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:
And the word of the Lord came unto me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, 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 thee down the name of this day, of this same day: the king of Babylon hath advanced against Jerusalem on 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 speak concerning the rebellious family a parable, and say unto them, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Set on the 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 proper pieces into it, every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it up 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 make also a fire for the bones under it: cause it to seethe well, that even the bones therein may be fully boiled through.
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.
Therefore thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Woe to the city of blood-guiltiness, to the pot the scum of which is yet in it, and the scum of which is not gone out of it! one of its pieces after the other take out from it: no lot is cast for 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 was in the midst of her; on the naked rock did she place it: she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it over 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.’
To cause my fury to arise to take vengeance, do I place her blood upon the naked rock, so that it shall not be covered up.
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 hath said the Lord Eternal, Woe to the city of blood-guiltiness! I also will myself build up a large burning pile,
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.
Heaping on the wood, kindling the fire, thoroughly boiling the flesh, and stirring the mixture, that the bones may be scorched.
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 will I set it empty upon its coals, in order that it may become hot, and its copper be made to glow, and its uncleanness may be molten in it, that its scum 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.
With fraud hath she wearied [the poor]; therefore shall not go forth from her the greatness of her scum: through fire shall her scum [be removed].
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 thy uncleanness is [thy] incest; because I endeavored to cleanse thee, and thou wouldst not be clean, thou shalt not be cleansed from thy uncleanness any more, until I have assuaged my fury on 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 have spoken it; it cometh to pass, and I will do it; I will not recall my decree, and I will not have pity, nor will I repent: according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall men judge thee, saith the Lord Eternal.
15 [One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
And 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 will take away from thee the desire of thy eyes by a sudden death; but thou shalt neither mourn nor weep, nor shalt thou shed a tear.
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.”
Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the deceased, thy bonnet bind around thy head, and thy shoes put on thy feet, and cover not thyself to thy upper lip, and eat not the bread of [other] 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.
And when I had spoken unto the people in the morning, my wife died at evening: and I did in the morning as I had been commanded.
19 Then the people asked me, “What do the things that you are doing signify to us?”
And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things mean for us, that thou doest so?
20 So I said to them, “[This is what] Yahweh told me:
And I said unto them, The word of the Lord came unto 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 unto the house of Israel, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and the darling of your soul: and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left behind 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 ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover yourselves to your upper lip, and the bread of other men shall ye not eat.
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 bonnets shall be around your heads, and your shoes shall be on your feet: ye shall not mourn nor shall ye weep; but ye shall pine away in your iniquities, and groan, looking one at the other.
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 shall Ezekiel be unto you for a token; in accordance with all that he hath done shall ye do: when this cometh, then shall ye know that I am the Lord Eternal.
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 son of man, behold, on the day when I take from them their stronghold, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and the coveted object of their soul, their sons and their daughters, —
26 On that day, someone will escape [from Jerusalem] and come and tell you what has happened [there].
On that day there shall come one that hath escaped unto thee, and announce it to thy 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].”
On that day shall thy mouth be opened through him that hath escaped, and thou shalt speak, and thou shalt not be silenced any more: and thou shalt be a token unto them, and they shall know that I am the Lord.
