Ezekiel 24

King James Version

Full text for Ezekiel Chapter 24

1¶ Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth [day] of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2Son of man, write thee the name of the day, [even] of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.

3And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a pot, 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 burn also the bones under it, [and] make it boil well, and let them seethe the bones of it therein.

6Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum [is] therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.

7For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust;

8That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set her blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered.

9Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.

10Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.

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

12She hath wearied [herself] with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum [shall be] in the fire.

13In thy filthiness [is] lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.

14I the LORD 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 GOD.

15¶ Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

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

17Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on 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 answered them, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

21Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left 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 for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another.

24Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I [am] the Lord GOD.

25Also, 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 minds, their sons and their daughters,

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

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

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Ezekiel 24 conveys two powerful messages of divine judgment against Jerusalem. First, the parable of the boiling pot illustrates Jerusalem as a "bloody city" whose deep-seated wickedness will be consumed by God's fiery wrath, signifying His unyielding resolve. Second, Ezekiel's wife dies, and he is forbidden to mourn, serving as a prophetic sign that the people of Israel will likewise experience the loss of their sanctuary and children without customary lamentation, pining away in their iniquities.

Medium Summary

The chapter begins by dating the start of Babylon's siege against Jerusalem to a specific day, which Ezekiel is commanded to record. God then delivers the parable of a boiling pot, representing Jerusalem as a "bloody city" whose pervasive wickedness, or "scum," has not been purged. The intense fire and boiling signify God's severe and thorough judgment, which will consume the city's inhabitants and purify its defilement. The Lord declares His unwavering determination to execute this judgment according to their deeds, stating He will not relent. Subsequently, God informs Ezekiel that He will take away "the desire of thine eyes," his wife, with a sudden stroke, commanding him not to mourn or weep publicly. Ezekiel's wife dies, and he obeys, prompting the people to inquire about the meaning. Ezekiel explains that his actions are a sign: God will profane His sanctuary and cause their children to fall by the sword, and the people of Israel will mourn inwardly for their iniquities, without outward lamentation, just as Ezekiel did.

Long Summary

Ezekiel 24 opens with the Lord instructing the prophet to mark a precise date—the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year—as the very day the king of Babylon commenced his siege against Jerusalem. Following this, Ezekiel is commanded to deliver a parable to the "rebellious house" of Israel, depicting a pot set upon a fire, filled with water and choice pieces of meat, including the thigh, shoulder, and choice bones, which are to be boiled thoroughly. The Lord God then interprets this imagery, declaring "Woe to the bloody city," identifying Jerusalem as the pot whose "scum," representing its deep-seated wickedness and defilement, has not been removed. The city's unatoned bloodshed is likened to blood spilled on a rock, uncovered to provoke divine vengeance. God proclaims that He will intensify the fire, consuming the city's inhabitants and purifying its inherent filthiness until the pot is empty and its brass hot, signifying a complete and thorough judgment. The Lord emphasizes His unyielding resolve, stating He will not go back, spare, or repent, but will judge them strictly according to their ways and doings. In the latter part of the chapter, the word of the Lord comes to Ezekiel again, informing him that He will suddenly take away "the desire of thine eyes," referring to his wife. Crucially, Ezekiel is commanded not to mourn or weep outwardly, nor to perform any traditional rites of lamentation, such as covering his lips or eating the bread of men. Ezekiel's wife dies that evening, and he faithfully executes the Lord's command the following morning. When the people question the meaning of his unusual behavior, Ezekiel explains that his actions serve as a prophetic sign to the house of Israel. God declares that He will profane His sanctuary, which is "the excellency of your strength" and "the desire of your eyes," and their sons and daughters will fall by the sword. Just as Ezekiel refrained from outward mourning, the people of Israel will also be forbidden to mourn publicly for their immense losses, but will instead "pine away for your iniquities" and mourn inwardly one toward another. This profound, silent suffering will serve as a stark reminder of their transgressions, and through these events, they will ultimately know that He is the Lord God. Furthermore, it is revealed that on the day an escapee brings news of these calamities, Ezekiel's mouth will be opened, and he will no longer be dumb, thus becoming an even clearer sign to them.

Core Concepts

  • The Boiling Pot ParableThis metaphor depicts Jerusalem as a pot whose choice pieces of meat represent its inhabitants, and its "scum" symbolizes the city's deep-seated wickedness and unpurged defilement. The intense fire and boiling signify God's severe and thorough judgment upon the city.
  • Bloody CityJerusalem is repeatedly called the "bloody city," highlighting its pervasive guilt from bloodshed and violence, which remains unatoned and exposed before God. This unpunished sin provokes divine fury and vengeance.
  • Divine Judgment and Unwavering ResolveThe Lord declares His absolute determination to execute judgment upon Jerusalem, stating, "I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent." This signifies an irreversible and complete divine retribution for their iniquities.
  • Ezekiel's Wife as a SignGod takes away Ezekiel's wife, "the desire of thine eyes," and commands him not to mourn outwardly. This personal tragedy serves as a direct prophetic sign of the impending loss of the Temple and their children for the people of Israel.
  • Silent Mourning and Pining AwayBoth Ezekiel and, by extension, the house of Israel are forbidden traditional outward mourning rites. Instead, the people will "pine away for your iniquities," signifying a deep, internal, and agonizing sorrow for their sins and losses, without the comfort of public lamentation.
  • Profaning the SanctuaryGod declares He will profane His sanctuary, "the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes." This refers to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, the spiritual and national center of Israel, signifying the ultimate consequence of their rebellion.
  • Ezekiel's Mute State and Future SpeechEzekiel's inability to speak (or speak prophetically) is tied to the siege and destruction. His mouth will be opened when an escapee brings news of Jerusalem's fall, confirming his role as a prophet and a sign to the people.