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 to 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 for yourself daily from this day, on which the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem, [even] from this 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 a parable to the provoking house, and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord; Set on the caldron, and 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.

and put the pieces into it, every prime piece, the leg and shoulder taken off from the 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.”

[which are] taken from choice cattle, and burn the bones under them: her bones are boiled and cooked in the midst of her.

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 says the Lord; O bloody city, the caldron in which there is scum, and the scum has not gone out of, she has brought it forth piece by piece, no lot has fallen upon 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 is in the midst of her; I have set it upon a smooth rock: I have not poured it out upon the earth, so that the earth should cover it;

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.”

that my wrath should come up for complete vengeance to be taken: I set her blood upon a smooth rock, so as not to cover it.

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

Therefore thus says the Lord, I will also make the firebrand great,

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

and I will multiply the wood, and kindle the fire, that the flesh may be consumed, and the liquor boiled away;

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.

and that [it] may stand upon the coals, that her brass may be thoroughly heated, and be melted in the midst of her filthiness, and her scum may be consumed,

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

and her abundant scum may not come forth of her.

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.

Her scum shall become shameful, because you did defile yourself: and what if you shall be purged no more until I have accomplished my wrath?

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; and it shall come, and I will do [it]; I will not delay, neither will I have any mercy: I will judge you, says the Lord, according to your ways, and according to your devices: therefore will I judge you according to your bloodshed, and according to your devices will I judge you, you unclean, notorious, and abundantly provoking one.

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 take from you the desire of your eyes by violence: you shall not lament, neither shall you weep.

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.”

You shall groan for blood, and have mourning upon your loins; your hair shall not be braided upon you, and your sandals [shall be] on your feet; you shall in no wise be comforted by their lips, and you shall not eat the bread of 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 I spoke to the people in the morning, as he commanded me in the evening, and I did in the morning as it was commanded me.

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 to me, Will you not tell us what these things are that you do?

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

Then I said to them, The word of the Lord came to 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.

Say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord; Behold, I [will] profane my sanctuary, the boast of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and for which your souls are concerned; and your sons and your daughters, whom you have left, 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 you shall do as I have done: you shall not be comforted at their mouth, and you shall not eat the bread of men.

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 hair [shall be] upon your head, and your shoes on your feet: neither shall you at all lament or weep; but you shall pine away in your iniquities, and shall comfort every one his brother.

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.’”’”

And Jezekiel shall be for a sign to you: according to all that I have done shall you do, when these things shall come; and you shall know that I am the Lord.

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—

And you, son of man, [shall it] not [be] in the day when I take their strength from them, the pride of their boasting, the desires of their eyes, and the pride 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?

that in that day he that escapes shall come to you, to tell [it] you in your 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.”

In that day your mouth shall be opened to him that escapes; you shall speak, and shall be no longer dumb: and you shall be for a sign to them, and they shall know that I am the Lord.