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The Pot and the Meat

24 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me in the ninth year [C since King Jehoiachin’s exile (1:2)], in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month [C January 15, 588 bc]. He said: “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], write down ·today’s date [L the name of this day], this very ·date [L day]. The king of Babylon has ·surrounded [laid siege to] Jerusalem this very day. And tell a ·story [parable] to the ·people who refuse to obey me [L rebellious house]. Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord God says:

Put on the pot; put it on
    and pour water in it.
Put in the pieces of meat,
    the best pieces—the ·legs [thighs] and the shoulders.
Fill it with the best bones.

Take the best of the flock,
and pile ·wood [or bones] under the pot.
    Boil the pieces of meat
    until even the bones are cooked.

“‘This is what the Lord God says:

·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the city of ·murderers [L blood]!
    ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the ·rusty [corroded; rotted] pot
    whose ·rust [corrosion; rot] will not come off!
Take the meat out of it, piece by piece.
    ·Don’t choose any special piece [or Don’t cast lots for any of it].

“‘The blood ·from her killings [L she shed] is still in ·the city [her midst].
    She poured the blood on the bare rock.
She did not pour it on the ground
    where dust would cover it.
To stir up my ·anger [wrath] and ·revenge [vengeance],
    I put ·the blood she spilled [L her blood] on the bare rock
    so it will not be covered.

“‘So this is what the Lord God says:

·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] the city of ·murderers [L blood]!
    I myself will pile the wood high [C for burning].
10 Pile up the wood
    and ·light [kindle] the fire.
Cook the meat well.
    ·Mix in the spices [or Pour out all the broth],
    and let the bones burn.
11 Then set the empty pot on the coals
    so it may become hot and its copper sides glow.
·The dirty scum stuck inside it [So that its impurities/uncleanness] may then melt
    and its ·rust [corrosion; rot] burn away.
12 ·But efforts to clean the pot have failed [L It has wearied itself with toil].
    Its heavy ·rust [corrosion; rot] cannot be removed,
    ·even in the fire [or Into the fire with its rust/corrosion!].

13 “‘By your ·sinful action [lewdness; obscenity] you have become ·unclean [defiled; C ritually]]. I wanted to cleanse you, but you are still unclean. You will never be cleansed from your sin until my ·anger [wrath] against you is ·carried out [satisfied; exhausted].

14 “‘I, the Lord, have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not ·hold back punishment [relent] or feel pity or ·change my mind [or be sorry]. I will judge you by your ways and actions, says the Lord God.’”

The Death of Ezekiel’s Wife

15 Then the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 16 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], I am going to take ·your wife from you, the woman you look at with love [L the delight of your eyes]. ·She will die suddenly […with a stroke/blow/jolt], but you must not ·be sad [lament] or ·cry loudly [weep] for her or shed any tears. 17 Groan silently; do not ·cry loudly [mourn] for the dead. ·Tie [Wrap; Bind] on your turban [C normally taken off for mourning], and put your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your ·face [lower face; or mustache], and do not eat the ·food people eat when they are sad about a death [or food brought by others; L bread of men].”

18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.

19 Then the people asked me, “·Tell [L Won’t you tell…?] us, what do the things you are doing mean for us?”

20 Then I said to them, “The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me. He said, 21 ‘Say to the ·people [L house] of Israel, This is what the Lord God says: I am going to ·dishonor [desecrate; profane; C ritually] my ·Temple [sanctuary]. ·You are proud of the strength it gives you [L …the pride of your power] and ·you look at it with love and tenderness [L …the delight of your eyes and the desire of your soul]. But your sons and daughters that you left behind in Jerusalem will fall dead by the sword. 22 When that happens, you will act as I have: you will not cover your ·face [lower face; or mustache], and you will not eat the ·food people eat when they are sad about a death [or food brought by others; L bread of men]. 23 Your turbans will stay on your heads, and your sandals on your feet. You will not ·cry loudly [mourn or weep], but you will rot away ·in your sins [or because of your sins/iniquities] and groan to each other. 24 So Ezekiel is to be an ·example [sign; object lesson] for you. You will do all the same things he did. When all this happens, you will know that I am the Lord God.’

25 “And as for you, ·human [T son of man; 2:1], this is how it will be. I will take away ·the Temple that gives them strength and joy, that makes them proud [L their stronghold, their joy, and glory]. ·They look at it with love, and it makes them happy [L …the delight of their eyes and the desire of their soul; v. 21]. And I will take away their sons and daughters also. 26 ·At that time [L On that day] a ·person who escapes [fugitive] will come to you with information for you to hear. 27 ·At that time [L On that day] your mouth will be opened. You will speak and be silent no more. So you will be a sign for them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”

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