Ezekiel 24:12

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.

Ezekiel 24:12 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 24:12

She hath wearied herself with lies
With serving idols, which were lying vanities; by trusting to the alliances of neighbouring nations, which deceived her; or by committing sin, in which there was no satisfaction; or it may be understood of wearying of God with their sins, and particularly with her lying promises of repentance and reformation: and her great scum went not forth out of her;
notwithstanding her promises; or notwithstanding the admonitions given, and the chastisements inflicted on her, yet she continued hardened in her sins, impenitent and unreformed: her scum shall be in the fire;
like a pot that boils over, its scum falls into the fire, and is consumed there; and in no other way, but by the fire of divine judgments, or the burning of the city, could the wickedness thereof be consumed. The Targum is,

``and they shall not go out of her that work iniquity; in the fire shall she be burnt, because of the multitude of her sins.''

Ezekiel 24:12 In-Context

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.

13 Thine uncleanness is abominable; for I would cleanse thee, and thou art not cleansed from thy filths; but neither thou shalt be cleansed before, till I make mine indignation to rest in thee (and thou shalt not be cleansed, until I make my indignation to rest upon thee).

14 I the Lord spake; it shall come, and I shall make (it), I shall not pass, neither I shall spare, neither I shall be pleased; by thy ways and by thy findings, I shall deem thee, saith the Lord. (I the Lord spoke; it shall come, and I shall make it, I shall not pass by, or over, neither shall I spare thee, nor shall I repent, and not do it; by thy ways and by thy doings, I shall judge thee, saith the Lord.)