Eze 24 | EE | STEP | The LORD spoke to me on the tenth (10th) day. That was in the tenth (10th) month of the ninth (9th) year.

Ezekiel 24

The pot to cook meat

1 The LORD spoke to me on the tenth (10th) day. That was in the tenth (10th) month of the ninth (9th) year. 2 ‘Remember this day, son of man. On this day, the king of Babylon is starting to attack Jerusalem. 3 Tell a story to this people who do not obey me. Say, “This is what the LORD God says:

Put the pot on the fire. Fill it with water.

4 Put into it the best pieces of meat, the leg and the shoulder.

Fill it with all the best bones. 5 Take them from sheep that are the best to eat.

Put wood under the pot and boil it to cook the meat and the bones.

6 This is what the LORD God says:

I will make sorry the city where they killed men.

This city is like a pot that nobody has cleaned. They have taken out every piece of meat. They have not left one piece. 7 Men can see the blood that poured out on the streets. No dirt covers it. 8 I am very angry. So I let all men see the blood that you poured out.

9 So this is what the LORD God says:

I will make the city that poured out this blood very sad.

And I will put wood on the fire.

10 So make the fire burn and cook the meat well.

Put in more things that will make it taste good. Let the bones burn.

11 Put the empty pot on the fire so that it becomes red and hot.

The fire should burn away all its dirt.

12 But the dirt will not burn away. Even fire cannot do this.

13 The bad things that you do are like your dirt. I tried to make you clean, but you would not let me. You will not become clean until I am no longer angry with you.

14 I, the LORD have spoken. Now I am beginning to do the things that I promised.

I will not stop. I will not be kind or make the punishment less. I will judge you because of the many bad things that you have done, says the LORD God.”’

Ezekiel’s wife dies

15 The LORD spoke to me. 16 ‘Son of man I will take away the one person who gives you great pleasure. I will do it quickly. But you must not look sad or cry. 17 You must not make a lot of noise. You must not show people how sad you are. Keep your head covered and your feet. Do not cover part of your face. People eat special food when someone dies. But you must not do this.’

18 That morning I spoke to the people. In the evening my wife died. The next morning I did what the LORD had said.

19 Then the people asked me what this meant for them. 20 So I said to them, ‘The LORD spoke to me. He said:

21 “Say this to Israel’s people: This is what the LORD God says: I will make my holy place not clean. You think that it is a beautiful place. And you love it. I will take away the things that you love. And they will kill your sons and daughters that you left in Jerusalem. 22 Then you will do the same things that I have done. You will not cover part of your face. You will not eat special food. People eat special food when someone dies. But you will not do that. 23 You will not cry or look sad. You will wear your hats and shoes. You will be sorry. You will become thin because of the bad things that you have done. 24 I have made Ezekiel show you what I will do to you. Then you will know that I am the LORD God. 25 On that day, son of man, I will destroy all the things that they love. I will destroy their beautiful buildings and I will take away their sons and daughters. 26 A man will run away from Jerusalem. He will bring you the bad news on the day that I cause these things to happen. 27 At that time you will become able to speak. You will talk with him. You will no longer be quiet. This will show the people that I am the LORD.”’ ^{▼▼24:27 For some years, Ezekiel had been unable to speak except as the LORD told him (Ezekiel 3:26-27). Now he would be able to speak again.}