Ezekiel 24

1 Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

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 “Son of man, write the name of the day, this same day. The king of Babylon drew close to Jerusalem this same day.

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 Utter a parable to the rebellious house, and tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says, “Put the cauldron on the fire. Put it on, and also pour water into it.

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 Gather its pieces into it, even every good piece: the thigh and the shoulder. Fill it with the choice bones.

Gather the proper pieces into it, every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it up with the choice bones.

5 Take the choice of the flock, and also a pile of wood for the bones under the cauldron. Make it boil well. Yes, let its bones be boiled within it.”

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 “‘Therefore the Lord GOD says: “Woe to the bloody city, to the cauldron whose rust is in it, and whose rust hasn’t gone out of it! Take out of it piece after piece without casting lots for it.

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 “‘“For the blood she shed is in the middle of her. She set it on the bare rock. She didn’t pour it on the ground, to cover it with dust.

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 That it may cause wrath to come up to take vengeance, I have set her blood on the bare rock, that it should not be covered.”

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 the Lord GOD says: “Woe to the bloody city! I also will make the pile great.

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 Heap on the wood. Make the fire hot. Boil the meat well. Make the broth thick, and let the bones be burnt.

Heaping on the wood, kindling the fire, thoroughly boiling the flesh, and stirring the mixture, that the bones may be scorched.

11 Then set it empty on its coals, that it may be hot, and its bronze may burn, and that its filthiness may be molten in it, that its rust may be consumed.

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 She is weary with toil; yet her great rust, rust by fire, doesn’t leave her.

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 “‘“In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you and you weren’t cleansed, you won’t be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused my wrath towards you to rest.

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, the LORD, have spoken it. It will happen, and I will do it. I won’t go back. I won’t spare. I won’t repent. According to your ways and according to your doings, they will judge you,” says the Lord GOD.’”

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 Also the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

16 “Son of man, behold, I will take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke; yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, neither shall your tears run down.

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 Sigh, but not aloud. Make no mourning for the dead. Bind your headdress on you, and put your sandals on your feet. Don’t cover your lips, and don’t eat mourner’s bread.”

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

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 The people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things mean to us, that you act like this?”

And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things mean for us, that thou doest so?

20 Then I said to them, “The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

And I said unto them, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

21 ‘Speak to the house of Israel, “The Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pities; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword.

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 You will do as I have done. You won’t cover your lips or eat mourner’s bread.

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 Your turbans will be on your heads, and your sandals on your feet. You won’t mourn or weep; but you will pine away in your iniquities, and moan one towards another.

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 Thus Ezekiel will be a sign to you; according to all that he has done, you will do. When this comes, then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’”’”

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 “You, son of man, shouldn’t it 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 heart—their sons and their daughters—

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

On that day there shall come one that hath escaped unto thee, and announce it to thy ears.

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

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.