Ezekiel 24:1-11

1 And in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

2 Son of man, write thee the name of the day, of this selfsame day: on this selfsame day the king of Babylon draws near to Jerusalem.

3 And propose a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Set on the pot, set [it] on, and also pour water into it.

4 Gather the pieces thereof into it, every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder; fill [it] with the choice bones:

5 take the choice of the flock; and also [put] a pile of wood under it, for the bones; make it boil well, and let the bones of it seethe therein.

6 Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose rust is therein, and whose rust is not gone out of it! Bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it:

7 for her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the bare rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust.

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.

Ezekiel 24:1-11 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or 'and also the bones, in a pile at the bottom of it.'
• [b]. Or 'and make thick the broth.'
• [c]. Or 'copper.'