Ezekiel 24
1 On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year, a message from 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, because this is the day that the king of Babylon started his siege of 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 Then repeat the following parable to these rebellious people. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Get a pot and set it on the fire. Pour in some 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 Fill it with some good cuts of meat from the thigh and the shoulder. Put in the best bones.
Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.
5 Choose the best animal from the flock. Pile up the fuel underneath it. Get it boiling 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 So this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the city of that has shed so much blood! It is symbolized by the rusted pot, whose rust can't be cleaned off. Take out the meat bit by bit as it comes—don't choose which piece.
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 inside the city. She shed it openly on bare rock—she didn't even spill it on the ground and cover it up with dirt.
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 my anger and to punish, I have spilled her blood openly on bare rock, so it wouldn't be covered up.
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 So this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the city of that has shed so much blood. I will also pile up a large heap of firewood.
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.
10 Put on plenty of wood and light the fire. Make sure the meat is well cooked and add spices. Burn the bones.
Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.
11 Then put the empty pot back on the burning coals until it's hot and the copper metal glows. This will melt the dirt inside it and get rid of the rust.
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 So far it's been impossible to clean it —even fire couldn't burn out all its rust.
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 your immorality you had made yourself unclean and I tried to clean you, but you refused to let me clean away your filth. So now you won't be pure again until I've finished being angry with you.
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 soon coming when I will do what I say. I won't change my mind or show pity, I won't stop. I will judge you by your attitude and actions, declares the Lord God.”
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 A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
16 “Son of man, look, I'm about to take away the one you love the most. She will die. But you must not mourn or weep. Don't cry any tears.
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 Mourn in silence. Don't have any rituals for the dead. Dress normally—have your turban on and put your sandals on your feet. Don't veil your face and don't eat the bread used by 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 I talked to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did as I'd been told.
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 The people asked me, “What are you doing? Aren't you going to explain to us what this means?”
And the people said to me, Will you not tell us what these things are to us, that you do so?
20 So I told them, “A message from the Lord came to me, saying:
Then I answered them, The word of the LORD came to me, saying,
21 Tell the people of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: I am about to make my sanctuary unclean, this place you're so proud of that you think gives you power, the place you love so much, the place that makes you happy. Your sons and daughters that you left behind will be killed 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'll do what I did. You won't veil your face or eat the bread used by mourners.
And you shall do as I have done: you shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.
23 You will keep your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You won't mourn or weep, but you will die inside because of your sins, and you will groan to one another.
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 In this way Ezekiel will be a sign for you; you will do everything that he did. When this happens, then 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 You, son of man, should know that when I destroy their fortress that is their pride and joy, the place they looked to for comfort and happiness —and their sons and daughters too—
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 when that happens someone who managed to get away will come and give 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 you will be able to speak; you won't be mute any longer. This is how 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.
