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 mustn’t mourn or 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’d 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 a message,” I answered them, 21 “to tell the Israeli people that the master Yahweh says this to them: Listen, I’ll desecrate my sanctuary—the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the yearning of your soul—and also your sons and daughters who you left behind there in Yerushalem will be killed by the sword. 22 When that happens, you people will do exactly as I’ve 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 or weep, because you’ll 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 do exactly the same as he’s doing. Then you people will 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’ll know that I am Yahweh.”