24
1 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
the name of
the day, this
same day. The
king of Babylon
drew close to
Jerusalem this
same day.
3 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 Gather
its pieces 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 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
the Lord GOD
says:
“Woe to the
bloody city,
to the cauldron
whose rust is
in it,
and whose
rust hasn’t gone
out of it!
Take out of
it piece after
piece
without casting lots
for it.
7 “ ‘ “For
the blood she
shed is in
the middle of
her.
She set it
on the bare
rock.
She didn’t pour
it on the
ground,
to cover it
with dust.
8 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
the Lord GOD
says:
“Woe to the
bloody city!
I also will
make the pile
great.
10 Heap
on the wood.
Make the fire hot.
Boil the meat
well.
Make the broth thick,
and let the bones
be burned.
11 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 She
is weary with
toil;
yet her great
rust,
rust by fire, doesn’t
leave her.
13 “ ‘ “In
your filthiness is
lewdness. Because
I have cleansed
you and you weren’t
cleansed, you won’t
be cleansed from
your filthiness
any more, until
I have caused my
wrath toward you
to rest.
14 “ ‘ “I,
the LORD, have
spoken it. It
will happen, and
I will do
it. I won’t go
back. I won’t
spare. I won’t
repent. According to
your ways
and according to
your doings, they
will judge you,”
says the Lord
GOD.’ ”
15 Also
the LORD’s word
came to me,
saying,
16 “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 Sigh, but
not aloud. Make
no mourning for
the dead. Bind
your headdress on
you, and put
your sandals on
your feet. Don’t
cover your lips,
and don’t eat mourner’s
bread.”
18 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 The
people asked me,
“Won’t you tell us
what these
things mean to us,
that you act
like this?”
20 Then
I said to
them, “The LORD’s
word came to
me, saying,
21 ‘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 You
will do as
I have done.
You won’t cover
your lips or
eat mourner’s bread.
23 Your
turbans will be
on your heads,
and your sandals
on your feet.
You won’t mourn or
weep; but you
will pine away in
your iniquities,
and moan one
toward another.
24 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 “You,
son of man,
shouldn’t 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 who escapes
will come to you,
to cause you to
hear it with
your ears?
27 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.”