Ezekiel 24
1 On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year, a message from the Lord came to me, saying,
The word of Yahweh came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, and 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, write for yourself the name of this day, this exact day, for this exact day the king of Babylon has besieged Jerusalem.
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.
So speak a proverb against this rebellious house, a parable. Say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Place the cooking pot. Place it and pour water into it.
4 Fill it with some good cuts of meat from the thigh and the shoulder. Put in the best bones.
Gather pieces of food within it, every good piece—the thigh and shoulder— and fill it with 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 and pile up the bones under it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in 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.
Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: Woe to the city of blood, a cooking pot that has rust in it and that rust will not come out of it. Take piece after piece from it, but do not cast lots for 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 the midst of her. She has set it on the smooth rock; she has not poured it out on the ground to cover it 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.
so it brings fury up to exact vengeance. I placed her blood on the smooth rock so it could 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.
Therefore, the Lord Yahweh says this: Woe to the city of blood. I will also enlarge the pile of wood.
10 Put on plenty of wood and light the fire. Make sure the meat is well cooked and add spices. Burn the bones.
Stack up the wood and kindle the fire. Cook the meat well and mix in the spices and let the bones be charred.
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.
Then set the pot on its coals empty, in order to heat and scorch its bronze, so its uncleanness within it will be melted, its corrosion consumed.'
12 So far it's been impossible to clean it —even fire couldn't burn out all its rust.
She has become weary because of toil, but her corrosion has not gone out of her by the fire.
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.
Your shameful behavior is in your uncleanness. Because I tried to cleanse you but still you would not be cleansed from your uncleanness, you will not be cleansed anymore until I have satisfied my fury upon you.
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, Yahweh, have declared it, and I will do it. I will not relent nor will I rest from it. As your ways were, and as your activities, they will judge you!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.”
15 A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
Then the word of Yahweh 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! Behold, I am taking the desire of your eyes from you with a plague, but you must not mourn nor weep, and your tears must not flow.
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.”
You must groan silently. Do not conduct a funeral for the dead. Tie your turban on you and place your sandals on your feet, but do not veil your facial hair or eat the bread of men who mourn for having lost their wives.”
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 I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. In the morning I did what I had been commanded to do.
19 The people asked me, “What are you doing? Aren't you going to explain to us what this means?”
The people asked me, “Will you not tell us what these things mean, the things that you are doing?”
20 So I told them, “A message from the Lord came to me, saying:
So I said to them, “The word of Yahweh 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 house of Israel, the Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I will desecrate my sanctuary—the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the yearning of your soul, and your sons and your daughters whom you left behind will fall by the sword.
22 Then you'll do what I did. You won't veil your face or eat the bread used by mourners.
Then you will do exactly as I have done: you will not veil your facial hair, nor eat the bread of mourning men!
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.
Instead, your turbans will be on your heads, and your sandals on your feet; you will not mourn nor weep, for you will melt away in your iniquities, and each man will groan for his brother.
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.
So Ezekiel will be a sign for you, as everything that he has done you will do when this comes. Then you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh!'”
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—
“But you, son of man, on the day that I capture their temple, which is their joy, their pride, and what they see and desire—and when I take away their sons and daughters—
26 when that happens someone who managed to get away will come and give you the news.
on that day, a refugee will come to you to give you the news!
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.”
On that day your mouth will be opened up to that refugee and you will speak—you will no longer be silent. You will be a sign for them so that they will know that I am Yahweh.”
