Ezekiel 24:15-27

Death of Ezekiel's Wife Is a Sign

15 And the word of the LORD came to me saying,
16 "Son of man, behold, I am about to take from you the 1desire of your eyes with a 2blow; but you shall not 3mourn and you shall not weep, and your 4tears shall not come.
17 "Groan silently; make 5no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban and put your shoes on your feet, and do not cover your mustache and 6do not eat the bread of men."
18 So 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.
19 The people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things that you are doing mean for us?"
20 Then I said to them, "The word of the LORD came to me saying,
21 'Speak to the house of Israel, "Thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold, I am about to profane My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the 7desire of your eyes and the delight of your soul; and your 8sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword.
22 'You will do as I have done; you will not cover your mustache and you will not eat the bread of men.
23 'Your turbans will be on your heads and your shoes on your feet. You 9will not mourn and you will not weep, but 10you will rot away in your iniquities and you will groan to one another.
24 'Thus Ezekiel will be a 11sign to you; according to all that he has done you will do; when it comes, then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.' "
25 'As for you, son of man, will it not be on the day when I take from them their 12stronghold, the joy of their pride, the desire of their eyes and their heart's delight, their sons and their daughters,
26 that on that day he who 13escapes will come to you with information for your ears?
27 'On that day your 14mouth will be opened to him who escaped, and you will speak and be mute no longer. Thus you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD.' "

Ezekiel 24:15-27 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 14

  • 1. Song of Songs 7:10; Ezekiel 24:18
  • 2. Job 23:2
  • 3. Jeremiah 16:5; Jeremiah 22:10
  • 4. Jeremiah 13:17
  • 5. Leviticus 21:10-12
  • 6. Jeremiah 16:7; Hosea 9:4
  • 7. Psalms 27:4; Psalms 84:1; Ezekiel 24:16
  • 8. Jeremiah 6:11; Jeremiah 16:3, 4; Ezekiel 23:25, 47
  • 9. Job 27:15; Psalms 78:64
  • 10. Leviticus 26:39; Ezekiel 33:10
  • 11. Ezekiel 4:3; Luke 11:29, 30
  • 12. Psalms 48:2; Psalms 50:2; Ezekiel 24:21
  • 13. 1 Samuel 4:12; Job 1:15-19
  • 14. Ezekiel 3:26; Ezekiel 33:22

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Lit "a man to his brother"
  • [b]. Or "beauty"
  • [c]. Lit "the lifting up of their soul"
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