The Prophet Ezekiel

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 24 -

The word of Yahweh came to me in the ninth year, on the tenth month, and on the tenth day of the month:

“Son of man, write for yourself the name of this day, this exact day, for this exact day the king of Babylon has besieged Jerusalem.

So speak a proverb against this rebellious house, a parable. Say to them, ’Lord Yahweh says this: Place the cooking pot. Place it and pour water into it.

Gather pieces of food within it, every good piece-the thigh and shoulder-and fill it with the best bones.

Take the best of the flock and heap up the bones under it. Boil it thoroughly and also cook the bones in the midst of it.

Therefore, Lord Yahweh says this: Woe to the city of blood, a cooking pot that has rust in it and that rust will not come out of it. Take piece after piece from it, but do not cast lots for it.

For her blood is in the midst of her. She has set it on the smooth rock; she has not poured it out on the ground to cover it with dust,

so it brings fury up to exact vengeance. I placed her blood on the smooth rock so it could not be covered.

Therefore, Lord Yahweh says this: Woe to the city of blood. I will also enlarge the pile of wood.

Stack up the wood and kindle the fire. Cook the meat well and mix in the spices and let the bones be charred.

Then set the pot on its coals empty, in order to heat and scorch its bronze, so its uncleanness within it will be melted, its corrosion consumed.’

She has become weary because of toil, but her corrosion has not gone out of her by the fire.

Your shameful behavior is in your uncleanness, because I cleaned you, but still you would not become clean. You will still not be free from your uncleanness until my fury rests from you.

I, Yahweh, have declared it will happen, and I will do it. I will not relent nor will I rest from it. As your ways were, and as your activities, they will judge you!-this is Lord Yahweh’s declaration.”

Ezekiel’s Wife Dies

Then the word of Yahweh came to me and said,

“Son of man! Behold, I am taking the desire of your eyes from you with a plague, but you must not mourn nor weep, and your tears must not flow.

You must groan silently. Do not conduct a funeral for the dead. Tie your turban on you and place your sandals on your feet, but do not veil your facial hair or eat the bread of men who mourn for having lost their wives.”

So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. In the morning I did what I had been commanded to do.

The people asked me, “Will you not tell us what these things mean, the things that you are doing?”

So I said to them, “The word of Yahweh came to me and said,

’Say to the house of Israel, Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! The pride of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and your lusts are defiling my sanctuary! So your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind yourselves will fall by the sword.

Then you will do exactly as I have done: You will not veil your facial hair, nor eat the bread of mourning men!

Instead, your turbans will be on your heads, and your sandals on your feet; you will not mourn nor weep, for you will melt away in your iniquities, and each man will groan for his brother.

So Ezekiel will be a sign for you, as everything that he has done you will do when this comes. Then you will know that I am Lord Yahweh!’”

“But you, son of man, on the day that I capture their temple, which is their joy, their pride, and what they see and desire-and when I take away their sons and daughters-

on that day, a refugee will come to you to give you the news!

On that day your mouth will be opened up to that refugee and you will speak-you will no longer be silent. You will be a sign for them so that they will know that I am Yahweh.”

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.”