Ezekiel

The book of the prophet Ezekiel, chapter 24, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 24 New English Translation

The Boiling Pot

   1 The word of the LORD came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month: 2 "Son of man, write down the name of this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. 3 Recite a proverb to this rebellious house and say to them, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: "'Set on the pot, set it on, pour water in it too;
   4 add the pieces of meat to it, every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder; fill it with choice bones.
   5 Take the choice bone of the flock, heap up bones under it; boil rapidly, and boil its bones in it.
   6 "'Therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says: Woe to the city of bloodshed, the pot whose rot is in it, whose rot has not been removed from it! Empty it piece by piece. No lot has fallen on it.
   7 For her blood was in it; she poured it on an exposed rock; she did not pour it on the ground to cover it up with dust.
   8 To arouse anger, to take vengeance, I have placed her blood on an exposed rock so that it cannot be covered up.
   9 "'Therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says: Woe to the city of bloodshed! I will also make the pile high.
   10 Pile up the bones, kindle the fire; cook the meat well, mix in the spices, let the bones be charred.
   11 Set the empty pot on the coals, until it becomes hot and its copper glows, until its uncleanness melts within it and its rot is consumed.
   12 It has tried my patience; yet its thick rot is not removed from it. Subject its rot to the fire!
   13 You mix uncleanness with obscene conduct. I tried to cleanse you, but you are not clean. You will not be cleansed from your uncleanness until I have exhausted my anger on you.
   14 "'I the LORD have spoken; judgment is coming and I will act! I will not relent, or show pity, or be sorry! I will judge you according to your conduct and your deeds, declares the sovereign LORD.'"

Ezekiel's Wife Dies

   15 The word of LORD came to me: 16 "Son of man, realize that I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you with a jolt, but you must not mourn or weep or shed tears. 17 Groan in silence for the dead, but do not perform mourning rites. Bind on your turban and put your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your lip and do not eat food brought by others."
   18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. In the morning I acted just as I was commanded. 19 Then the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?"
   20 So I said to them: "The word of the LORD came to me: 21 Say to the house of Israel, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says: Realize I am about to desecrate my sanctuary - the source of your confident pride, the object in which your eyes delight, and your life's passion. Your very own sons and daughters whom you have left behind will die by the sword. 22 Then you will do as I have done: You will not cover your lip or eat food brought by others. 23 Your turbans will be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; you will not mourn or weep, but you will rot for your iniquities and groan among yourselves. 24 Ezekiel will be an object lesson for you; you will do all that he has done. When it happens, then you will know that I am the sovereign LORD.'
   25 "And you, son of man, this is what will happen on the day I take from them their stronghold - their beautiful source of joy, the object in which their eyes delight, and the main concern of their lives, as well as their sons and daughters: 26 On that day a fugitive will come to you to report the news. 27 On that day you will be able to speak again; you will talk with the fugitive and be silent no longer. You will be an object lesson for them, and they will know that I am the LORD."

King James Version

   1 Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
   2 Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.
   3 And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it:
   4 Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.
   5 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 ¶ Wherefore thus saith 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 upon it.
   7 For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust;
   8 That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set her blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered.
   9 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.
   10 Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.
   11 Then set it empty upon 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 She hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire.
   13 In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.
   14 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 thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord GOD.
   15 ¶ Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
   16 Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.
   17 Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.
   18 So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.
   19 ¶ And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?
   20 Then I answered them, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
   21 Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.
   22 And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.
   23 And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another.
   24 Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
   25 Also, thou 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 That he that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine ears?
   27 In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.