Ezekiel 24

1And the word of Yahweh came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, saying,

2Son of man, write down for yourself the name of the day, this very day: the king of Babylon has laid siege against Jerusalem on this very day.

3And speak a proverb to the rebellious house, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: Set on the pot; set it on, and also pour water into it.’

4Gather its pieces into it, every good piece—the thigh and the shoulder; fill it with choice bones.

5Take the choicest of the flock, and also pile the bones under it; bring it to a boil, boil it well, and let its bones be cooked in it.

6Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the city of bloodshed, the pot whose rust is in it, and whose rust has not gone out from it! Bring it out piece by piece; no lot has fallen on it.

7For her blood is in her midst; she set it on a bare rock. She did not pour it out on the ground to cover it with dust.

8To stir up wrath, to take vengeance, I have set her blood on a bare rock, so that it would not be covered.

9Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the city of bloodshed! I also will make the firewood pile great.

10Pile up the wood, kindle the fire, cook the flesh thoroughly, and boil the broth; and let the bones be charred.

11Then set it empty on its coals, so that it may become hot and its bronze may glow, and its uncleanness within it may be melted, and its corrosion consumed.

12With toil she has wearied herself, yet her abundant corrosion does not go out from her; her corrosion remains in the fire.

13In your uncleanness is lewdness. Because I cleansed you, but you were not cleansed from your uncleanness, you will not be cleansed anymore until I have satisfied my wrath against you.

14I, Yahweh, have spoken; it is coming, and I will do it. I will not hold back, nor will I spare, nor will I relent. According to your ways and according to your deeds they will judge you, declares the Lord GOD.

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

16Son of man, behold, I am taking from you the delight of your eyes with a blow, yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears come.

17Groan silently; do not make mourning for the dead. Bind your turban on yourself, and put your sandals on your feet. Do not cover over your mustache, and do not eat the bread of men.

18So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. Then in the morning I did as I had been commanded.

19And the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are doing them?”

20So I said to them, “The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,”

21Say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am about to profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the delight of your eyes, and the desire of your soul; and your sons and your daughters whom you left behind will fall by the sword.’

22And you will do as I have done: you will not cover your mustache, and you will not eat the bread of men.

23Your turbans will be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; you will not mourn and you will not weep, but you will waste away in your iniquities and groan to one another.

24And Ezekiel will be a sign for you; according to all that he has done, you will do. When it comes, then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.

25And you, son of man, will it not be that on the day when I take from them their stronghold, the joy of their glory, the delight of their eyes, and the desire of their soul—their sons and their daughters—

26On that day the fugitive will come to you to make your ears hear.

27On that day your mouth will be opened when the fugitive comes to you, and you will speak and no longer be mute. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am Yahweh.