shoulder.
Fill it with the best of these bones;
5take the pick of the flock.
Pile wood beneath it for the bones;
bring it to a boil
and cook the bones in it.
6“ ‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“ ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed,
to the pot now encrusted,
whose deposit will not go away!
Take the meat out piece by piece
in whatever order it comes.
7“ ‘For the blood she shed is in her midst:
She poured it on the bare rock;
she did not pour it on the ground,
where the dust would cover it.
8To stir up wrath and take revenge
I put her blood on the bare rock,
so that it would not be covered.
9“ ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“ ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed!
I, too, will pile the wood high.
10So heap on the wood
and kindle the fire.
Cook the meat well,
mixing in the spices;
and let the bones be charred.
11Then set the empty pot on the coals
till it becomes hot and its copper glows,
so that its impurities may be melted
and its deposit burned away.
12It has frustrated all efforts;
its heavy deposit has not been removed,
not even by fire.
13“ ‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.
14“ ‘I the Lord have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back; I will not have pity, nor will I relent. You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions, declares the Sovereign Lord.’ ”
Ezekiel’s Wife Dies
15The word of the Lord came to me: 16“Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears. 17Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban fastened and your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard or eat the customary food of mourners.”
18So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.
19Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things have to do with us? Why are you acting like this?”
20So I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me: 21Say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary—the stronghold in which you take pride, the delight of your eyes, the object of your affection. The sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword. 22And you will do as I have done. You will not cover your mustache and beard or eat the customary food of mourners. 23You will keep your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or weep but will waste away because of24:23 Or away in your sins and groan among yourselves. 24Ezekiel will be a sign to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’
25“And you, son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes, their heart’s desire, and their sons and daughters as well— 26on that day a fugitive will come to tell you the news. 27At that time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and will no longer be silent. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
1Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day. 3And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it: 4Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones. 5Take the choice of the flock, and burn also the bones under it, and make it boil well, and let them seethe the bones of it therein.24.5 burn: or, heap
6¶ Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it. 7For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust; 8That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set her blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered. 9Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great. 10Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned. 11Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed. 12She hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire. 13In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee. 14I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord GOD.
15¶ Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 16Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.24.16 run down: Heb. go 17Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.24.17 Forbear: Heb. Be silent24.17 lips: Heb. upper lip 18So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.
19¶ And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so? 20Then I answered them, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 21Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.24.21 that…: Heb. the pity of your soul 22And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men. 23And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another. 24Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD. 25Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters,24.25 that…: Heb. the lifting up of their soul 26That he that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine ears? 27In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.
