Jezekiel 24

1 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,

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

2 Son of man, write for yourself daily from this day, on which the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem, [even] from this day.

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

3 And speak a parable to the provoking house, and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord; Set on the cauldron, and pour water into it:

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.

4 and put the pieces into it, every prime piece, the leg and shoulder taken off from the bones,

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

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

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.”

6 Therefore thus says the Lord; O bloody city, the cauldron 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.

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

7 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;

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

8 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.

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.”

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

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

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

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

11 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,

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.

12 and her abundant scum may not come forth of her.

She is weary with toil; yet her great rust, rust by fire, does not leave her.

13 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?

“‘“In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you and you were not cleansed, you will not be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused my wrath toward you to rest.

14 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.

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

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

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

16 Son of man, behold I take from you the desire of your eyes by violence: you shall not lament, neither shall you weep.

“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.

17 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.

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

18 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.

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.

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

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

20 Then I said to them, The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

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

21 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.

‘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.

22 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.

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

23 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.

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

24 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.

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.’”’”

25 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,

“You, son of man, should not 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—

26 that in that day he that escapes shall come to you, to tell [it] you in your ears?

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

27 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.

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.”