Ezekiel 24
New King James Version

Symbol of the Cooking Pot^(A)

24 Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenthdayof the month, the word of theLordcame to me, saying,²“Son of man, write down the name of the day, this very day—the king of Babylon started his siege against Jerusalem^(B)this very day.³^(C)And utter a parable to the rebellious house, and say to them, ‘Thus says the LordGod:

^(D)“Put on a pot, setiton,
And also pour water into it.
⁴Gather piecesof meatin it,
Every good piece,
The thigh and the shoulder.
Fillitwith choice^[a]cuts;
⁵Take the choice of the flock.
Also pilefuelbones under it,
Make it boil well,
And let the cuts simmer in it.”

⁶‘Therefore thus says the LordGod:

“Woe to^(E)the bloody city,
To the pot whose scumisin it,
And whose scum is not gone from it!
Bring it out piece by piece,
On which no^(F)lot has fallen.
⁷For her blood is in her midst;
She set it on top of a rock;
^(G)She did not pour it on the ground,
To cover it with dust.
⁸That it may raise up fury and take vengeance,
^(H)I have set her blood on top of a rock,
That it may not be covered.”

⁹‘Therefore thus says the LordGod:

^(I)“Woe to the bloody city!
I too will make the pyre great.
¹⁰Heap on the wood,
Kindle the fire;
Cook the meat well,
Mix in the spices,
And let the^[b]cuts be burned up.

¹¹“Then set the pot empty on the coals,
That it may become hot and its bronze may burn,
That^(J)its filthiness may be melted in it,
Thatits scum may be consumed.
¹²She has^[c]grown weary with^[d]lies,
And her great scum has not gone from her.
Lether scumbein the fire!
¹³In your^(K)filthinessislewdness.
Because I have cleansed you, and you were not cleansed,
You will^(L)not be cleansed of your filthiness anymore,
^(M)Till I have caused My fury to rest upon you.
¹⁴^(N)I, theLord, have spokenit;
^(O)It shall come to pass, and I will doit;
I will not hold back,
^(P)Nor will I spare,
Nor will I relent;
According to your ways
And according to your deeds
^[e]They will judge you,”
Says the LordGod.’ ”

The Prophet’s Wife Dies

¹⁵Also the word of theLordcame to me, saying,¹⁶“Son of man, behold, I take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke; yet you shall^(Q)neither mourn nor weep, nor shall your tears run down.¹⁷Sigh in silence,^(R)make no mourning for the dead;^(S)bind your turban on your head, and^(T)put your sandals on your feet;^(U)do not coveryour^[f]lips, and do not eat man’s breadof sorrow.”

¹⁸So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died; and the next morning I did as I was commanded.

¹⁹And the people said to me,^(V)“Will you not tell us what thesethings signifyto us, that you behave so?”

²⁰Then I answered them, “The word of theLordcame to me, saying,²¹‘Speak to the house of Israel, “Thus says the LordGod: ‘Behold,^(W)I will profane My sanctuary,^[g]your arrogant boast, the desire of your eyes, the^[h]delight of your soul;^(X)and your sons and daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword.²²And you shall do as I have done;^(Y)you shall not coveryour^[i]lips nor eat man’s breadof sorrow.²³Your turbans shall be on your heads and your sandals on your feet;^(Z)you shall neither mourn nor weep, but^(AA)you shall pine away in your iniquities and mourn with one another.²⁴Thus^(AB)Ezekiel is a sign to you; according to all that he has done you shall do;^(AC)and when this comes,^(AD)you shall know that Iamthe LordGod.’ ”

²⁵‘And you, son of man—will itnotbein the day when I take from them^(AE)their stronghold, their joy and their glory, the desire of their eyes, and^[j]that on which they set their minds, their sons and their daughters:²⁶thaton that day^(AF)one who escapes will come to you to letyouhearitwithyourears?²⁷^(AG)On that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped; you shall speak and no longer be mute. Thus you will be a sign to them, and they shall know that IamtheLord.’ ”