Ezekiel 24

1 In the ninth year, on the tenth day of the tenth month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

And the word of the Lord came unto me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, saying,

2 “Son of man, write down today’s date, for on this very day the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem.

Son of man, write thee down the name of this day, of this same day: the king of Babylon hath advanced against Jerusalem on this same day.

3 Now speak a parable to this rebellious house and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Put the pot on the fire; put it on and pour in the water.

And speak concerning the rebellious family a parable, and say unto them, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Set on the pot, set it on, and also pour water into it;

4 Put in the pieces of meat, every good piece— thigh and shoulder— fill it with choice bones.

Gather the proper pieces into it, every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it up with the choice bones.

5 Take the choicest of the flock and pile the fuel beneath it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it.’

Take the choice of the flock, and make also a fire for the bones under it: cause it to seethe well, that even the bones therein may be fully boiled through.

6 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed, to the pot now rusted, whose rust will not come off! Empty it piece by piece; cast no lots for its contents.

Therefore thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Woe to the city of blood-guiltiness, to the pot the scum of which is yet in it, and the scum of which is not gone out of it! one of its pieces after the other take out from it: no lot is cast for it.

7 For the blood she shed is still within her; she poured it out on the bare rock; she did not pour it on the ground to cover it with dust.

For her blood was in the midst of her; on the naked rock did she place it: she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it over with dust.

8 In order to stir up wrath and take vengeance, I have placed her blood on the bare rock, so that it would not be covered.’

To cause my fury to arise to take vengeance, do I place her blood upon the naked rock, so that it shall not be covered up.

9 Yes, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed! I, too, will pile the kindling high.

Therefore thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Woe to the city of blood-guiltiness! I also will myself build up a large burning pile,

10 Pile on the logs and kindle the fire; cook the meat well and mix in the spices; let the bones be burned.

Heaping on the wood, kindling the fire, thoroughly boiling the flesh, and stirring the mixture, that the bones may be scorched.

11 Set the empty pot on its coals until it becomes hot and its copper glows. Then its impurity will melt within; its rust will be consumed.

Then will I set it empty upon its coals, in order that it may become hot, and its copper be made to glow, and its uncleanness may be molten in it, that its scum may be consumed.

12 It has frustrated every effort; its thick rust has not been removed, even by the fire.

With fraud hath she wearied [the poor]; therefore shall not go forth from her the greatness of her scum: through fire shall her scum [be removed].

13 Because of the indecency of your uncleanness I tried to cleanse you, but you would not be purified from your filthiness. You will not be pure again until My wrath against you has subsided.

In thy uncleanness is [thy] incest; because I endeavored to cleanse thee, and thou wouldst not be clean, thou shalt not be cleansed from thy uncleanness any more, until I have assuaged my fury on thee.

14 I, the LORD, have spoken; the time is coming, and I will act. I will not refrain or show pity, nor will I relent. I will judge you according to your ways and deeds,’

I the Lord have spoken it; it cometh to pass, and I will do it; I will not recall my decree, and I will not have pity, nor will I repent: according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall men judge thee, saith the Lord Eternal.

15 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

16 “Son of man, behold, I am about to take away the desire of your eyes with a fatal blow. But you must not mourn or weep or let your tears flow.

Son of man, behold, I will take away from thee the desire of thy eyes by a sudden death; but thou shalt neither mourn nor weep, nor shalt thou shed a tear.

17 Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.”

Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the deceased, thy bonnet bind around thy head, and thy shoes put on thy feet, and cover not thyself to thy upper lip, and eat not the bread of [other] men.

18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And the next morning I did as I had been commanded.

And when I had spoken unto the people in the morning, my wife died at evening: and I did in the morning as I had been commanded.

19 Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean to us?”

And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things mean for us, that thou doest so?

20 So I answered them, “The word of the LORD came to me, saying:

And I said unto them, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

21 Tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I am about to desecrate My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and the delight of your soul. And the sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword.’

Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and the darling of your soul: and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left behind shall fall by the sword.

22 Then you will do as I have done: You will not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.

And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover yourselves to your upper lip, and the bread of other men shall ye not eat.

23 Your turbans will remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or weep, but you will waste away because of your sins, and you will groan among yourselves.

And your bonnets shall be around your heads, and your shoes shall be on your feet: ye shall not mourn nor shall ye weep; but ye shall pine away in your iniquities, and groan, looking one at the other.

24 ‘Thus Ezekiel will be a sign for you; you will do everything that he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’

Thus shall Ezekiel be unto you for a token; in accordance with all that he hath done shall ye do: when this cometh, then shall ye know that I am the Lord Eternal.

25 And you, son of man, know that on the day I take away their stronghold, their pride and joy—the desire of their eyes which uplifted their souls—and their sons and daughters as well,

Also, thou son of man, behold, on the day when I take from them their stronghold, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and the coveted object of their soul, their sons and their daughters, —

26 on that day a fugitive will come and tell you the news.

On that day there shall come one that hath escaped unto thee, and announce it to thy ears.

27 On that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped; you will speak and no longer be mute. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD.”

On that day shall thy mouth be opened through him that hath escaped, and thou shalt speak, and thou shalt not be silenced any more: and thou shalt be a token unto them, and they shall know that I am the Lord.