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,

Almost nine [after we had been taken to Babylonia], on the tenth day of the tenth month [of that year], Yahweh gave me this message:

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.

“You human, write down what day of the month this is. On this [the army of] King of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem.

3 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:

Tell those rebellious Israeli people [MTY] [in Babylon] a parable. Say this to them: This is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Pour water into the [cooking] pot and put the pot [the fire].

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

Put into the pot some pieces of [from one of your best sheep]: Put in the leg and shoulder, [which are] the best pieces. [Then] fill [the rest of] the pot with the best 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.

Pile wood on the fire, and cook the bones and the meat in the boiling water.’

6 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.

[Do that] because this is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Terrible things will happen [Jerusalem]; it is city that is full of murderers [MTY], [a city that is like] [MET] a scorched pot whose black residue inside cannot be removed. Take the pieces [of meat] out of the pot, but do not choose which pieces to take out.

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;

The blood of the people who were murdered in Jerusalem is still there; they were murdered on the bare rocks, not on the soil, where their blood could be covered.

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.

But I am the one who caused the blood of those who were murdered [MTY] to be smeared on the bare rock, where their blood could not be covered; I did that in order [I could see it and] then be angry and get revenge.’

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

Therefore, this is what [I], Yahweh the Lord say: ‘Terrible things will happen to that city that is full of murderers [MTY]! [It will be as though] I also will pile high [the wood in the fire].

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

[So], heap on the wood and light the fire! Cook the meat well, and mix some spices with it; cook it until the bones are charred.

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 the empty pot on the [of the fire] until the pot becomes [very] hot and the copper glows, with the result that the impurities and the rust will be burned up.

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

[It is as though] I tried to get rid of that rust, but I was not able to do it, [not even] by putting that pot in a fire.

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?

The [in the pot represents] your immoral behavior. I tried to cleanse you from your wicked behavior, but you did not allow me to do that. So you will not be [from the guilt of your sin] [I have punished you and] I am no longer angry.

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, Yahweh, have said [that I will surely punish you]. [And it is time] for me to do that. I will not change my mind; I will not refrain from punishing you, and I will not pity you. I will judge you [and punish you] as you deserve to be punished for your sinful behavior. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh the Lord, have said it.”’”

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

[One day] Yahweh gave me this message:

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

“You human, I am going to suddenly take from [your wife], whom you love very much. [when she dies], do [show that you are] sad or lament or cry.

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.

Groan quietly; do not cry [openly] for her. [Keep] your turban wrapped around your head, [instead of being barefoot, keep] your sandals on your feet. Do not cover the lower part of your [to show that you are sad]. And do not eat the kind of food that people who are mourning usually eat.”

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.

[one morning] I talked to the [as usual], and that evening my wife [suddenly] died. The next morning I did what [Yahweh] had told me to do.

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

Then the people asked me, “What do the things that you are doing signify to us?”

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

So I said to them, “[This is what] Yahweh told me:

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.

‘Tell the Israeli people [MTY] that I am about to destroy the temple, [the building] that you are very proud of, the building that you delight to look at. Your children whom you [in Jerusalem when you were forced to come to Babylon] will be killed [their enemies’] swords.

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.

[When that happens], you will do like I have done: You will not cover the lower part of your faces, or eat the kinds of food that people who are mourning usually eat.

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.

[You will keep] your turbans wrapped around your heads and [keep] your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or cry, but your bodies will become very thin and slowly die because of your sins. And you will groan to each other.

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.

Ezekiel will be a warning to you, and you must do what he has done. When that happens, you will know that I, Yahweh the [have the power to do what I say that I will do].’”

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,

[Then Yahweh said to me], “You human, [soon] I will destroy their sacred temple, which they rejoice about and which they respect and delight to look at, and [I will get rid of] their sons and daughters also.

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

On that day, someone will escape [from Jerusalem] and come and tell you what has happened [there].

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.

When that happens, you will be able to speak again [MTY] [without constraint]. You two will talk together [DOU]. You will be a warning to the people; and they will know that I, Yahweh the Lord, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].”