Ezekiel 24
1 Almost nine [after we had been taken to Babylonia], on the tenth day of the tenth month [of that year], Yahweh gave me this message:
Again in the ninth yeere, in the tenth moneth, in the tenth day of the moneth, came the worde of the Lord vnto me, saying,
2 “You human, write down what day of the month this is. On this [the army of] King of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem.
Sonne of man, write thee the name of the day, euen of this same day: for the King of Babel set himselfe against Ierusalem this same day.
3 Tell those rebellious Israeli people [MTY] [in Babylon] a parable. Say this to them: This is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Pour water into the [cooking] pot and put the pot [the fire].
Therefore speake a parable vnto the rebellious house, and say vnto them, Thus sayth the Lord God, Prepare a pot, prepare it, and also powre water into it.
4 Put into the pot some pieces of [from one of your best sheep]: Put in the leg and shoulder, [which are] the best pieces. [Then] fill [the rest of] the pot with the best bones.
Gather the pieces thereof into it, euen euery good piece, as the thigh and the shoulder, and fill it with the chiefe bones.
5 Pile wood on the fire, and cook the bones and the meat in the boiling water.’
Take one of the best sheepe, and burne also the bones vnder it, and make it boyle well, and seethe the bones of it therein,
6 [Do that] because this is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Terrible things will happen [Jerusalem]; it is city that is full of murderers [MTY], [a city that is like] [MET] a scorched pot whose black residue inside cannot be removed. Take the pieces [of meat] out of the pot, but do not choose which pieces to take out.
Because the Lord God sayth thus, Woe to the bloody citie, euen to the pot, whose skomme is therein, and whose skomme is not gone out of it: bring it out piece by piece: let no lot fall vpon it.
7 The blood of the people who were murdered in Jerusalem is still there; they were murdered on the bare rocks, not on the soil, where their blood could be covered.
For her blood is in the middes of her: shee set it vpon an high rocke, and powred it not vpon on the ground to couer it with dust,
8 But I am the one who caused the blood of those who were murdered [MTY] to be smeared on the bare rock, where their blood could not be covered; I did that in order [I could see it and] then be angry and get revenge.’
That it might cause wrath to arise, and take vengeance: euen I haue set her blood vpon an high rocke that it should not be couered.
9 Therefore, this is what [I], Yahweh the Lord say: ‘Terrible things will happen to that city that is full of murderers [MTY]! [It will be as though] I also will pile high [the wood in the fire].
Therefore thus saith ye Lord God, Woe to the bloody citie, for I will make ye burning great.
10 [So], heap on the wood and light the fire! Cook the meat well, and mix some spices with it; cook it until the bones are charred.
Heape on much wood: kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and cast in spice, and let the bones be burnt.
11 Then set the empty pot on the [of the fire] until the pot becomes [very] hot and the copper glows, with the result that the impurities and the rust will be burned up.
Then set it emptie vpon the coles thereof, that the brasse of it may be hot, and may burne, and that the filthinesse of it may be molten in it, and that the skomme of it may be consumed.
12 [It is as though] I tried to get rid of that rust, but I was not able to do it, [not even] by putting that pot in a fire.
She hath wearied her selfe with lyes, and her great skomme went not out of her: therefore her skomme shall be consumed with fire.
13 The [in the pot represents] your immoral behavior. I tried to cleanse you from your wicked behavior, but you did not allow me to do that. So you will not be [from the guilt of your sin] [I have punished you and] I am no longer angry.
Thou remainest in thy filthines and wickednes: because I would haue purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthines, till I haue caused my wrath to light vpon thee.
14 I, Yahweh, have said [that I will surely punish you]. [And it is time] for me to do that. I will not change my mind; I will not refrain from punishing you, and I will not pity you. I will judge you [and punish you] as you deserve to be punished for your sinful behavior. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh the Lord, have said it.”’”
I the Lord haue spoken it: it shall come to passe, and I will doe it: I will not goe backe, neither will I spare, neither will I repent: according to thy wayes, and according to thy workes shall they iudge thee, sayeth the Lord God.
15 [One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
Also the worde of ye Lord came vnto me, saying,
16 “You human, I am going to suddenly take from [your wife], whom you love very much. [when she dies], do [show that you are] sad or lament or cry.
Sonne of man beholde, I take away from thee the pleasure of thine eyes with a plague: yet shalt thou neither mourne nor weepe, neither shall thy teares runne downe.
17 Groan quietly; do not cry [openly] for her. [Keep] your turban wrapped around your head, [instead of being barefoot, keep] your sandals on your feet. Do not cover the lower part of your [to show that you are sad]. And do not eat the kind of food that people who are mourning usually eat.”
Cease from sighing: make no mourning for the dead, and binde the tyre of thine head vpon thee, and put on thy shooes vpon thy feete, and couer not thy lips, and eate not the bread of men.
18 [one morning] I talked to the [as usual], and that evening my wife [suddenly] died. The next morning I did what [Yahweh] had told me to do.
So I spake vnto the people in the morning, and at euen my wife dyed: and I did in the morning, as I was commanded.
19 Then the people asked me, “What do the things that you are doing signify to us?”
And the people said vnto me, Wilt thou not tell vs what these things meane towarde vs that thou doest so?
20 So I said to them, “[This is what] Yahweh told me:
Then I answered them, The worde of the Lord came vnto me, saying,
21 ‘Tell the Israeli people [MTY] that I am about to destroy the temple, [the building] that you are very proud of, the building that you delight to look at. Your children whom you [in Jerusalem when you were forced to come to Babylon] will be killed [their enemies’] swords.
Speake vnto the house of Israel, Thus sayth the Lord God, Behold, I will pollute my Sanctuarie, euen the pride of your power, the pleasure of your eyes, and your hearts desire, and your sonnes, and your daughters whom ye haue left, shall fall by the sworde.
22 [When that happens], you will do like I have done: You will not cover the lower part of your faces, or eat the kinds of food that people who are mourning usually eat.
And ye shall doe as I haue done: ye shall not couer your lippes, neither shall ye eate the bread of men.
23 [You will keep] your turbans wrapped around your heads and [keep] your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or cry, but your bodies will become very thin and slowly die because of your sins. And you will groan to each other.
And your tyre shalbe vpon your heads, and your shooes vpon your feete: ye shall not mourne nor weepe, but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourne one toward another.
24 Ezekiel will be a warning to you, and you must do what he has done. When that happens, you will know that I, Yahweh the [have the power to do what I say that I will do].’”
Thus Ezekiel is vnto you a signe: according to all that he hath done, ye shall do: and when this commeth, ye shall know that I am the Lord God.
25 [Then Yahweh said to me], “You human, [soon] I will destroy their sacred temple, which they rejoice about and which they respect and delight to look at, and [I will get rid of] their sons and daughters also.
Also, thou sonne of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their power, ye ioy of their honor, ye pleasure of their eyes, and the desire of their heart, their sonnes and their daughters?
26 On that day, someone will escape [from Jerusalem] and come and tell you what has happened [there].
That he that escapeth in that day, shall come vnto thee to tell thee that which hee hath heard with his eares?
27 When that happens, you will be able to speak again [MTY] [without constraint]. You two will talk together [DOU]. You will be a warning to the people; and they will know that I, Yahweh the Lord, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].”
In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speake, and be no more dumme, and thou shalt be a signe vnto them, and they shall knowe that I am the Lord.
