Ezekiel 24:10

10 gather thou together [the] bones, which I shall kindle with fire; (the) fleshes shall be wasted, and all the setting together shall be sodden (and it shall all be boiled away), and (the) bones shall fail.

Ezekiel 24:10 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 24:10

Heap on wood, kindle the fire
This is said either to the prophet, to do this in an emblematic way; or to the Chaldean army, to prepare for the siege, encompass the city, begin their attacks, and throw in their stones out of their slings and engines, and arrows from their bows: consume the flesh;
not entirely, since it is afterwards to be spiced; but thoroughly boil it; denoting the severe sufferings the inhabitants should undergo before their utter ruin: spice it well;
pepper them off; batter their walls, beat down their houses, distress them by all manner of ways and means; signifying that this would be grateful to the Lord, as his justice would be glorified in the destruction of this people; and as the plunder of them would be like a spiced and sweet morsel to the enemy; whose appetites would hereby be sharpened and become keen, and to whom the sacking and plundering the city would be as agreeable as well seasoned meat to a hungry man: and let the bones be burnt;
either under it, or rather in it; even the strongest and most powerful among the people destroyed, who should hold out the longest in the siege. The Targum of the whole is,

``multiply kings; gather an army; order the auxiliaries, and prepare against her warriors, and let her mighty ones be confounded.''

Ezekiel 24:10 In-Context

8 that I should bring in mine indignation, and avenge by vengeance; I gave the blood thereof on a full clear stone, that it should not be covered (I spilt its blood on a very clean, or on a very bright, stone, so that it would not be covered up, or hidden).
9 Therefore the Lord God saith these things, Woe to the city of bloods (Woe to this city of bloodshed, or this city of murder), whose burning I shall make great;
10 gather thou together [the] bones, which I shall kindle with fire; (the) fleshes shall be wasted, and all the setting together shall be sodden (and it shall all be boiled away), and (the) bones shall fail.
11 Also set thou it void on coals, that the metal thereof wax hot, and be melted, and that the filth thereof be welled together in the midst thereof, and the rust thereof be wasted.
12 It was sweated by much travail (It was sweated over with much travail, or with much labour), and the over-great rust thereof went not out thereof, neither by fire.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.