The Prophet Ezekiel

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- Kapitel 24 -

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

“Son of man, write for yourself the name of this day, on which the king of Babylon was confirmed against Jerusalem today.

And you shall speak, through a proverb, a parable to the inciting house. And you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God: Set out a cooking pot; set it out, I say, and put water into it.

Pile together within it every morsel, every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder, the choice pieces and those full of bones.

Take the fattest from the flock, and arrange also a heap of bones under it. Its cooking has boiled over, and its bones in its midst have been thoroughly cooked.

Because of this, thus says the Lord God: Woe to the city of blood, to the cooking pot that has rust in it, and whose rust has not gone out of it! Cast it out piece by piece! No lot has fallen upon it.

For her blood is in her midst; she has shed it upon the smoothest rock. She has not shed it upon the ground, so that it could be covered with dust.

So shall I bring my indignation over her, and take my vengeance. I have presented her blood upon the smoothest rock, so that it would not be covered.

Because of this, thus says the Lord God: Woe to the city of blood, out of which I will make a great funeral pyre.

Pile together the bones, which I will burn with fire. The flesh shall be consumed, and the entire composition shall be boiled, and the bones shall deteriorate.

Also, place it empty on burning coals, so that it may be heated, and its brass may melt. And let the filth of it be melted in its midst, and let its rust be consumed.

There has been much sweat and labor, and yet its extensive rust has not gone out of it, not even by fire.

Your uncleanness is execrable. For I wanted to cleanse you, and you have not been cleansed from your filth. So then, neither will you be cleansed before I cause my indignation over you to cease.

I, the Lord, have spoken. It shall happen, and I will act. I will not pass over, nor be lenient, nor be placated. I will judge you according to your ways and according to your intentions, says the Lord.”

Ezekiel’s Wife Dies

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

“Son of man, behold, I am taking away from you, with a stroke, the desire of your eyes. And you shall not lament, and you shall not weep. And your tears shall not flow down.

Groan silently; you shall make no mourning for the dead. Let the band of your crown be on you, and let your shoes be on your feet. And you shall not cover your face, nor shall you eat the food of those who mourn.”

Therefore, I spoke to the people in the morning. And my wife died in the evening. And in the morning, I did just as he had instructed me.

And the people said to me: “Why won’t you explain to us what these things signify, which you are doing?”

And I said to them: “The word of the Lord came to me, saying:

‘Speak to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will defile my sanctuary, the pride of your realm, and the desire of your eyes, and the dread of your soul. Your sons and your daughters, whom you have forsaken, will fall by the sword.’

And so, you shall do just as I have done. You shall not cover your faces, and you shall not eat the food of those who mourn.

You shall have crowns on your heads, and shoes on your feet. You shall not lament, and you shall not weep. Instead, you will waste away in your iniquities, and each one will groan to his brother.

‘And Ezekiel shall be a portent for you. In accord with all that he has done, so shall you do, when this will happen. And you shall know that I am the Lord God.’ ”

“And as for you, son of man, behold, in the day when I will take away from them their strength, and the joy of their dignity, and the desire of their eyes, in which their souls find rest: their sons and their daughters,

in that day, when one who is fleeing will come to you, so that he may report to you,

in that day, I say, your mouth shall be opened to him who has fled. And you shall speak, and you shall no longer be silent. And you shall be for them a portent. And you shall know that I am the Lord.”

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.”