YEḤEZQĔL 24

1 And in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth of the month, the word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 came to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, write down the name of the day, for on this same day the sovereign of Baḇel has thrown himself against Yerushalayim.

3 “And speak a parable to the rebellious house, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus said the Aḏon 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, “Put on a pot, put it on, and also pour water into it.

4 “Gather pieces of meat in it, every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder, fill it with choice bones.

5 “Take the choice of the flock, also pile bones under it, cook it thoroughly, also let the bones cook in it.”

6 ‘Therefore thus said the Aḏon 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, “Woe to the city of blood, to the pot in which there is rust, and whose rust has not gone out of it! Bring it out piece by piece, on which no lot has fallen.

7 “For her blood is in her midst. She has put it on a shining rock. She did not pour it on the ground, to cover it with dust.

8 “To stir up wrath and take vengeance, I have put her blood on a shining rock, so that it would not be covered.”

9 ‘Therefore thus said the Aḏon 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, “Woe to the city of blood! Let Me also make the pile great.

10 “Heap on the wood, kindle the fire, cook the meat well, mixing in the spices, and let the bones be burned up.

11 “And stand it on the coals, empty, so that it gets hot, and its bronze glows. And its filthiness shall be melted in it, and its rust be consumed.

12 “She has wearied herself with sorrows, and her great rust has not gone from her. Into the fire with her rust!

13 “In your filthiness is wickedness. Because I have cleansed you, but you are not clean. You shall not be cleansed of your filthiness any more, till I have caused My wrath to rest upon you.

14 “I, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, have spoken. It shall come, and I shall do it. I do not hold back, nor do I pardon, nor do I relent. According to your ways and according to your deeds they shall judge you,” declares the Aḏon 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.’ ”

15 And the word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 came to me, saying,

16 “Son of man, see, I am taking away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke. But do not mourn, nor weep, nor let your tears run down.

17 “Groan silently, make no mourning for the dead. Bind your turban on your head, and put your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your upper lip, and do not eat man’s bread of sorrow.”

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

19 And the people said to me, “Would you not explain to us what these matters you are doing mean to us?”

20 And I said to them, “The word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 came to me, saying,

21 ‘Speak to the house of Yisra’ĕl, “Thus said the Aḏon 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, ‘See, I am profaning My Miqdash – the pride of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and the delight of your being. And your sons and daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword.

22 ‘And you shall do as I have done, do not cover your upper lip nor eat man’s bread of sorrow,

23 and let your turbans remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. Do not mourn, nor weep, but you shall pine away in your wickednesses and groan with one another.

24 ‘And Yeḥezqĕl shall be a sign to you. Do according to all that he has done. When this comes, you shall know that I am the Aḏon 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄. ’ ”

25 ‘And you, son of man, on the day when I take from them their stronghold, the joy of their adorning, the desire of their eyes, and the lifting up of their being, their sons and their daughters,

26 on that day one that has escaped shall come to you to let you hear it with your ears.

27 ‘On that day your mouth shall be opened to him who has escaped, and you shall speak and no longer be silent. And you shall be a sign to them. And they shall know that I am 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.’ ”