The Corroded Cooking Pot
1 On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year of our exile, the Lord spoke to me. 2 “Mortal man,” he said, “write down today's date, because this is the day that the king of Babylonia is beginning the siege of Jerusalem. 3 Tell my rebellious people this parable that I, the Sovereign Lord, have for them:
Set the pot on the fire
and fill it up with water.
4 Put in the best pieces of meat—
the shoulders and the legs—
fill it with choice bony pieces too.
5 Use the meat of the finest sheep;
pile the wood under the pot.
Let the water boil;
boil the bones and the meat.”
6 This is what the Sovereign Lord is saying: “The city of murderers is doomed! It is like a corroded pot that is never cleaned. Piece after piece of meat is taken out, and not one is left. 7 There was murder in the city, but the blood was not spilled on the ground where the dust could hide it; it was spilled on a bare rock. 8 I have left the blood there, where it cannot be hidden, where it demands angry revenge.”
9 This is what the Sovereign Lord is saying: “The city of murderers is doomed! I myself will pile up the firewood. 10 Bring more wood! Fan the flames! Cook the meat! Boil away the broth! Burn up the bones! 11 Now set the empty bronze pot on the coals and let it get red-hot. Then the pot will be ritually pure again after the corrosion is burned off, 12 although all that corrosion will not disappear in the flames. 13 Jerusalem, your immoral actions have defiled you. Although I tried to purify you, you remained defiled. You will not be pure again until you have felt the full force of my anger. 14 I, the Lord, have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not ignore your sins or show pity or be merciful. You will be punished for what you have done.” The Sovereign Lord has spoken.
The Death of the Prophet's Wife
15 The Lord spoke to me. 16 “Mortal man,” he said, “with one blow I am going to take away the person you love most. You are not to complain or cry or shed any tears. 17 Don't let your sobbing be heard. Do not go bareheaded or barefoot as a sign of mourning. Don't cover your face or eat the food that mourners eat.”
18 Early in the day I was talking with the people. That evening my wife died, and the next day I did as I had been told. 19 The people asked me, “Why are you acting like this?”
20 So I said to them, “The Lord spoke to me and told me 21 to give you Israelites this message: You are proud of the strength of the Temple. You like to look at it and to visit it, but the Lord is going to profane it. And the younger members of your families who are left in Jerusalem will be killed in war. 22 Then you will do what I have done. You will not cover your faces or eat the food that mourners eat. 23 You will not go bareheaded or barefoot or mourn or cry. You will waste away because of your sins, and you will groan to one another. 24 Then I will be a sign to you; you will do everything I have done. The Lord says that when this happens, you will know that he is the Sovereign Lord.”
25 The Lord said, “Now, mortal man, I will take away from them the strong Temple that was their pride and joy, which they liked to look at and to visit. And I will take away their sons and daughters. 26 On the day that I do this, some who escape the destruction will come and tell you about it. 27 That same day you will get back the power of speech which you had lost, and you will talk with them. In this way you will be a sign to the people, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
1 Again in the ninth yeere, in the tenth moneth, in the tenth day of the moneth, came the worde of the Lord vnto me, saying, 2 Sonne of man, write thee the name of the day, euen of this same day: for the King of Babel set himselfe against Ierusalem this same day. 3 Therefore speake a parable vnto the rebellious house, and say vnto them, Thus sayth the Lord God, Prepare a pot, prepare it, and also powre water into it. 4 Gather the pieces thereof into it, euen euery good piece, as the thigh and the shoulder, and fill it with the chiefe bones. 5 Take one of the best sheepe, and burne also the bones vnder it, and make it boyle well, and seethe the bones of it therein, 6 Because the Lord God sayth thus, Woe to the bloody citie, euen to the pot, whose skomme is therein, and whose skomme is not gone out of it: bring it out piece by piece: let no lot fall vpon it. 7 For her blood is in the middes of her: shee set it vpon an high rocke, and powred it not vpon on the ground to couer it with dust, 8 That it might cause wrath to arise, and take vengeance: euen I haue set her blood vpon an high rocke that it should not be couered. 9 Therefore thus saith ye Lord God, Woe to the bloody citie, for I will make ye burning great. 10 Heape on much wood: kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and cast in spice, and let the bones be burnt. 11 Then set it emptie vpon the coles thereof, that the brasse of it may be hot, and may burne, and that the filthinesse of it may be molten in it, and that the skomme of it may be consumed. 12 She hath wearied her selfe with lyes, and her great skomme went not out of her: therefore her skomme shall be consumed with fire. 13 Thou remainest in thy filthines and wickednes: because I would haue purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthines, till I haue caused my wrath to light vpon thee. 14 I the Lord haue spoken it: it shall come to passe, and I will doe it: I will not goe backe, neither will I spare, neither will I repent: according to thy wayes, and according to thy workes shall they iudge thee, sayeth the Lord God. 15 Also the worde of ye Lord came vnto me, saying, 16 Sonne of man beholde, I take away from thee the pleasure of thine eyes with a plague: yet shalt thou neither mourne nor weepe, neither shall thy teares runne downe. 17 Cease from sighing: make no mourning for the dead, and binde the tyre of thine head vpon thee, and put on thy shooes vpon thy feete, and couer not thy lips, and eate not the bread of men. 18 So I spake vnto the people in the morning, and at euen my wife dyed: and I did in the morning, as I was commanded. 19 And the people said vnto me, Wilt thou not tell vs what these things meane towarde vs that thou doest so? 20 Then I answered them, The worde of the Lord came vnto me, saying, 21 Speake vnto the house of Israel, Thus sayth the Lord God, Behold, I will pollute my Sanctuarie, euen the pride of your power, the pleasure of your eyes, and your hearts desire, and your sonnes, and your daughters whom ye haue left, shall fall by the sworde. 22 And ye shall doe as I haue done: ye shall not couer your lippes, neither shall ye eate the bread of men. 23 And your tyre shalbe vpon your heads, and your shooes vpon your feete: ye shall not mourne nor weepe, but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourne one toward another. 24 Thus Ezekiel is vnto you a signe: according to all that he hath done, ye shall do: and when this commeth, ye shall know that I am the Lord God. 25 Also, thou sonne of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their power, ye ioy of their honor, ye pleasure of their eyes, and the desire of their heart, their sonnes and their daughters? 26 That he that escapeth in that day, shall come vnto thee to tell thee that which hee hath heard with his eares? 27 In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speake, and be no more dumme, and thou shalt be a signe vnto them, and they shall knowe that I am the Lord.