Chapter 24

24:1The word of the Lord came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month: 2"Son of man, write down today's date, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. 3Now speak a parable to the rebellious house. Tell them: This is what the Lord God says:
Put the pot on the fire-
put it on,
and then pour water into it!
4Place the pieces of meat in it,
every good piece-
thigh and shoulder.
Fill it with choice bones.
5Take the choicest of the flock
and also pile up the fuel under it.
Bring it to a boil
and cook the bones in it."
6Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:
Woe to the city of bloodshed,
the pot that has rust inside it,
and whose rust will not come off!
Empty it piece by piece;
lots should not be cast for its contents.
7For the blood she shed is still within her.
She put it out on the bare rock;
she didn't pour it on the ground
to cover it with dust.
8In order to stir up wrath and take vengeance,
I have put her blood on the bare rock,
so that it would not be covered.
9Therefore, this is what the Lord God says:
Woe to the city of bloodshed!
I Myself will make the pile of kindling large.
10Pile on the logs and kindle the fire!
Cook the meat well
and mix in the spices!
Let the bones be burned!
11Set the empty pot on its coals
so that it becomes hot and its copper glows.
Then its impurity will melt inside it;
its rust will be consumed.
12It has frustrated every effort;
its thick rust will not come off.
Into the fire with its rust!
13Because of the indecency of your uncleanness-
since I tried to purify you,
but you would not be purified from your uncleanness-
you will not be pure again
until I have satisfied My wrath on you.
14I, Yahweh, have spoken.
It is coming, and I will do it!
I will not refrain, I will not show pity,
and I will not relent.
I will judge you
according to your ways and deeds.

This is the declaration of the Lord God.
15Then the word of the Lord came to me: 16"Son of man, I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you with a fatal blow. But you must not lament or weep or let your tears flow. 17Groan quietly; do not observe mourning rites for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners."
18I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did just as I was commanded. 19Then the people asked me, "Won't you tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?"
20So I answered them: "The word of the Lord came to me: 21'Say to the house of Israel: This is what the Lord God says: I am about to desecrate My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the desire of your heart. Also, the sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword. 22Then you will do just as I have done: You will not cover your mustache or eat the bread of mourners. 23Your turbans will remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not lament or weep but will waste away because of your sins and will groan to one another. 24Now Ezekiel will be a sign for you. You will do everything that he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.
25"'Son of man, know that on the day I take their stronghold from them, their pride and joy, the delight of their eyes and the longing of their hearts, as well as their sons and daughters, 26on that day a fugitive will come to you and report the news. 27On that day your mouth will be opened to talk with him; you will speak and no longer be mute. So you will be a sign for them, and they will know that I am Yahweh.'"

Chapter 25

25:1Then the word of the Lord came to me: 2"Son of man, turn your face toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them. 3Say to the Ammonites: Hear the word of the Lord God: This is what the Lord God says: Because you said, 'Good!' about My sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was laid waste, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile, 4therefore I am about to give you to the people of the east as a possession. They will set up their encampments and pitch their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon a sheepfold. Then you will know that I am Yahweh."
6For this is what the Lord God says: "Because you clapped your hands, stamped your feet, and rejoiced over the land of Israel with wholehearted contempt, 7therefore I am about to stretch out My hand against you and give you as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and eliminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am Yahweh."
8This is what the Lord God says: "Because Moab and Seir said, 'Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,' 9therefore I am about to expose Moab's flank beginning with its frontier cities, the pride of the land: Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim. 10I will give it along with Ammon to the people of the east as a possession, so that Ammon will not be remembered among the nations. 11So I will execute judgments against Moab, and they will know that I am Yahweh."
12This is what the Lord God says: "Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah and incurred grievous guilt by taking revenge on them, 13therefore this is what the Lord God says: I will stretch out My hand against Edom and cut off both man and animal from it. I will make it a wasteland; they will fall by the sword from Teman to Dedan. 14I will take My vengeance on Edom through My people Israel, and they will deal with Edom according to My anger and wrath. So they will know My vengeance." This is the declaration of the Lord God.
15This is what the Lord God says: "Because the Philistines acted in vengeance and took revenge with deep contempt, destroying because of their ancient hatred, 16therefore this is what the Lord God says: I am about to stretch out My hand against the Philistines, cutting off the Cherethites and wiping out what remains of the coastal peoples. 17I will execute great vengeance against them with furious rebukes. They will know that I am Yahweh when I take My vengeance on them."