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 Yahweh came unto me. in the ninth year in the tenth month, on the tenth 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 the name of the day, this selfsame day, —the king of Babylon cast himself against Jerusalem, on this selfsame 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.

Put thou forth therefore, against the perverse house a parable, and say unto them Thus saith My Lord, Yahweh: Set on the caldron set it on, Moreover also pour into it water:

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

Gather the pieces thereof into it, Every good piece thigh and shoulder, With the choice of the bones, fill it:

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 of the choice of the rock, Moreover also pile of bones place under it, - Boil the pieces thereof, Yea let the bones of it seethe in the midst thereof.

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.

Wherefore, Thus saith My Lord Yahweh, Woe! city of bloodshed. The caldron whose scum is in it, and whose scum, hath not gone out of it: Piece by piece, bring it out, There hath fallen thereon no lot.

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 own blood, hath come to be in her midst, Upon the smooth face of the cliff, hath she set it, - She hath not poured it out on the earth, that she might cover it 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 bring up indignation to execute an avenging, have I set her blood upon the smooth face of the cliff, —that it may not be covered.

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

Wherefore Thus, saith My Lord Yahweh, Woe! city of bloodshed, —Even I myself, will make large the pile.

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

Heap on the wood Kindle the fire, Consume the flesh, Yea season with spice, And let the bones 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 set it upon the live coals thereof empty, —that the copper of it may be scorched and burn. So that the impurity thereof may be annihilated within it The scum thereof be consumed,

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

With toils, hath she wearied herself, —Since her abundant scum will not go out of her, into the fire, with her scum!

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 thine uncleanness, is lewdness; be- cause I purified thee and thou wast not purified, from thine uncleanness, thou shalt not be purified any more, until I have let mine indignation rest upon 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 Yahweh, have spoken It cometh and I will perform I will not let alone, neither will I shield, Nor will I repent, - According to thy ways and according to thy doings, have they judged thee, Declareth My Lord Yahweh.

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

And the word of Yahweh came unto 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 me! taking away from thee the delight of thine eyes, with a stroke, - But thou shall not lament Neither shalt thou weep, Neither shall come—thy tears:

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.”

To groan, forbear, Over the dead—no mourning, shalt thou make Thy chaplet, bind thou on thee And thy sandals: , put thou on thy feet, And thou shalt not cover thy beard, And the bread of other men, shalt thou not eat.

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.

So I spake unto the people in the morning, and my wife died in the 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?”

Then said the people unto me: Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou shouldst be acting thus?

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

So I said unto them: The word of Yahweh hath come 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.’

Say to the house of Israel thus, saith My Lord. Yahweh, Behold me! profaning my sanctuary. The pride of your strength, The delight of your eyes And the object of the tender regard of your soul, - And your sons and your daughters whom ye have left behind, by the sword, shall fall.

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

Then shall ye do, as I have done.— The beard, shall ye not cover, 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 chaplets shall be on your heads. And your sandals on your feet, Ye shall neither lament, nor weep, - Yet shall ye pine away in your iniquities, and shall groan one to another.

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.’

So shall Ezekiel become to you a wonder, According to all that he hath done, shall ye do: When it cometh, then shall ye know that I am The Lord, Yahweh.

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,

Thou, therefore Son of man, Shall it not be— In the day when I take away from them Their strength, The joy of their adorning, — The delight of their eyes And the desire of their soul, Their sons and their daughters

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

That in that day, one that hath escaped shall come in unto thee, —to cause thee to hear it with thine own 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.”

That in that day, thy mouth shall be opened unto him that hath escaped, And thou shalt speak and not be dumb any longer? So shalt thou become to them a wonder, And they shall know that, I, am Yahweh.