Ezekiel 24

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

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,

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

Son of man, write you the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.

3 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.

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

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

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

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

Take the choice of the flock, and burn also the bones under it, and make it boil well, and let them seethe the bones of it therein.

6 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.

Why thus says 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 on it.

7 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.

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

8 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.’

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

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

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

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

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

11 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.

Then set it empty on the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed.

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

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

13 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.

In your filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged you, and you were not purged, you shall not be purged from your filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest on you.

14 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,’

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 your ways, and according to your doings, shall they judge you, says the Lord GOD.

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

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

16 “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.

Son of man, behold, I take away from you the desire of your eyes with a stroke: yet neither shall you mourn nor weep, neither shall your tears run down.

17 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.”

Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of your head on you, and put on your shoes on your feet, and cover not your lips, and eat not the bread of men.

18 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.

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

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

And the people said to me, Will you not tell us what these things are to us, that you do so?

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

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

21 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.’

Speak to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pities; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left shall fall by the sword.

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

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

23 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.

And your tires shall be on your heads, and your shoes on your feet: you shall not mourn nor weep; but you shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another.

24 ‘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.’

Thus Ezekiel is to you a sign: according to all that he has done shall you do: and when this comes, you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

25 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,

Also, you 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 whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters,

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

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

27 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.”

In that day shall your mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and you shall speak, and be no more dumb: and you shall be a sign to them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.