Ezekiel 24:10

10 Heap on the wood, kindle the fire, boil thoroughly the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.

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 it might cause fury to come up to execute vengeance, I have set her blood upon the bare rock, that it should not be covered.
9 Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the bloody city! I also will make the pile great.
10 Heap on the wood, kindle the fire, boil thoroughly the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.
11 Then set it empty upon its coals, that it may be hot, and the brass of it may burn, and that its filthiness may be molten in it, [and] that its rust may be consumed.
12 She hath exhausted [her] labours, yet her great rust goeth not forth out of her: let her rust be in the fire.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or 'and make thick the broth.'
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.