1 T he Word of the Lord came to me on the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year, saying,

Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 “ Son of man, put down in writing this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has shut Jerusalem in with his army this very day.

“Son of man, write down the name of the day, this very day—the king of Babylon started his siege against Jerusalem this very day.

3 A nd tell a picture-story to these sinful people of Israel. Tell them, ‘The Lord God says, “Put the pot on the fire. Put it on, and pour water in it.

And utter a parable to the rebellious house, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Put on a pot, set it on, And also pour water into it.

4 P ut all the good pieces of meat in it, the thigh, the shoulder. And fill it with the best bones.

Gather pieces of meat in it, Every good piece, The thigh and the shoulder. Fill it with choice cuts;

5 T ake the best of the flock. Put more and more wood under the pot to make it boil, and boil the bones in it.”

Take the choice of the flock. Also pile fuel bones under it, Make it boil well, And let the cuts simmer in it.”

6 ’ For the Lord God says, “It is bad for the city of blood, for the rusted pot whose rust has not been cleaned out of it! Take the pieces of meat out of it without choosing them.

‘Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the bloody city, To the pot whose scum is in it, And whose scum is not gone from it! Bring it out piece by piece, On which no lot has fallen.

7 F or the blood of the city has been poured on the rock. It was not poured on the ground where the dust would cover it.

For her blood is in her midst; She set it on top of a rock; She did not pour it on the ground, To cover it with dust.

8 I have put the blood on the rock where it could not be covered, so that it would cause anger and punishment.”

That it may raise up fury and take vengeance, I have set her blood on top of a rock, That it may not be covered.”

9 S o the Lord God says, “It is bad for the city of blood! I will put much wood on the fire.

‘Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the bloody city! I too will make the pyre great.

10 P ut on more and more wood, and make the fire burn. Boil the meat well. Mix in the spices, and let the bones be burned up.

Heap on the wood, Kindle the fire; Cook the meat well, Mix in the spices, And let the cuts be burned up.

11 N ow set the empty pot on the coals until it becomes hot and its brass becomes bright with the heat. Then what is not clean in it will melt away. Its rust will be destroyed.

“Then set the pot empty on the coals, That it may become hot and its bronze may burn, That its filthiness may be melted in it, That its scum may be consumed.

12 B ut it has been all for nothing. Its rust has not left it, not even by fire.

She has grown weary with lies, And her great scum has not gone from her. Let her scum be in the fire!

13 I t is sin that makes you unclean. I have tried to make you clean, but you would not be made clean from your sins. So you will not be clean again until My anger against you is finished.

In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you, and you were not cleansed, You will not be cleansed of your filthiness anymore, Till I have caused My fury to rest upon you.

14 I , the Lord, have spoken. The time has come for Me to act. I will not hold back, I will not pity, and I will not be sorry. I will punish you for your ways and for what you have done,” says the Lord God.’” Ezekiel’s Wife Dies

I, the Lord, have spoken it; It shall come to pass, 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,” Says the Lord God.’” The Prophet’s Wife Dies

15 T he Word of the Lord came to me saying,

Also the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

16 “ Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the desire of your eyes. But do not have sorrow or loud crying or any tears.

“Son of man, behold, I take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke; yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, nor shall your tears run down.

17 C ry inside yourself. Do not show sorrow for the dead. Put your head-covering on. Put your shoes on your feet. Do not cover your face or eat the bread of those in sorrow.”

Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the dead; bind your turban on your head, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips, and do not eat man’s bread of sorrow. ”

18 S o I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I was told.

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

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

And the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things signify to us, that you behave so?”

20 S o I said to them, “The Word of the Lord came to me saying,

Then I answered them, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

21 ’ Tell the people of Israel, “The Lord God says, ‘I am about to let sin fill My holy place, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and the happiness of your soul. And your sons and daughters you have left behind will be killed by the sword.

‘Speak to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I will profane My sanctuary, your arrogant boast, the desire of your eyes, the delight of your soul; and your sons and daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword.

22 T hen you will do as I have done. You will not cover your face or eat the bread of those in sorrow.

And you shall do as I have done; you shall not cover your lips nor eat man’s bread of sorrow.

23 Y our heads will be covered and your shoes will be on your feet. You will not have sorrow or cry. But you will waste away in your sins and cry in pain to one another.

Your turbans shall be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; you shall neither mourn nor weep, but you shall pine away in your iniquities and mourn with one another.

24 S o Ezekiel will be something special for you to see. You will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord God.’”

Thus Ezekiel is a sign to you; according to all that he has done you shall do; and when this comes, you shall know that I am the Lord God.’”

25 ‘ Son of man, I will take away their strong-place that was their joy and pride, the desire of their eyes and the things their hearts wanted most. And I will take away their sons and their daughters.

‘And you, son of man— will it not be in the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy and their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that on which they set their minds, their sons and their daughters:

26 O n that day, one who gets away will come to you with the news.

that on that day one who escapes will come to you to let you hear it with your ears?

27 T hat same day your mouth will be opened. You will speak with him and no longer be quiet. So you will be something special for them to see, and they will know that I am the Lord.’”

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 I am the Lord.’”