The Parable of the Boiling Pot

1And the word of Yahweh came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, saying, 2“Son of man, write the name of the day, this very day. The king of Babylon [†]has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. 3Speak a parable to the rebellious house, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh,

“Put on the pot, put it on and also pour water in it;

4[†]Put in it the pieces,

Every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder;

Fill it with choice bones.

5Take the choicest of the flock,

And also pile [†]wood under [†]the pot.

Make it seethe vigorously.

Also boil its bones in it.”

6‘Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh,

“Woe to the city of blood,

To the pot in which there is rust

And whose rust has not gone out of it!

Take out of it piece after piece,

[†]Without making a choice.

7For her blood is in her midst;

She placed it on the bare rock;

She did not pour it on the ground

To cover it with dust.

8That it may cause wrath to come up to take vengeance,

I have put her blood on the bare rock,

That it may not be covered.”

9Therefore, thus says Lord Yahweh,

“Woe to the city of blood!

I also will make the pile great.

10Heap on the wood, kindle the fire,

Completely cook the flesh

And mix in the spices

And let the bones be burned.

11Then stand it empty on its coals

So that it may be hot

And its bronze may [†]glow

And its uncleanness may be melted in it,

Its rust brought to a complete end.

12She has wearied Me with toil,

Yet her great rust has not gone from her;

Let her rust be in the fire!

13In your uncleanness is lewdness.

Because I would have cleansed you,

Yet you are not clean;

You will not be cleansed from your uncleanness again

Until I have [†]caused My wrath against you to be at rest.

14I, Yahweh, have spoken; it is coming, and I will act. I will not regret, and I will not pity, and I will not [†]relent; according to your ways and according to your deeds [†]I will judge you,” declares Lord Yahweh.’”

Ezekiel’s Wife Dies as a Sign

15And the word of Yahweh came to me saying, 16“Son of man, behold, I am about to take from you the desire of your eyes with a blow; but you shall not mourn, and you shall not weep, and your tears shall not come. 17Groan silently; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your headdress and put your shoes on your feet and do not cover your mustache and do not eat the bread of men.” 18So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And in the morning I did as I was commanded. 19The people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things that you are doing mean for us?” 20Then I said to them, “The word of Yahweh came to me saying, 21‘Say to the house of Israel, “Thus says Lord Yahweh, ‘Behold, I am about to profane My sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and the delight of your soul; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword. 22And you will do as I have done; you will not cover your mustache, and you will not eat the bread of men. 23And your headdresses will be on your heads and your shoes on your feet. You will not mourn, and you will not weep, but you will rot away in your iniquities, and you will groan [†]to one another. 24Thus Ezekiel will be a wondrous sign to you; according to all that he has done you will do; when it comes, then you will know that I am Lord Yahweh.’”

25‘Now as for you, son of man, will it not be on the day when I take from them their strong defense, the joy of their beauty, the desire of their eyes, and what lifts up their soul, their sons and their daughters, 26that on that day he who escapes will come to you with a report for your ears? 27On that day your mouth will be opened to him who escaped, and you will speak and be mute no longer. Thus you will be a wondrous sign to them, and they will know that I am Yahweh.’”