Ezekiel 24

1 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,

In the ninth year, on the tenth day of the tenth month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 Son of man, Write for thee the name of the day, [even] of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.

“Son of man, write down today’s date, for on this very day the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem.

3 And utter a parable to the rebellious house, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a pot, set [it] on, and also pour water into it:

Now speak a parable to this rebellious house and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Put the pot on the fire; put it on and pour in the water.

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

Put in the pieces of meat, every good piece— thigh and shoulder— fill it with choice bones.

5 Take the choice of the flock, and burn also the bones under it, [and] make it boil well, and let them boil its bones in it.

Take the choicest of the flock and pile the fuel beneath it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it.’

6 Wherefore thus saith 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 upon it.

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed, to the pot now rusted, whose rust will not come off! Empty it piece by piece; cast no lots for its contents.

7 For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust;

For the blood she shed is still within her; she poured it out on the bare rock; she did not pour it on the ground to cover it with dust.

8 That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set her blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered.

In order to stir up wrath and take vengeance, I have placed her blood on the bare rock, so that it would not be covered.’

9 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.

Yes, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed! I, too, will pile the kindling high.

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

Pile on the logs and kindle the fire; cook the meat well and mix in the spices; let the bones be burned.

11 Then set it empty upon its coals, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and [that] the filthiness of it may be melted in it, [that] the scum of it may be consumed.

Set the empty pot on its coals until it becomes hot and its copper glows. Then its impurity will melt within; its rust will be consumed.

12 She hath wearied [herself] with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum [shall be] in the fire.

It has frustrated every effort; its thick rust has not been removed, even by the fire.

13 In thy filthiness [is] lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.

Because of the indecency of your uncleanness I tried to cleanse you, but you would not be purified from your filthiness. You will not be pure again until My wrath against you has subsided.

14 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 thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord GOD.

I, the LORD, have spoken; the time is coming, and I will act. I will not refrain or show pity, nor will I relent. I will judge you according to your ways and deeds,’

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

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

16 Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thy eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.

“Son of man, behold, I am about to take away the desire of your eyes with a fatal blow. But you must not mourn or weep or let your tears flow.

17 Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thy head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not [thy] lips, and eat not the bread of men.

Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.”

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

So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And the next morning I did as I had been commanded.

19 And the people said to me, Wilt thou not tell us what these [things are] to us, that thou doest [so]?

Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean to us?”

20 Then I answered them, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

So I answered them, “The word of the LORD came to me, saying:

21 Speak to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellence of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.

Tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I am about to desecrate My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and the delight of your soul. And the sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword.’

22 And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover [your] lips, nor eat the bread of men.

Then you will do as I have done: You will not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.

23 And your tires [shall be] upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one towards another.

Your turbans will remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or weep, but you will waste away because of your sins, and you will groan among yourselves.

24 Thus Ezekiel is to you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I [am] the Lord GOD.

‘Thus Ezekiel will be a sign for you; you will do everything that he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’

25 Also, thou 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 on which they set their minds, their sons and their daughters,

And you, son of man, know that on the day I take away their stronghold, their pride and joy—the desire of their eyes which uplifted their souls—and their sons and daughters as well,

26 [That] he that escapeth in that day shall come to thee, to cause [thee] to hear [it] with [thy] ears?

on that day a fugitive will come and tell you the news.

27 In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him who hath escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign to them; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.

On that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped; you will speak and no longer be mute. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD.”