Ezekiel 24ASV
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Ezekiel24

American Standard Version · Public Domain

1Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

2Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this selfsame day: the king of Babylon drew close unto Jerusalem this selfsame day.

3And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Set on the caldron, set it on, and also pour water into it:

4gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.

5Take the choice of the flock, and also a pile of wood for the bones under the caldron; make it boil well; yea, let the bones thereof be boiled in the midst of it.

6Wherefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the bloody city, to the caldron whose rust is therein, and whose rust is not gone out of it! take out of it piece after piece; No lot is fallen upon it.

7For 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.

8That it may cause wrath to come up to take vengeance, I have set her blood upon the bare rock, that it should not be covered.

9Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the bloody city! I also will make the pile great.

10Heap on the wood, make the fire hot, boil well the flesh, and make thick the broth, and let the bones be burned.

11Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that it may be hot, and the brass thereof may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the rust of it may be consumed.

12She hath wearied herself with toil; yet her great rust goeth not forth out of her; her rust goeth not forth by fire.

13In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have cleansed thee and thou wast not cleansed, thou shalt not be cleansed from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my wrath toward thee to rest.

14I, Jehovah, have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it: I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord Jehovah.

15Also the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

16Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet thou shalt neither mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.

17Sigh, but not aloud, make no mourning for the dead; bind thy headtire upon thee, and put thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.

18So I spake unto the people in the morning; and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.

19And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?

20Then I said unto them, The word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

21Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left behind shall fall by the sword.

22And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.

23And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away in your iniquities, and moan one toward another.

24Thus shall Ezekiel be unto you a sign; according to all that he hath done shall ye do: when this cometh, then shall ye know that I am the Lord Jehovah.

25And thou, son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their heart, their sons and their daughters,

26that in that day he that escapeth shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine ears?

27In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him that is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: so shalt thou be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am Jehovah.

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 24.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The fate of Jerusalem. (1-14). The extent of the sufferings of the Jews. (15-27).

vv1-14

The pot on the fire represented Jerusalem besieged by the Chaldeans: all orders and ranks were within the walls, prepared as a prey for the enemy. They ought to have put away their transgressions, as the scum, which rises by the heat of the fire, is taken from the top of the pot. But they grew worse, and their miseries increased. Jerusalem was to be levelled with the ground. The time appointed for the punishment of wicked men may seem to come slowly, but it will come surely. It is sad to think how many there are, on whom ordinances and providences are all lost.

vv15-27

Though mourning for the dead is a duty, yet it must be kept under by religion and right reason: we must not sorrow as men that have no hope. Believers must not copy the language and expressions of those who know not God. The people asked the meaning of the sign. God takes from them all that was dearest to them. And as Ezekiel wept not for his affliction, so neither should they weep for theirs. Blessed be God, we need not pine away under our afflictions; for should all comforts fail, and all sorrows be united, yet the broken heart and the mourner's prayer are always acceptable before God.

Cross References

Ezekiel 24
v12 Kings 25:1fulfillment

Provides exact historical confirmation of the start of the Babylonian siege on this precise day.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v3Ezekiel 11:3allusion

Directly links the pot/caldron imagery to the cynical proverb previously spoken by Jerusalem's leaders.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v3Jeremiah 1:13allusion

Parallels Jeremiah's earlier vision of the seething pot facing away from the north.

Supported by JFB

v7Leviticus 17:13thematic

Contrasts the law to cover animal blood with Jerusalem's blatant, uncovered exposure of human blood.

Supported by JFB

v16Ezekiel 24:21thematic

Interprets Ezekiel's personal loss ('desire of your eyes') as a sign of the sanctuary's destruction.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v17Leviticus 21:10contrast

Highlights the unusual nature of the command: high priests were normally forbidden standard mourning practices.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v27Ezekiel 33:22fulfillment

Verifies the fulfillment of God opening Ezekiel's mouth when the escaped messenger arrives.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v1Jeremiah 39:1fulfillment

Jeremiah's historical record matching the ninth year, tenth month, and tenth day.

Supported by JFB

v8Genesis 4:10thematic

Parallels blood calling for vengeance from the ground, exposed on the bare rock.

Supported by JFB

v141 Samuel 15:29thematic

Underscores the absolute certainty and irreversibility of God's declared judgment.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v11Leviticus 14:45typology

The empty pot heated to consume filthiness typifies destroying a house infected with leprosy.

Supported by JFB

v12Isaiah 47:13thematic

Illuminates Jerusalem wearying herself with vain labors and false assurances instead of repentance.

Supported by JFB

v17Leviticus 13:45thematic

Contrasts the standard mourning and leper ritual of covering the lips with Ezekiel's prohibition.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v172 Samuel 15:30contrast

David walked barefoot with covered head in deep grief; Ezekiel is commanded the exact opposite.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v23Leviticus 26:39fulfillment

Fulfills the Leviticus covenant curse that they would pine away for their iniquities.

Supported by Matthew Poole