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Ezekiel 22-24
New International Reader's Version
Ezekiel 22-24
New International Reader's Version
The Lord Judges Jerusalem for Its Sins
22 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said,
2 “Son of man, are you going to judge Jerusalem? Will you judge this city that has so many murderers in it? Then tell its people they have done many evil things. I hate those things. 3 Tell them, ‘The Lord and King says, “Your city brings death on itself. You spill blood inside its walls. You make yourselves ‘unclean’ by making statues of gods. 4 You are guilty of spilling blood. Your statues have made you ‘unclean.’ You have brought your days to a close. The end of your years has come. So the nations will make fun of you. All the countries will laugh at you. 5 Those who are near you will tell jokes about you. So will those who are far away. Trouble fills the streets of your sinful city.
6 “ ‘ “The princes of Israel are in your city. All of them use their power to spill blood. 7 They have made fun of fathers and mothers alike. They have crushed outsiders. They have treated badly the children whose fathers have died. They have done the same thing to widows. 8 You have looked down on the holy things that were set apart to me. You have misused my Sabbath days. 9 You have spread lies about others so you can spill someone’s blood. You eat at the mountain temples. You commit impure acts. 10 You bring shame on your fathers by having sex with their wives. You have sex with women during their monthly period. That is when they are ‘unclean.’ 11 One of you has sex with another man’s wife. I hate that sin. Another brings shame on his daughter-in-law by having sex with her. Still another has sex with his sister, even though she is his own father’s daughter. 12 You accept money from people who want special favors. You do this to spill someone’s blood. You charge interest to poor people when you lend them money. You make money from them. You get rich by cheating your neighbors. And you have forgotten me,” announces the Lord and King.
13 “ ‘ “I will clap my hands because I am so angry. You got rich by cheating others. You spilled blood inside the walls of your city. 14 Will you be brave on the day I deal with you? Will you be strong at that time? I have spoken. I will do this. I am the Lord. 15 I will scatter you among the nations. I will send you to other countries. I will put an end to your ‘uncleanness.’ 16 You will be ‘unclean’ in the sight of the nations. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”
17 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 18 “Son of man, the people of Israel have become like scum to me. All of them are like the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace. They are only the scum that is removed from silver.” 19 So the Lord and King says, “People of Israel, all of you have become like scum. So I will gather you together in Jerusalem. 20 People put silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a furnace. They melt it with a blazing fire. In the same way, I will gather you. I will pour out my burning anger on you. I will put you inside the city and melt you. 21 I will gather you together. My burning anger will blaze out at you. And you will be melted inside Jerusalem. 22 Silver is melted in a furnace. And you will be melted inside the city. Then you will know that I have poured out my burning anger on you. I am the Lord.”
23 Another message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 24 “Son of man, speak to the land. Tell it, ‘You have not been washed clean with rain. That’s because I am angry with you.’ 25 Ezekiel, the princes of the land are like a roaring lion that tears its food apart. They eat people up. They take treasures and other valuable things. They cause many women in the land to become widows. 26 Its priests break my law. They treat things set apart to me as if they were not holy. They treat holy and common things as if they were the same. They teach that there is no difference between things that are ‘clean’ and things that are not. They refuse to keep my Sabbath days. So they treat me as if I were not holy. 27 The officials in the land are like wolves that tear their food apart. They spill blood and kill people to get rich. 28 The prophets cover up these acts for them. The visions of these prophets are false. They use magic to try to find out what is going to happen. But their magic tricks are lies. They say, ‘The Lord and King says.’ But I have not spoken to them. 29 The people of the land get rich by cheating others. They steal. They crush those who are poor and in need. They treat outsiders badly. They refuse to be fair to them.
30 “I looked for someone among them who would stand up for Jerusalem. I tried to find someone who would pray to me for the land. Then I would not have to destroy it. But I could not find anyone who would pray for it. 31 So I will pour out my anger on its people. I will destroy them because of my great anger against them. And anything that happens to them will be their own fault,” announces the Lord and King.
Samaria and Jerusalem Are Like Two Impure Sisters
23 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, once there were two women. They had the same mother. 3 They became prostitutes in Egypt. They have been unfaithful to me since they were young. In that land they allowed their breasts to be touched. They permitted their virgin breasts to be kissed. 4 The older sister was named Oholah. The younger one was Oholibah. They belonged to me. Sons and daughters were born to them. Oholah stands for Samaria. And Oholibah stands for Jerusalem.
5 “Oholah was unfaithful to me even while she still belonged to me. She longed for her Assyrian lovers. They included soldiers 6 who wore blue uniforms. They also included governors and commanders. All of them were young and handsome. They rode horses. 7 She gave herself as a prostitute to all Assyria’s finest warriors. She made herself impure with the statues of the gods of everyone she longed for. 8 She started being a prostitute in Egypt. And she never stopped. When she was young, men had sex with her. They kissed her virgin breasts. They used up all their sinful desires on her.
9 “So I handed her over to her Assyrian lovers. She longed for them. 10 They stripped her naked. They took away her sons and daughters. And they killed her with their swords. Other women laughed when that happened. I was the one who had punished her.
11 “Her sister Oholibah saw it. But her evil desire for sexual sin was worse than her sister’s. 12 She too longed for the men of Assyria. They included governors and commanders. They included soldiers who wore fancy uniforms. They also included men who rode horses. All of them were young and handsome. 13 I saw that she too made herself impure. So both sisters did the same evil things.
14 “But Oholibah went even further with her sexual sins. She saw pictures of men drawn on a wall. They were figures of Babylonians drawn in red. 15 They had belts around their waists. They wore flowing turbans on their heads. All of them looked like Babylonian chariot officers. They were from the land of the Chaldeans. 16 As soon as she saw the pictures, she longed for the men. So she sent messengers to them in Babylon. 17 Then the Babylonians came to her. They went to bed with her. They had sex with her. They made her impure when they had sex with her. After they did it, she became sick of them. So she turned away from them. 18 She acted like a prostitute who had no shame at all. She openly showed her naked body. I became sick of what she was doing. So I turned away from her. I had also turned away from her sister. 19 But Oholibah offered her body to her lovers again and again. She remembered the days when she was a young prostitute in Egypt. 20 There she had longed for her lovers. Their private parts seemed as big as those of donkeys. And their flow of semen appeared to be as much as that of horses. 21 So you wanted to return to the days when you were young. You longed for the time when you first became impure in Egypt. That was when you allowed your breasts to be kissed. And you permitted your young breasts to be touched.”
22 So the Lord and King says, “Oholibah, I will stir up your lovers against you. You became sick of them. You turned away from them. But I will bring them against you from every side. 23 They include the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans. They include the men from Pekod, Shoa and Koa. They also include all the Assyrians. They are young and handsome. Some of them are governors and commanders. Others are chariot officers. Still others are very high officials. All of them ride horses. 24 So a huge army will come against you with weapons, chariots and wagons. They will take up positions against you on every side. They will carry large and small shields. They will wear helmets. I will turn you over to them to be punished. They will punish you in their own way. 25 I will pour out my jealous anger on you. And the army’s anger will burn against you. They will cut off your noses and ears. Some of you who are left will be killed by swords. They will take away your sons and daughters. Others of you who are left will be burned up. 26 The army will also strip off your clothes. They will take your fine jewelry away from you. 27 You became an impure prostitute in Egypt. But I will put a stop to all of that. You will no longer want to do any of it. You will not remember Egypt anymore.”
28 The Lord and King says, “I am about to hand you over to people you hate. You became sick of them. You turned away from them. 29 They will punish you because they hate you so much. They will take away from you everything you have worked for. They will leave you completely naked. Then everyone will see that you are a prostitute who has no shame at all. You were impure. You offered your body to your lovers again and again. 30 That is why you will be punished. You longed for lovers in other nations. You made yourself impure by worshiping their gods. 31 You did the same things your sister Oholah did. So I will put her cup in your hand. It is filled with the wine of my anger.”
32 The Lord and King says to Oholibah,
“You will drink from your sister’s cup.
It is large and deep.
It is filled with the wine of my anger.
So others will laugh at you.
They will make fun of you.
33 You will become drunk and sad.
The cup of my anger will completely destroy you.
It is the same cup your sister Samaria drank from.
34 You will drink from it until it is empty.
Then you will chew on its pieces.
And you will claw at your breasts.
I have spoken,” announces the Lord and King.
35 So the Lord and King says, “You have forgotten me. You have turned your back on me. You have been impure. You have acted like a prostitute. So I will punish you.”
36 The Lord said to me, “Son of man, are you going to judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then tell them they have done many evil things. I hate those things. 37 They have committed adultery. Their hands are covered with the blood of the people they have murdered. They have worshiped other gods. They have not been faithful to me. They have even sacrificed their children as food to other gods. Those children belonged to me. 38 Here are some other things the sisters have done to me. They have made my temple ‘unclean.’ They have misused my Sabbath days. 39 They have sacrificed their children to their gods. On that same day they entered my temple and made it ‘unclean.’ That is what they have done in my house.
40 “They even sent messengers to bring men from far away. When the men arrived, Oholibah took a bath. She put makeup on her eyes. She put her jewelry on. 41 She sat down on a beautiful couch. A table was in front of it. There she put the incense and olive oil that belonged to me.
42 “The noise of a carefree crowd was all around her. Men who drink too much were brought from the desert. Other men were brought along with them. They put bracelets on the wrists of the two sisters. They put beautiful crowns on their heads. 43 Then I spoke about Oholibah. She was worn out by adultery. I said, ‘Let them use her as a prostitute. After all, that is what she is.’ 44 So they slept with her. In fact, they slept with both of these impure women, Oholah and Oholibah. They slept with them just as men sleep with prostitutes. 45 But judges who are right with God will sentence the sisters to be punished. They will be punished in the same way as women who commit adultery and murder. After all, they have committed adultery. And their hands are covered with the blood of the people they have murdered.”
46 The Lord and King says, “Bring an angry crowd against the sisters. Hand them over to those who will terrify them and steal everything they have. 47 The crowd will kill them by throwing stones at them. They will use swords to cut them down. They will kill their sons and daughters. And they will burn down their houses.
48 “So I will put an end to impurity in the land. Then all its women will be warned. They will not want to be like the sisters. 49 Those sisters will be punished because of the impure things they have done. They will be judged because they have worshiped other gods. Then they will know that I am the Lord and King.”
Jerusalem Is Like a Cooking Pot
24 It was the ninth year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the tenth day of the tenth month, a message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2 “Son of man, write down today’s date. The king of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem and attacked it today. 3 Your people refuse to obey me. So tell them a story. Say to them, ‘The Lord and King told me,
“ ‘ “Put a cooking pot on the fire.
Pour water into it.
4 Put pieces of meat in it.
Use all the best pieces.
Use the leg and shoulder.
Fill it with the best bones.
5 Pick the finest animal in the flock.
Pile wood under the pot to cook the bones.
Bring the water to a boil.
Cook the bones in it.” ’ ”
6 The Lord and King says,
“How terrible it will be for this city!
It has so many murderers in it.
How terrible for the pot that is coated with scum!
The scum on it will not go away.
Take the meat out of the pot piece by piece.
Take it out in whatever order it comes.
7 “The blood Jerusalem’s people spilled is inside its walls.
They poured it out on a bare rock.
They did not pour it on the ground.
If they had, dust would have covered it up.
8 So I put their blood on the bare rock.
I did not want it to be covered up.
I poured out my great anger on them.
I paid them back.”
9 So the Lord and King said to me,
“How terrible it will be for this city!
It has so many murderers in it.
I too will pile the wood high.
10 So pile on the wood.
Light the fire.
Cook the meat well.
Mix in the spices.
Let the bones be blackened.
11 Then set the empty pot on the coals.
Let it get hot. Let its copper glow.
Then what is not pure in it will melt.
Its scum will be burned away.
12 But it can’t be cleaned up.
Its thick scum has not been removed.
Even fire can’t burn it off.
13 “Jerusalem, you are really impure. I tried to clean you up. But you would not let me make you pure. So you will not be clean again until I am no longer so angry with you.
14 “I have spoken. The time has come for me to act. I will not hold back. I will not feel sorry for you. I will do what I said I would do. You will be judged for your conduct and actions. I am the Lord,” announces the Lord and King.
Ezekiel’s Wife Dies
15 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 16 “Son of man, I will take away from you the wife you delight in. It will happen very soon. But do not sing songs of sadness. Do not let any tears flow from your eyes. 17 Groan quietly. Do not mourn for your wife when she dies. Keep your turban on your head. Keep your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your mustache and beard. Do not eat the food people eat to comfort them when someone dies.”
18 So I spoke to my people in the morning. And in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did what I had been commanded to do.
19 Then the people said to me, “Tell us what these things have to do with us. Why are you acting like this?”
20 So I told them. I said, “A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 21 ‘Speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, “The Lord and King says, ‘I am about to make my temple “unclean.” I will let the Babylonians burn it down. It is the beautiful building you are so proud of. You take delight in it. You love it. The sons and daughters you left behind will be killed by swords. 22 So do what Ezekiel did. Do not cover your mustache and beard. Do not eat the food people eat to comfort them when someone dies. 23 Keep your turbans on your heads. Keep your sandals on your feet. Do not mourn or weep. You will waste away because you have sinned so much. You will groan among yourselves. 24 What Ezekiel has done will show you what is going to happen to you. You will do just as he has done. Then you will know that I am the Lord and King.’ ” ’
25 “Son of man, I will take away their beautiful temple. It is their joy and glory. They take delight in it. Their hearts long for it. I will also take away their sons and daughters. 26 On the day I destroy everything, a man will escape. He will come and tell you the news. 27 At that time I will open your mouth. Then you will no longer be silent. You will speak with the man. That will show them what will happen to them. And they will know that I am the Lord.”
Ezekiel 22-24
New International Version
Ezekiel 22-24
New International Version
Judgment on Jerusalem’s Sins
22 The word of the Lord came to me:
2 “Son of man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed?(A) Then confront her with all her detestable practices(B) 3 and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: You city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood(C) in her midst and defiles herself by making idols, 4 you have become guilty because of the blood you have shed(D) and have become defiled by the idols you have made. You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come.(E) Therefore I will make you an object of scorn(F) to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries.(G) 5 Those who are near and those who are far away will mock you, you infamous city, full of turmoil.(H)
6 “‘See how each of the princes of Israel who are in you uses his power to shed blood.(I) 7 In you they have treated father and mother with contempt;(J) in you they have oppressed the foreigner(K) and mistreated the fatherless and the widow.(L) 8 You have despised my holy things and desecrated my Sabbaths.(M) 9 In you are slanderers(N) who are bent on shedding blood;(O) in you are those who eat at the mountain shrines(P) and commit lewd acts.(Q) 10 In you are those who dishonor their father’s bed;(R) in you are those who violate women during their period,(S) when they are ceremonially unclean.(T) 11 In you one man commits a detestable offense with his neighbor’s wife,(U) another shamefully defiles his daughter-in-law,(V) and another violates his sister,(W) his own father’s daughter.(X) 12 In you are people who accept bribes(Y) to shed blood; you take interest(Z) and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from your neighbors.(AA) And you have forgotten(AB) me, declares the Sovereign Lord.(AC)
13 “‘I will surely strike my hands(AD) together at the unjust gain(AE) you have made and at the blood(AF) you have shed in your midst.(AG) 14 Will your courage endure(AH) or your hands(AI) be strong in the day I deal with you? I the Lord have spoken,(AJ) and I will do it.(AK) 15 I will disperse you among the nations and scatter(AL) you through the countries; and I will put an end to(AM) your uncleanness.(AN) 16 When you have been defiled[a] in the eyes of the nations, you will know that I am the Lord.’”
17 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 18 “Son of man, the people of Israel have become dross(AO) to me; all of them are the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace.(AP) They are but the dross of silver.(AQ) 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you have all become dross,(AR) I will gather you into Jerusalem. 20 As silver, copper, iron, lead and tin are gathered into a furnace to be melted with a fiery blast, so will I gather you in my anger and my wrath and put you inside the city and melt you.(AS) 21 I will gather you and I will blow(AT) on you with my fiery wrath, and you will be melted inside her.(AU) 22 As silver is melted(AV) in a furnace, so you will be melted inside her, and you will know that I the Lord have poured out my wrath(AW) on you.’”(AX)
23 Again the word of the Lord came to me: 24 “Son of man, say to the land, ‘You are a land that has not been cleansed or rained on in the day of wrath.’(AY) 25 There is a conspiracy(AZ) of her princes[b] within her like a roaring lion(BA) tearing its prey; they devour people,(BB) take treasures and precious things and make many widows(BC) within her. 26 Her priests do violence to my law(BD) and profane my holy things; they do not distinguish between the holy and the common;(BE) they teach that there is no difference between the unclean and the clean;(BF) and they shut their eyes to the keeping of my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned(BG) among them.(BH) 27 Her officials(BI) within her are like wolves(BJ) tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill people(BK) to make unjust gain.(BL) 28 Her prophets whitewash(BM) these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations.(BN) They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says’—when the Lord has not spoken.(BO) 29 The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery;(BP) they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the foreigner,(BQ) denying them justice.(BR)
30 “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall(BS) and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.(BT) 31 So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger,(BU) bringing down(BV) on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.(BW)”
Two Adulterous Sisters
23 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother.(BX) 3 They became prostitutes in Egypt,(BY) engaging in prostitution(BZ) from their youth.(CA) In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed.(CB) 4 The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.(CC)
5 “Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was still mine; and she lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians(CD)—warriors(CE) 6 clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all of them handsome young men, and mounted horsemen. 7 She gave herself as a prostitute to all the elite of the Assyrians and defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after.(CF) 8 She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt,(CG) when during her youth men slept with her, caressed her virgin bosom and poured out their lust on her.(CH)
9 “Therefore I delivered her into the hands(CI) of her lovers,(CJ) the Assyrians, for whom she lusted.(CK) 10 They stripped(CL) her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women,(CM) and punishment was inflicted(CN) on her.(CO)
11 “Her sister Oholibah saw this,(CP) yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister.(CQ) 12 She too lusted after the Assyrians—governors and commanders, warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, all handsome young men.(CR) 13 I saw that she too defiled herself; both of them went the same way.(CS)
14 “But she carried her prostitution still further. She saw men portrayed on a wall,(CT) figures of Chaldeans[c] portrayed in red,(CU) 15 with belts(CV) around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads; all of them looked like Babylonian chariot officers, natives of Chaldea.[d] 16 As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers(CW) to them in Chaldea.(CX) 17 Then the Babylonians(CY) came to her, to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. After she had been defiled by them, she turned away from them in disgust.(CZ) 18 When she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her naked body,(DA) I turned away(DB) from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister.(DC) 19 Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. 20 There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses. 21 So you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when in Egypt your bosom was caressed and your young breasts fondled.[e](DD)
22 “Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stir up your lovers(DE) against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side(DF)— 23 the Babylonians(DG) and all the Chaldeans,(DH) the men of Pekod(DI) and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, handsome young men, all of them governors and commanders, chariot officers and men of high rank, all mounted on horses.(DJ) 24 They will come against you with weapons,[f] chariots and wagons(DK) and with a throng of people; they will take up positions against you on every side with large and small shields and with helmets. I will turn you over to them for punishment,(DL) and they will punish you according to their standards. 25 I will direct my jealous anger(DM) against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and your ears, and those of you who are left will fall by the sword. They will take away your sons and daughters,(DN) and those of you who are left will be consumed by fire.(DO) 26 They will also strip(DP) you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry.(DQ) 27 So I will put a stop(DR) to the lewdness and prostitution you began in Egypt. You will not look on these things with longing or remember Egypt anymore.
28 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to deliver you into the hands(DS) of those you hate, to those you turned away from in disgust. 29 They will deal with you in hatred and take away everything you have worked for. They will leave you stark naked,(DT) and the shame of your prostitution will be exposed.(DU) Your lewdness(DV) and promiscuity(DW) 30 have brought this on you, because you lusted after the nations and defiled yourself with their idols.(DX) 31 You have gone the way of your sister; so I will put her cup(DY) into your hand.(DZ)
32 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“You will drink your sister’s cup,
a cup large and deep;
it will bring scorn and derision,(EA)
for it holds so much.(EB)
33 You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow,
the cup of ruin and desolation,
the cup of your sister Samaria.(EC)
34 You will drink it(ED) and drain it dry
and chew on its pieces—
and you will tear your breasts.
I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.(EE)
35 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you have forgotten(EF) me and turned your back on me,(EG) you must bear(EH) the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution.”
36 The Lord said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront(EI) them with their detestable practices,(EJ) 37 for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them.(EK) 38 They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary(EL) and desecrated my Sabbaths.(EM) 39 On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated(EN) it. That is what they did in my house.(EO)
40 “They even sent messengers for men who came from far away,(EP) and when they arrived you bathed yourself for them, applied eye makeup(EQ) and put on your jewelry.(ER) 41 You sat on an elegant couch,(ES) with a table(ET) spread before it on which you had placed the incense(EU) and olive oil that belonged to me.(EV)
42 “The noise of a carefree(EW) crowd was around her; drunkards(EX) were brought from the desert along with men from the rabble, and they put bracelets(EY) on the wrists of the woman and her sister and beautiful crowns on their heads.(EZ) 43 Then I said about the one worn out by adultery, ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute,(FA) for that is all she is.’ 44 And they slept with her. As men sleep with a prostitute, so they slept with those lewd women, Oholah and Oholibah. 45 But righteous judges will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood,(FB) because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands.(FC)
46 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Bring a mob(FD) against them and give them over to terror and plunder.(FE) 47 The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters(FF) and burn(FG) down their houses.(FH)
48 “So I will put an end(FI) to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you.(FJ) 49 You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry.(FK) Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.(FL)”
Jerusalem as a Cooking Pot
24 In the ninth year, in the tenth month on the tenth day, the word of the Lord came to me:(FM) 2 “Son of man, record(FN) this date, this very date, because the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.(FO) 3 Tell this rebellious people(FP) a parable(FQ) and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Put on the cooking pot;(FR) put it on
and pour water into it.
4 Put into it the pieces of meat,
all the choice pieces—the leg and the shoulder.
Fill it with the best of these bones;(FS)
5 take the pick of the flock.(FT)
Pile wood beneath it for the bones;
bring it to a boil
and cook the bones in it.(FU)
6 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Woe(FV) to the city of bloodshed,(FW)
to the pot now encrusted,
whose deposit will not go away!
Take the meat out piece by piece
in whatever order(FX) it comes.(FY)
7 “‘For the blood she shed is in her midst:
She poured it on the bare rock;
she did not pour it on the ground,
where the dust would cover it.(FZ)
8 To stir up wrath and take revenge
I put her blood on the bare rock,
so that it would not be covered.
9 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Woe to the city of bloodshed!
I, too, will pile the wood high.
10 So heap on the wood
and kindle the fire.
Cook the meat well,
mixing in the spices;
and let the bones be charred.
11 Then set the empty pot on the coals
till it becomes hot and its copper glows,
so that its impurities may be melted
and its deposit burned away.(GA)
12 It has frustrated all efforts;
its heavy deposit has not been removed,
not even by fire.
13 “‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed(GB) from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.(GC)
14 “‘I the Lord have spoken.(GD) The time has come for me to act.(GE) I will not hold back; I will not have pity,(GF) nor will I relent.(GG) You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions,(GH) declares the Sovereign Lord.(GI)’”
Ezekiel’s Wife Dies
15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, with one blow(GJ) I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes.(GK) Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears.(GL) 17 Groan quietly;(GM) do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban(GN) fastened and your sandals(GO) on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard(GP) or eat the customary food of mourners.(GQ)”
18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.(GR)
19 Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things have to do with us?(GS) Why are you acting like this?”
20 So I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me: 21 Say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary(GT)—the stronghold in which you take pride,(GU) the delight of your eyes,(GV) the object of your affection. The sons and daughters(GW) you left behind will fall by the sword.(GX) 22 And you will do as I have done. You will not cover your mustache and beard(GY) or eat the customary food of mourners.(GZ) 23 You will keep your turbans(HA) on your heads and your sandals(HB) on your feet. You will not mourn(HC) or weep but will waste away(HD) because of[g] your sins and groan among yourselves.(HE) 24 Ezekiel(HF) will be a sign(HG) to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’
25 “And you, son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes,(HH) their heart’s desire,(HI) and their sons and daughters(HJ) as well— 26 on that day a fugitive will come to tell you(HK) the news. 27 At that time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and will no longer be silent.(HL) So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.(HM)”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 22:16 Or When I have allotted you your inheritance
- Ezekiel 22:25 Septuagint; Hebrew prophets
- Ezekiel 23:14 Or Babylonians
- Ezekiel 23:15 Or Babylonia; also in verse 16
- Ezekiel 23:21 Syriac (see also verse 3); Hebrew caressed because of your young breasts
- Ezekiel 23:24 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 24:23 Or away in
New International Reader's Version (NIRV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.