4Put in it the pieces,
         Every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder;
         Fill it with choice bones.

5“Take the choicest of the flock,
         And also pile wood under the pot.
         Make it boil vigorously.
         Also seethe its bones in it.”

      6‘Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD,
         “Woe to the bloody city,
         To the pot in which there is rust
         And whose rust has not gone out of it!
         Take out of it piece after piece,
         Without making a choice.

7“For her blood is in her midst;
         She placed it on the bare rock;
         She did not pour it on the ground
         To cover it with dust.

8“That it may cause wrath to come up to take vengeance,
         I have put her blood on the bare rock,
         That it may not be covered.”

9‘Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD,
         “Woe to the bloody city!
         I also will make the pile great.

10“Heap on the wood, kindle the fire,
         Boil the flesh well
         And mix in the spices,
         And let the bones be burned.

11“Then set it empty on its coals
         So that it may be hot
         And its bronze may glow
         And its filthiness may be melted in it,
         Its rust consumed.

12“She has wearied Me with toil,
         Yet her great rust has not gone from her;
         Let her rust be in the fire!

13“In your filthiness is lewdness.
         Because I would have cleansed you,
         Yet you are not clean,
         You will not be cleansed from your filthiness again
         Until I have spent My wrath on you.

14“I, the LORD, have spoken; it is coming and I will act. I will not relent, and I will not pity and I will not be sorry; according to your ways and according to your deeds I will judge you,” declares the Lord GOD.’”

Death of Ezekiel’s Wife Is a Sign

      15And the word of the LORD came to me saying, 16“Son of man, behold, I am about to take from you the desire of your eyes with a blow; but you shall not mourn and you shall not weep, and your tears shall not come. 17“Groan silently; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban and put your shoes on your feet, and do not cover your mustache and do not eat the bread of men.” 18So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And in the morning I did as I was commanded. 19The people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things that you are doing mean for us?” 20Then I said to them, “The word of the LORD came to me saying, 21‘Speak to the house of Israel, “Thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I am about to profane My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes and the delight of your soul; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword. 22‘You will do as I have done; you will not cover your mustache and you will not eat the bread of men. 23‘Your turbans will be on your heads and your shoes on your feet. You will not mourn and you will not weep, but you will rot away in your iniquities and you will groan to one another. 24‘Thus Ezekiel will be a sign to you; according to all that he has done you will do; when it comes, then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’”

      25‘As for you, son of man, will it not be on the day when I take from them their stronghold, the joy of their pride, the desire of their eyes and their heart’s delight, their sons and their daughters, 26that on that day he who escapes will come to you with information for your ears? 27‘On that day your mouth will be opened to him who escaped, and you will speak and be mute no longer. Thus you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD.’”

NASB ©1995