The Parable of the Cooking Pot

1And the word of YHWH came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, saying: 2“Son of man, write down for yourself the name of the day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege against Jerusalem on this very day. 3And utter to house the rebellious a parable, and say to them—thus says the Lord YHWH:

‘Put on a pot;

put it on, and also pour water into it.

4To gather its pieces to it,

every good piece—

thigh and shoulder;

fill it with the choicest of limbs.

5Take the choicest of the flock,

and pile up the bones under it;

bring to a boil the boiling of it,

and let seethe the limbs in the midst of it.’

6Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH:

‘Woe to the city of blood,

the pot that has rust in it,

and its corrosion has not gone out from it!

Piece after piece bring out from it;

a lot has not fallen on it.†

7For her blood is in her midst;

upon a clear place of a rock she set it;

she has not poured it out on the ground

to cover over it with dust.

8To cause fury to come up,

to avenge with vengeance,

I have given her blood upon a clear place of a rock,

that it should not be covered.’

9Therefore, thus says the Lord YHWH:

‘Woe to the city of blood!

Even I will make great the pyre!

10Heap on the wood, kindle the fire,

consume the flesh,

and mix in the spices,

and let the bones be burned up.

11And set it on its coals empty,

so that it may become hot and its bronze may burn,

so its impurity may be melted in it,

its corrosion consumed.

12With toiling she has grown weary,

and the abundance of her corrosion has not gone out from her—

into the fire with her corrosion!

13In your uncleanness is wickedness,

because I have cleansed you

and you would not be cleansed

from your uncleanness,

you will not be cleansed anymore,

until I have caused to rest My fury on you.

14I, YHWH, have spoken it—

it is coming, and I will do it!

I will not hold back, and I will not show pity,

and I will not relent.

According to your ways,

and according to your deeds they will judge you,’

a declaration of the Lord YHWH.”

Ezekiel’s Wife Dies

15And the word of YHWH came to me, saying: 16“Son of man, behold—I am taking away from you the desire of your eyes with a stroke, and you will not mourn and you will not weep, and your tears will not run down. 17Groan, keep silent, you shall make no mourning for the dead. Bind your turban on you, and place your sandals on your feet; do not put a wrap over the lip, and the bread of men do not eat.”

18And I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening, and in the morning I did as I was commanded.

19And the people said to me: “Will you not declare to us what these things are to us, that you are doing this?”

20And I gave the answer to them: “The word of YHWH came to me, saying: 21Speak to the house of Israel, thus says the Lord YHWH: ‘Behold, I am going to profane My sanctuary, the pride of your⁺ strength, the desire of your⁺ eyes, and the delight of your⁺ soul; and your⁺ sons and daughters, whom you⁺ left behind, will fall by the sword.’

22And you⁺ will do as I have done: Upon the lip you⁺ shall not put a wrap, and bread of men you⁺ shall not eat; 23and your⁺ turbans will be on your⁺ heads, and your⁺ sandals on your⁺ feet. You⁺ will not mourn nor weep; and you⁺ will waste away in your⁺ iniquities, and a man will groan toward his brother.

24And Ezekiel will be to you⁺ as a sign; according to all that he has done, you⁺ will do. And in its coming to pass, you⁺ will know that I am the Lord YHWH.’

25And you, son of man, is it not in the day of My taking from them their stronghold, their joy, their glory, the desire of their eyes, and the burden of their soul—their sons and their daughters— 26on that day will come one who escapes to you as a cause to hear the ears? 27On that day your mouth will be opened to the one who has escaped, and you will speak, and you will not be mute any longer; and you will be for them as a sign, and they will know that I am YHWH.”