¹Again , in the ninth year , in the tenth month , in the tenth day of the month , the LORD ’s word came to me , saying ,

²“Son of man , write the name of the day , this same day . The king of Babylon drew close to Jerusalem this same day .

³Utter a parable to the rebellious house , and tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says ,

“Put the cauldron on the fire.

Put it on ,

and also pour water into it .

⁴Gather its pieces 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 cauldron.

Make it boil well .

Yes , let its bones be boiled within it .”

⁶“‘Therefore the Lord GOD says :

“Woe to the bloody city ,

to the cauldron whose rust is in it ,

and whose rust hasn’t gone out of it !

Take out of it piece after piece

without casting lots for it .

⁷“‘“For the blood she shed is in the middle of her .

She set it on the bare rock .

She didn’t pour it on the ground ,

to cover it with dust .

⁸That it may cause wrath to come up to take vengeance ,

I have set her blood on the bare rock ,

that it should not be covered .”

⁹“‘Therefore the Lord GOD says :

“Woe to the bloody city !

I also will make the pile great .

¹⁰Heap on the wood .

Make the fire hot.

Boil the meat well .

Make the broth thick,

and let the bones be burnt.

¹¹Then set it empty on its coals ,

that it may be hot ,

and its bronze may burn ,

and that its filthiness may be molten in it ,

that its rust may be consumed .

¹²She is weary with toil ;

yet her great rust ,

rust by fire, doesn’t leave her .

¹³“‘“In your filthiness is lewdness . Because I have cleansed you and you weren’t cleansed , you won’t be cleansed from your filthiness any more , until I have caused my wrath towards you to rest .

¹⁴“‘“I , the LORD , have spoken it . It will happen , and I will do it . I won’t go back . I won’t spare . I won’t repent . According to your ways and according to your doings , they will judge you ,” says the Lord GOD .’”

¹⁵Also the LORD ’s word came to me , saying ,

¹⁶“Son of man , behold , I will take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke ; yet you shall neither mourn nor weep , neither shall your tears run down.

¹⁷Sigh, but not aloud. Make no mourning for the dead . Bind your headdress on you , and put your sandals on your feet . Don’t cover your lips , and don’t eat mourner’s bread .”

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

¹⁹The people asked me , “Won’t you tell us what these things mean to us , that you act like this ?”

²⁰Then I said to them , “The LORD ’s word came to me , saying ,

²¹‘Speak to the house of Israel , “The Lord GOD says : ‘Behold , I will profane my sanctuary , the pride of your power , the desire of your eyes , and that which your soul pities; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword .

²²You will do as I have done . You won’t cover your lips or eat mourner’s bread .

²³Your turbans will be on your heads , and your sandals on your feet . You won’t mourn or weep ; but you will pine away in your iniquities , and moan one towards another .

²⁴Thus Ezekiel will be a sign to you ; according to all that he has done , you will do . When this comes , then you will know that I am the Lord GOD .’”’”

²⁵“You , son of man , shouldn’t it 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 who escapes will come to you , to cause you to hear it with your ears?

²⁷In that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped , and you will speak and be no more mute. So you will be a sign to them . Then they will know that I am the LORD .”