Ezekiel 24:7-17

7 For her blood was in the midst of her; {she put it on a bare rock}; she [did] not pour it on the ground to cover it [with] dust.
8 To stir up rage, to avenge myself [through] vengeance, I placed its blood on [the] barrenness of a rock, {so that it may not be covered}."
9 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Woe [to] the city of bloodguilt! I, even I, will make the pile of wood great!
10 Pile up the logs; kindle the fire; finish [cooking] the meat, and mix [in] the spices, and let the bones be burned.
11 And {make it stand} empty upon its burning coals so that it may become hot, and its copper may become molten and be melted in the midst of it, [so that] its uncleanness and its rust be consumed.
12 [Through] effort she has caused weariness; {its thick rust} went not [out of] it. Its rust! Into [the] fire [with] its rust!
13 In your uncleanness [is] obscene conduct, because I cleansed you, but you were not clean from your uncleanness; you will not be clean again until {I fully vent my rage} on you.
14 I, Yahweh, I have spoken. [It is] coming, and I did [it]; I will not disregard, and I will not take pity, and I will not reconsider. According to your ways and according to your deeds they will judge you!" {declares} the Lord Yahweh.
15 And the word of Yahweh {came} to me, {saying},
16 "Son of man, look! I [am] taking from you what is pleasing to your eyes with a plague, but you shall not mourn, and you shall not weep, and your tears shall not run down.
17 Sigh in silence [for the] dead; you shall not make a mourning ceremony. Bind your turban on you, and you must put your sandals on your feet. You must not cover your [upper] lip, and the bread of {mourners} you shall not eat."

Ezekiel 24:7-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 24

Is this chapter the destruction of the city and temple of Jerusalem is prophesied of; the former under the parable of a boiling pot; the latter is represented by the sudden death of Ezekiel's wife. The time of this prophecy was that very day the king of Babylon began the siege of Jerusalem, Eze 24:1,2, the parable of the boiling pot, Eze 24:3-5, the explanation and application of it to the city of Jerusalem, Eze 24:6-14, the prophet is told of the death of his wife, and bid not to mourn on that account, which accordingly came to pass, Eze 24:15-18, upon the people's inquiring what these things meant, he informs them that hereby was signified the profanation of the temple; and that their distress should be so great, that they should not use any set forms of mourning, but pine away and die, Eze 24:19-24, and the chapter is closed with assuring the prophet, that the day these things should come to pass, a messenger should be sent him, to whom he should open his mouth, and be no more dumb, Eze 24:25-27.

Footnotes 16

  • [a]. Literally "on barrenness of [a] rock she put it"
  • [b]. Or "earth" or "dirt"
  • [c]. Literally "so [as] not to be covered"
  • [d]. Or "charred"
  • [e]. Literally "cause it to stand"
  • [f]. Literally "her"
  • [g]. Literally "the abundance of its rust"
  • [h]. Literally "until causing rest I to my rage"
  • [i]. Or "I will judge"
  • [j]. Literally "declaration of"
  • [k]. Literally "was"
  • [l]. Literally "to say"
  • [m]. Literally "to say"
  • [n]. Or "blow"
  • [o]. Or "your mustache" (NASB)
  • [p]. Literally "men"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.