Open English Translation EZE Chapter 24

24 Then Yahweh gave me another message on the 15th of January of the ninth year since King Yoyakin (Jehoiachin) had been taken captive. 2 “Humanity’s child, write down the day and month for yourself, because on this exact day, the Babylonian king started his siege of Yerushalem.[ref] 3 So tell this parable to the rebellious Israeli people and explain that it comes from the master Yahweh:

Pour water into the cooking pot and place it on the fire.

4 Put in the leg and shoulder of a good sheep

then fill it up with the best bones.

5 Yes, take the best one from the flock

and pile up the fuel underneath it—

keeping it boiling to make sure that the bones in it cook well.

6 Now the master Yahweh says this: The city of blood won’t end well—it’s like a cooking pot that has rust in it and that rust won’t come out of it. Take piece after piece out of it, but don’t be choosy about which pieces 7 because the blood she shed is all the way through the middle of her. She displayed it on a flat rock to be easily seen, rather than pouring it out on the ground where it could be covered over with dust, 8 so it makes me angry enough to exact vengeance: I placed her blood on the smooth rock so it couldn’t be covered.

9 Therefore, the master Yahweh says this: The city of blood won’t end well. I will also enlarge the pile of firewood to put underneath it. 10 Stack up the wood and kindle the fire. Cook the meat well and mix in the spices and let the bones be charred. 11 Then put the empty pot onto the hot coals in order to heat and scorch its bronze, so the impurities in it will be melted—its corrosion eaten away.’ 12 That was a lot of work, yet the corrosion wasn’t removed from her by the fire. 13 Your shameful behaviour is in your uncleanness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you wouldn’t accept it, then you won’t be purified anymore until I have satisfied my fury upon you. 14 I, Yahweh, have declared it, and I will do it. I won’t relent nor will I rest from it. You’ll be judged by your own ways and your own behaviour. That is the master Yahweh’s declaration.”

15 Then Yahweh gave me another message: 16 “Listen, humanity’s child, I’m taking your cherished wife from you with a plague, but you must not mourn nor weep, or let any tears show. 17 You must groan silently. Don’t organise a funeral when she’s dead. Put on your turban and your sandals, but don’t veil your beard, or eat the bread of men who mourn who’ve lost their wives.”

18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and then my wife died in the evening. In the morning I did what I had been commanded to do. 19 Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things mean—the way that you’re behaving?”

20 “Yahweh gave me this message,” I answered them, 21 “to tell the Israeli people that the master Yahweh says this to them: Listen, I will desecrate my sanctuary—the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the yearning of your soul, and also your sons and your daughters who you left behind there in Yerushalem will fall by the sword. 22 When that happens, you’ll all do exactly as I have done: you won’t veil your beards, or eat the bread of mourning men, 23 but instead your turbans will be on your heads, and your sandals on your feet. You won’t mourn nor weep, because you’ll all melt away due to your disobedience, and everyone will groan for their relatives. 24 So Yehezkel will be a sign for you, because when that time comes, you’ll all do exactly the same as he’s doing. Then you’ll all know that I am the master Yahweh.’ ”

25 “But you, humanity’s child, 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, 26 a refugee will come to you here on that day to give you the news. 27 At that time, your mouth will be opened up to that refugee and you’ll speak again—you’ll no longer be silent. You’ll be a sign for them so that they will know that I am Yahweh.”