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 year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to 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.

Son of man, write you the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem 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].

And utter a parable to the rebellious house, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour 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, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.

5 Pile wood on the fire, and cook the bones and the meat in the boiling water.’

Take the choice of the flock, and burn also the bones under it, and make it boil well, and let them 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.

Why thus says the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall on 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 middle of her; she set it on the top of a rock; she poured it not on the ground, to cover 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 fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set her blood on the top of a rock, that it should not be covered.

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 says the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire 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.

Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.

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 empty on the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum 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 has wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the 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.

In your filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged you, and you were not purged, you shall not be purged from your filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest on you.

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 have spoken it: it shall come to pass, 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 doings, shall they judge you, says the Lord GOD.

15 [One day] Yahweh gave me this message:

Also the word of the LORD came to 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.

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

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.”

Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of your head on you, and put on your shoes on your feet, and cover not your lips, and eat 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 spoke to the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; 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 to me, Will you not tell us what these things are to us, that you do so?

20 So I said to them, “[This is what] Yahweh told me:

Then I answered them, The word of the LORD came to 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.

Speak to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pities; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left shall fall by the sword.

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 you shall do as I have done: you shall not cover your lips, nor eat 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 tires shall be on your heads, and your shoes on your feet: you shall not mourn nor weep; but you shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn 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 to you a sign: according to all that he has done shall you do: and when this comes, you 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, 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 minds, their sons and their daughters,

26 On that day, someone will escape [from Jerusalem] and come and tell you what has happened [there].

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

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 your mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and you shall speak, and be no more dumb: and you shall be a sign to them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.