Ezekiel 24

1 Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

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

2 "Son of man, write the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon drew close to Jerusalem this same day.

“Son of man, write down today's date, because this is the day that the king of Babylon started his siege of Jerusalem.

3 Utter a parable to the rebellious house, and tell them, 'Thus says Jehovah, "Set on the caldron, set it on, and also pour water into it:

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.

4 gather its pieces into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.

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

5 Take the choice of the flock, and also a pile of wood for the bones under the caldron; make it boil well; yes, let its bones be boiled in its midst."'

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

6 "Therefore thus says Jehovah: 'Woe to the bloody city, to the caldron whose rust is in it, and whose rust is not gone out of it. Take out of it piece after piece; No lot is fallen on it.

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.

7 For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it on the bare rock; she didn't pour it on the ground, to cover it with dust.

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.

8 That it may cause wrath to come up to take vengeance, I have set her blood on the bare rock, that it should not be covered.'

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

9 "Therefore thus says Jehovah: 'Woe to the bloody city. I also will make the pile great.

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.

10 Pile on the wood, make the fire hot, boil the meat well, and mix in the spices, and let the bones be burned up.

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

11 Then set it empty on its coals, that it may be hot, and its bronze may burn, and that its filthiness may be molten in it, that its rust may be consumed.

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.

12 She has wearied herself with toil; yet her great rust doesn't go forth out of her; her rust doesn't go forth by fire.

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

13 In your filthiness is lewdness: because I have cleansed you and you weren't cleansed, you shall not be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused my wrath toward you to rest.

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.

14 I, Jehovah, have spoken it: it shall happen, and I will do it: I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to your ways and according to your deeds I will judge you,' says Jehovah."

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.”

15 Also the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

16 "Son of man, look, I will take away from you the desire of your eyes with a stroke: yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, neither shall your tears run down.

“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.

17 Sigh, but not aloud, make no mourning for the dead; bind your headdress on you, and put your shoes on your feet, and do not cover your lips, and do not eat men's bread."

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.”

18 So I spoke to the people in the morning; and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.

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.

19 The people said to me, "Won't you tell us what these things are to us, that you do so?"

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

20 Then I said to them, "The word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

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

21 'Speak to the house of Israel, "Thus says Jehovah: Look, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pities; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind shall fall by the sword.

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.

22 You shall do as I have done: you shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.

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

23 Your turbans shall be on your heads, and your shoes on your feet: you shall not mourn nor weep; but you shall pine away in your iniquities, and moan one toward another.

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.

24 Thus Ezekiel shall be a sign to you; according to all that he has done, you will do. When this comes, then you will know that I am Jehovah."'"

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.

25 "You, son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their heart, their sons and their daughters,

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—

26 that in that day he who escapes shall come to you, to cause you to hear it with your ears?

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

27 In that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped, and you shall speak, and be no more mute: so you will be a sign to them; and they shall know that I am Jehovah."

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.”