The Prophet Ezekiel

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- Chapter 24 -

Almost nine years after the Babylonians had taken us Israelites to their land, on the tenth day of the tenth month of that year, Yahweh gave me this message:

“Son of man, write down what day of the month this is. On this day the army of the king of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem.

Tell those rebellious Israelite people 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 on the fire.

Put into the pot some pieces of meat 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.

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

Do that because this is what Yahweh the Lord says: ’Terrible things will happen to Jerusalem; it is city that is full of murderers, a city that is like a corroded copper pot, and the corrosion cannot be removed. Take the pieces of meat out of the pot, but do not choose which pieces to take out.

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.

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

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

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 black.

Then set the empty pot on the coals of the fire until the pot becomes very hot and the copper glows, so that the corrosion will disappear.

It is as though I tried to get rid of that corrosion, but I was not able to do it, not even by putting that pot on the fire.

The corrosion 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 cleansed from the guilt of your sin until I have punished you and I am no longer angry.

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.’”

Ezekiel’s Wife Dies

One day Yahweh gave me this message:

“Son of man, I am going to suddenly take from you your wife by means of a disease, your wife, whom you love very much. But when she dies, do not show that you are sad or lament or cry.

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

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

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

I answered them, “This is what Yahweh told me:

’Tell the Israelite people 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 left in Jerusalem when you were forced to come to Babylon, your enemies will kill them.

When that happens, you will do as 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.

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; I will not forgive your sins at all. And you will groan for each other.

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 Lord have the power to do what I say that I will do.’”

Then Yahweh said to me, “Son of man, 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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.”

“‘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.

“‘“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.

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.”

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

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

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.

She is weary with toil; yet her great rust, rust by fire, doesn’t leave her.

“‘“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.

“‘“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.’”

Ezekiel’s Wife Dies

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

“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.

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.”

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.

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

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

‘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.

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

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.

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.’”’”

“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—

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

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.”