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 Yahweh came unto me. in the ninth year in the tenth month, on the tenth 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 the name of the day, this selfsame day, —the king of Babylon cast himself against Jerusalem, on this selfsame 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].

Put thou forth therefore, against the perverse house a parable, and say unto them Thus saith My Lord, Yahweh: Set on the caldron set it on, Moreover also pour into it water:

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, Every good piece thigh and shoulder, With the choice of the bones, fill it:

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

Take of the choice of the rock, Moreover also pile of bones place under it, - Boil the pieces thereof, Yea let the bones of it seethe in the midst thereof.

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.

Wherefore, Thus saith My Lord Yahweh, Woe! city of bloodshed. The caldron whose scum is in it, and whose scum, hath not gone out of it: Piece by piece, bring it out, There hath fallen thereon no lot.

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 own blood, hath come to be in her midst, Upon the smooth face of the cliff, hath she set it, - She hath not poured it out on the earth, that she might 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.’

To bring up indignation to execute an avenging, have I set her blood upon the smooth face of the cliff, —that it may 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].

Wherefore Thus, saith My Lord Yahweh, Woe! city of bloodshed, —Even I myself, will make large the 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.

Heap on the wood Kindle the fire, Consume the flesh, Yea season with spice, And let the bones 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 set it upon the live coals thereof empty, —that the copper of it may be scorched and burn. So that the impurity thereof may be annihilated within it The scum thereof 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 toils, hath she wearied herself, —Since her abundant scum will not go out of her, into the fire, with her scum!

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 thine uncleanness, is lewdness; be- cause I purified thee and thou wast not purified, from thine uncleanness, thou shalt not be purified any more, until I have let mine indignation rest upon 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 Yahweh, have spoken It cometh and I will perform I will not let alone, neither will I shield, Nor will I repent, - According to thy ways and according to thy doings, have they judged thee, Declareth My Lord Yahweh.

15 [One day] Yahweh gave me this message:

And the word of Yahweh came unto 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 me! taking away from thee the delight of thine eyes, with a stroke, - But thou shall not lament Neither shalt thou weep, Neither shall come—thy tears:

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.”

To groan, forbear, Over the dead—no mourning, shalt thou make Thy chaplet, bind thou on thee And thy sandals: , put thou on thy feet, And thou shalt not cover thy beard, And the bread of other men, shalt thou not eat.

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 unto the people in the morning, and my wife died in the 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?”

Then said the people unto me: Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou shouldst be acting thus?

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

So I said unto them: The word of Yahweh hath come 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.

Say to the house of Israel thus, saith My Lord. Yahweh, Behold me! profaning my sanctuary. The pride of your strength, The delight of your eyes And the object of the tender regard of your soul, - And your sons and your daughters whom ye have left behind, by the sword, shall fall.

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.

Then shall ye do, as I have done.— The beard, shall ye not cover, 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 chaplets shall be on your heads. And your sandals on your feet, Ye shall neither lament, nor weep, - Yet shall ye pine away in your iniquities, and shall groan one to 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].’”

So shall Ezekiel become to you a wonder, According to all that he hath done, shall ye do: When it cometh, then shall ye know that I am The Lord, Yahweh.

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.

Thou, therefore Son of man, Shall it not be— In the day when I take away from them Their strength, The joy of their adorning, — The delight of their eyes And the desire 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].

That in that day, one that hath escaped shall come in unto thee, —to cause thee to hear it with thine own 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].”

That in that day, thy mouth shall be opened unto him that hath escaped, And thou shalt speak and not be dumb any longer? So shalt thou become to them a wonder, And they shall know that, I, am Yahweh.