Ezekiel 24

1 On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year, a message from the Lord came to me, saying,

And the word of the Lord came to 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, because this is the day that the king of Babylon started his siege of Jerusalem.

Son of man, put down in writing this very day: The king of Babylon let loose the weight of his attack against Jerusalem on this very day.

3 Then repeat the following parable to these rebellious people. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Get a pot and set it on the fire. Pour in some water.

And make a comparison for this uncontrolled people, and say to them, This is what the Lord has said: Put on the cooking-pot, put it on the fire and put water in it:

4 Fill it with some good cuts of meat from the thigh and the shoulder. Put in the best bones.

And get the bits together, the fat tail, every good part, the leg and the top part of it: make it full of the best bones.

5 Choose the best animal from the flock. Pile up the fuel underneath it. Get it boiling and cook the bones in it.

Take the best of the flock, put much wood under it: see that its bits are boiling well; let the bones be cooked inside it.

6 So this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the city of that has shed so much blood! It is symbolized by the rusted pot, whose rust can't be cleaned off. Take out the meat bit by bit as it comes—don't choose which piece.

For this is what the Lord has said: A curse is on the town of blood, the cooking-pot which is unclean inside, which has never been made clean! take out its bits; its fate is still to come on it.

7 For the blood she shed is still inside the city. She shed it openly on bare rock—she didn't even spill it on the ground and cover it up with dirt.

For her blood is in her; she has put it on the open rock not draining it on to the earth so that it might be covered with dust;

8 In my anger and to punish, I have spilled her blood openly on bare rock, so it wouldn't be covered up.

In order that it might make wrath come up to give punishment, she has put her blood on the open rock, so that it may not be covered.

9 So this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the city of that has shed so much blood. I will also pile up a large heap of firewood.

For this cause the Lord has said: A curse is on the town of blood! and I will make great the burning mass.

10 Put on plenty of wood and light the fire. Make sure the meat is well cooked and add spices. Burn the bones.

Put on much wood, heating up the fire, boiling the flesh well, and making the soup thick, and let the bones be burned.

11 Then put the empty pot back on the burning coals until it's hot and the copper metal glows. This will melt the dirt inside it and get rid of the rust.

And I will put her on the coals so that she may be heated and her brass burned, so that what is unclean in her may become soft and her waste be completely taken away.

12 So far it's been impossible to clean it —even fire couldn't burn out all its rust.

I have made myself tired to no purpose: still all the waste which is in her has not come out, it has an evil smell.

13 Because of your immorality you had made yourself unclean and I tried to clean you, but you refused to let me clean away your filth. So now you won't be pure again until I've finished being angry with you.

As for your unclean purpose: because I have been attempting to make you clean, but you have not been made clean from it, you will not be made clean till I have let loose my passion on you in full measure.

14 I, the Lord, have spoken. The time is soon coming when I will do what I say. I won't change my mind or show pity, I won't stop. I will judge you by your attitude and actions, declares the Lord God.”

I the Lord have said the word and I will do it; I will not go back or have mercy, and my purpose will not be changed; in the measure of your ways and of your evil doings you will be judged, says the Lord.

15 A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

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

16 “Son of man, look, I'm about to take away the one you love the most. She will die. But you must not mourn or weep. Don't cry any tears.

Son of man, see, I am taking away the desire of your eyes by disease: but let there be no sorrow or weeping or drops running from your eyes.

17 Mourn in silence. Don't have any rituals for the dead. Dress normally—have your turban on and put your sandals on your feet. Don't veil your face and don't eat the bread used by mourners.”

Let there be no sound of sorrow; make no weeping for your dead, put on your head-dress and your shoes on your feet, let not your lips be covered, and do not take the food of those in grief.

18 I talked to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did as I'd been told.

So in the morning I was teaching the people and in the evening death took my wife; and in the morning I did what I had been ordered to do.

19 The people asked me, “What are you doing? Aren't you going to explain to us what this means?”

And the people said to me, Will you not make clear to us the sense of these things; is it for us you do them?

20 So I told them, “A message from the Lord came to me, saying:

Then I said to them, The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

21 Tell the people of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: I am about to make my sanctuary unclean, this place you're so proud of that you think gives you power, the place you love so much, the place that makes you happy. Your sons and daughters that you left behind will be killed by the sword.

Say to the people of Israel, The Lord has said, See, I will make my holy place unclean, the pride of your strength, the pleasure of your eyes, and the desire of your soul; and your sons and daughters, who did not come with you here, will be put to the sword.

22 Then you'll do what I did. You won't veil your face or eat the bread used by mourners.

And you will do as I have done, not covering your lips or taking the food of those in grief.

23 You will keep your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You won't mourn or weep, but you will die inside because of your sins, and you will groan to one another.

And your head-dresses will be on your heads and your shoes on your feet: there will be no sorrow or weeping; but you will be wasting away in the punishment of your evil-doing, and you will be looking at one another in wonder.

24 In this way Ezekiel will be a sign for you; you will do everything that he did. When this happens, then you will know that I am the Lord God.

And Ezekiel will be a sign to you; everything he has done you will do: when this takes place, you will be certain that I am the Lord.

25 You, son of man, should know that when I destroy their fortress that is their pride and joy, the place they looked to for comfort and happiness —and their sons and daughters too—

And as for you, son of man, your mouth will be shut in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that on which their hearts are fixed, and their sons and daughters.

26 when that happens someone who managed to get away will come and give you the news.

In that day, one who has got away safe will come to you to give you news of it.

27 On that day you will be able to speak; you won't be mute any longer. This is how you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”

In that day your mouth will be open to him who has got away safe, and you will say words to him and your lips will no longer be shut: so you will be a sign to them and they will be certain that I am the Lord.