Ezekiel 24:15-24

Ezekiel’s Wife Dies

15 The word of the LORD came to me:
16 “Son of man, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes. Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears.
17 Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban fastened and your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard or eat the customary food of mourners.”
18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.
19 Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things have to do with us? Why are you acting like this?”
20 So I said to them, “The word of the LORD came to me:
21 Say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary—the stronghold in which you take pride, the delight of your eyes, the object of your affection. The sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword.
22 And you will do as I have done. You will not cover your mustache and beard or eat the customary food of mourners.
23 You will keep your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or weep but will waste away because of[a] your sins and groan among yourselves.
24 Ezekiel will be a sign to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.’

Ezekiel 24:15-24 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.

Cross References 24

  • 1. S Psalms 39:10
  • 2. ver 21; Psalms 84:1; S Lamentations 2:4
  • 3. Jeremiah 13:17; Jeremiah 16:5; S Jeremiah 22:10
  • 4. Psalms 39:9
  • 5. S Exodus 28:39; S Isaiah 3:20
  • 6. S Isaiah 20:2
  • 7. S Leviticus 13:45
  • 8. ver 22; S Jeremiah 16:7
  • 9. S Ezekiel 12:7
  • 10. Ezekiel 12:9; Ezekiel 37:18
  • 11. S Leviticus 26:31; S Ezekiel 7:24
  • 12. S Leviticus 26:19
  • 13. S ver 16; Psalms 27:4
  • 14. S Ezekiel 23:25
  • 15. Jeremiah 7:14,15; Ezekiel 23:47; Hosea 9:12,16; Malachi 2:12
  • 16. S Leviticus 13:45
  • 17. Jeremiah 16:7
  • 18. S Exodus 28:39; S Isaiah 3:20
  • 19. S Isaiah 20:2
  • 20. Exodus 33:4; Job 27:15
  • 21. S Leviticus 26:16
  • 22. Psalms 78:64
  • 23. Ezekiel 1:3
  • 24. S Isaiah 20:3; Ezekiel 4:3; Ezekiel 12:11

Footnotes 1

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