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.”
Chungu Cha Kupikia
124:1 Eze 8:1; 26:1; 29:17Katika mwaka wa tisa, mwezi wa kumi, siku ya kumi, neno la Bwana likanijia kusema: 224:2 2Fal 25:1; Yer 52:4; Isa 30:8; Hab 2:2; Yer 39:1“Mwanadamu, weka kumbukumbu ya tarehe hii, tarehe hii hasa, kwa kuwa mfalme wa Babeli ameuzingira mji wa Yerusalemu kwa jeshi siku hii ya leo. 324:3 Za 78:2; Eze 17:2; 11:3-6; 11:3Iambie nyumba hii ya kuasi fumbo, na uwaambie, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo:
“ ‘Teleka sufuria jikoni; iteleke
na umimine maji ndani yake,
424:4 Eze 11:7Weka vipande vya nyama ndani yake,
vipande vyote vizuri,
vya paja na vya bega.
Ijaze hiyo sufuria kwa mifupa hii mizuri;
524:5 Isa 34:12; Yer 52:10, 24-27; Mik 3:2-3chagua yule aliye bora wa kundi la kondoo.
Panga kuni chini ya sufuria kwa ajili ya mifupa;
chochea mpaka ichemke
na uitokose hiyo mifupa ndani yake.
624:6 Eze 22:2; Ay 6:27; Nah 3:10; Oba 1:11; Eze 16:23; Yoe 3:3; Eze 11:11“ ‘Kwa kuwa hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo:
“ ‘Ole wa mji umwagao damu,
ole wa sufuria ambayo sasa
ina ukoko ndani yake,
ambayo ukoko wake hautoki.
Kipakue kipande baada ya kipande,
bila kuvipigia kura.
724:7 Law 17:13; Kum 12:16“ ‘Kwa kuwa damu aliyoimwaga ipo katikati yake:
huyo mwanamke aliimwaga
juu ya mwamba ulio wazi;
hakuimwaga kwenye ardhi,
ambako vumbi lingeifunika.
824:8 Mt 7:2Kuchochea ghadhabu na kulipiza kisasi,
nimemwaga damu yake
juu ya mwamba ulio wazi,
ili isifunikwe.
924:9 Eze 24:6; Nah 3:1; Hab 2:12“ ‘Kwa hiyo, hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo:
“ ‘Ole wa mji umwagao damu!
Mimi nami nitalundikia kuni nyingi.
10Kwa hiyo lundika kuni
na uwashe moto.
Pika hiyo nyama vizuri,
changanya viungo ndani yake,
na uiache mifupa iungue kwenye moto.
1124:11 Yer 21:10; Eze 22:15Kisha teleka sufuria tupu kwenye makaa
mpaka iwe na moto sana na shaba yake ingʼae,
ili uchafu wake upate kuyeyuka
na ukoko wake upate kuungua na kuondoka.
12Imezuia juhudi zote,
ukoko wake mwingi haujaondoka,
hata ikiwa ni kwa moto.
1324:13 Mao 1:9; Zek 6:8; Eze 5:13; 8:18; Isa 22:14; Yer 6:28-30; Eze 16:18“ ‘Sasa uchafu wako ni uasherati wako. Kwa sababu nilijaribu kukutakasa lakini haikuwezekana kutakaswa kutoka kwenye huo uchafu wako, hutatakasika tena mpaka ghadhabu yangu dhidi yako iwe imepungua.
1424:14 Zek 8:14; Hes 23:19; Isa 3:11; Eze 18:30; Isa 22:14; Hes 11:23; Ay 27:22“ ‘Mimi Bwana nimesema, wakati umewadia wa mimi kutenda. Mimi sitazuia, mimi sitaona huruma wala sitapunguza hasira yangu, Utahukumiwa sawasawa na mwenendo na matendo yako, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.’ ”
Kifo Cha Mke Wa Ezekieli
15Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema: 1624:16 Yer 13:17; 16:5; Za 39:10; 84:1; Mao 2:4; Yer 22:10“Mwanadamu, kwa pigo moja nakaribia kukuondolea kile kilicho furaha ya macho yako. Lakini usiomboleze au kulia wala kudondosha machozi yoyote. 1724:17 Yer 16:7; Hes 20:29; Isa 3:20; 20:2; 20:2; Law 13:45Lia kwa uchungu kimya kimya usimwombolezee mtu aliyekufa. Jifunge kilemba chako na uvae viatu vyako miguuni mwako, usifunike sehemu ya chini ya uso wako, wala usile vyakula vya kawaida vya wakati wa matanga.”
1824:18 Eze 12:7Hivyo nikanena na watu asubuhi na jioni mke wangu akafa. Asubuhi yake nilifanya kama nilivyoamriwa.
1924:19 Eze 12:9; 37:18Ndipo watu wakaniuliza, “Je, jambo hili unalofanya linamaanisha nini kwetu?”
20Kwa hiyo nikawaambia, “Neno la Bwana lilinijia kusema: 2124:21 Za 27:4; Yer 7:14; Eze 23:25; Hos 9:12-16; Mal 2:12; Law 26:19, 31‘Sema na nyumba ya Israeli. Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Ninakaribia kupatia unajisi mahali pangu patakatifu, ngome ambayo ndani yake mnaona fahari, furaha ya macho yenu, kitu mnachokipenda. Wana wenu na binti zenu mliowaacha nyuma wataanguka kwa upanga. 2224:22 Yer 16:7; Law 13:45Nanyi mtafanya kama nilivyofanya. Hamtafunika sehemu ya chini ya nyuso zenu wala hamtakula vyakula vya kawaida vya waombolezaji. 2324:23 Kut 33:4; Ay 27:15; Za 78:64; Kut 28:39; Isa 3:20Mtajifunga vilemba vichwani mwenu na kuvaa viatu vyenu miguuni mwenu. Hamtaomboleza au kulia, lakini mtadhoofika kwa sababu ya dhambi zenu na kulia kwa uchungu kila mtu na mwenzake. 2424:24 Isa 20:3; Eze 4:3; Yn 13:19; Eze 12:11Ezekieli atakuwa ishara kwenu, mtafanya kama yeye alivyofanya. Wakati jambo hili litakapotokea, mtajua kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana Mwenyezi.’
2524:25 Kum 28:32; Yer 11:22; Za 20:4; Mao 2:4“Nawe, mwanadamu, siku ile nitakapoondoa ngome yao iliyo furaha yao na utukufu wao, kitu cha kupendeza macho yao, kile kilicho shauku ya mioyo yao, wana wao na binti zao vilevile, 2624:26 1Sam 4:12; Ay 1:15-19siku hiyo atakayetoroka atakuja kuwapasha habari. 2724:27 Eze 3:26; 33:22; Dan 10:15Katika siku ile kinywa chako kitamfumbukia yeye aliyenusurika, nawe utaongea wala hutanyamaza tena. Hivyo wewe utakuwa ishara kwao, nao watajua kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana.”
