The Parable of the Cooking Pot
וַיְהִי֩ דְבַר־יְהוָ֨ה אֵלַ֜י בַּשָּׁנָ֤ה הַתְּשִׁיעִית֙ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָעֲשִׂירִ֔י בֶּעָשׂ֥וֹר לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ לֵאמֹֽר׃
In the ninth year, on the tenth day of the tenth month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם כְּתָב לְךָ֙ אֶת־שֵׁ֣ם הַיּ֔וֹם אֶת־עֶ֖צֶם הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה סָמַ֤ךְ מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֙ אֶל־יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם בְּעֶ֖צֶם הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
“Son of man, write down today’s date, for on this very day the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem.
וּמְשֹׁ֤ל אֶל־בֵּית־הַמֶּ֙רִי֙ מָשָׁ֔ל וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֑ה שְׁפֹ֤ת הַסִּיר֙ שְׁפֹ֔ת וְגַם־יְצֹ֥ק בּ֖וֹ מָֽיִם׃
Now speak a parable to this rebellious house and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Put the pot on the fire; put it on and pour in the water.
אֱסֹ֤ף נְתָחֶ֙יהָ֙ אֵלֶ֔יהָ כָּל־נֵ֥תַח ט֖וֹב יָרֵ֣ךְ וְכָתֵ֑ף מִבְחַ֥ר עֲצָמִ֖ים מַלֵּֽא׃
Put in the pieces of meat, every good piece—thigh and shoulder—fill it with choice bones.
מִבְחַ֤ר הַצֹּאן֙ לָק֔וֹחַ וְגַ֛ם דּ֥וּר הָעֲצָמִ֖ים תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ רַתַּ֣ח רְתָחֶ֔יהָ גַּם־בָּשְׁל֥וּ עֲצָמֶ֖יהָ בְּתוֹכָֽהּ׃ ס
Take the choicest of the flock and pile the fuel beneath it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it.’
לָכֵ֞ן כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֗ה אוֹי֮ עִ֣יר הַדָּמִים֒ סִ֚יר אֲשֶׁ֣ר חֶלְאָתָ֣ה בָ֔הּ וְחֶ֨לְאָתָ֔הּ לֹ֥א יָצְאָ֖ה מִמֶּ֑נָּה לִנְתָחֶ֤יהָ לִנְתָחֶ֙יהָ֙ הוֹצִיאָ֔הּ לֹא־נָפַ֥ל עָלֶ֖יהָ גּוֹרָֽל׃
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed, to the pot now rusted, whose rust will not come off! Empty it piece by piece; cast no lots for its contents.
כִּ֤י דָמָהּ֙ בְּתוֹכָ֣הּ הָיָ֔ה עַל־צְחִ֥יחַ סֶ֖לַע שָׂמָ֑תְהוּ לֹ֤א שְׁפָכַ֙תְהוּ֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ לְכַסּ֥וֹת עָלָ֖יו עָפָֽר׃
For the blood she shed is still within her; she poured it out on the bare rock; she did not pour it on the ground to cover it with dust.
לְהַעֲל֤וֹת חֵמָה֙ לִנְקֹ֣ם נָקָ֔ם נָתַ֥תִּי אֶת־דָּמָ֖הּ עַל־צְחִ֣יחַ סָ֑לַע לְבִלְתִּ֖י הִכָּסֽוֹת׃ פ
In order to stir up wrath and take vengeance, I have placed her blood on the bare rock, so that it would not be covered.’
לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה א֖וֹי עִ֣יר הַדָּמִ֑ים גַּם־אֲנִ֖י אַגְדִּ֥יל הַמְּדוּרָֽה׃
Yes, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed! I, too, will pile the kindling high.
הַרְבֵּ֤ה הָעֵצִים֙ הַדְלֵ֣ק הָאֵ֔שׁ הָתֵ֖ם הַבָּשָׂ֑ר וְהַרְקַח֙ הַמֶּרְקָחָ֔ה וְהָעֲצָמ֖וֹת יֵחָֽרוּ׃
Pile on the logs and kindle the fire; cook the meat well and mix in the spices; let the bones be burned.
וְהַעֲמִידֶ֥הָ עַל־גֶּחָלֶ֖יהָ רֵקָ֑ה לְמַ֨עַן תֵּחַ֜ם וְחָ֣רָה נְחֻשְׁתָּ֗הּ וְנִתְּכָ֤ה בְתוֹכָהּ֙ טֻמְאָתָ֔הּ תִּתֻּ֖ם חֶלְאָתָֽהּ׃
Set the empty pot on its coals until it becomes hot and its copper glows. Then its impurity will melt within; its rust will be consumed.
תְּאֻנִ֖ים הֶלְאָ֑ת וְלֹֽא־תֵצֵ֤א מִמֶּ֙נָּה֙ רַבַּ֣ת חֶלְאָתָ֔הּ בְּאֵ֖שׁ חֶלְאָתָֽהּ׃
It has frustrated every effort; its thick rust has not been removed, even by the fire.
בְּטֻמְאָתֵ֖ךְ זִמָּ֑ה יַ֤עַן טִֽהַרְתִּיךְ֙ וְלֹ֣א טָהַ֔רְתְּ מִטֻּמְאָתֵךְ֙ לֹ֣א תִטְהֲרִי־ע֔וֹד עַד־הֲנִיחִ֥י אֶת־חֲמָתִ֖י בָּֽךְ׃
Because of the indecency of your uncleanness I tried to cleanse you, but you would not be purified from your filthiness. You will not be pure again until My wrath against you has subsided.
אֲנִ֨י יְהוָ֤ה דִּבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ בָּאָ֣ה וְעָשִׂ֔יתִי לֹֽא־אֶפְרַ֥ע וְלֹא־אָח֖וּס וְלֹ֣א אֶנָּחֵ֑ם כִּדְרָכַ֤יִךְ וְכַעֲלִילוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ שְׁפָט֔וּךְ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהֹוִֽה׃ פ
I, the LORD, have spoken; the time is coming, and I will act. I will not refrain or show pity, nor will I relent. I will judge you according to your ways and deeds,’ declares the Lord GOD.”
Ezekiel’s Wife Dies
בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הִנְנִ֨י לֹקֵ֧חַ מִמְּךָ֛ אֶת־מַחְמַ֥ד עֵינֶ֖יךָ בְּמַגֵּפָ֑ה וְלֹ֤א תִסְפֹּד֙ וְלֹ֣א תִבְכֶּ֔ה וְל֥וֹא תָב֖וֹא דִּמְעָתֶֽךָ׃
“Son of man, behold, I am about to take away the desire of your eyes with a fatal blow. But you must not mourn or weep or let your tears flow.
הֵאָנֵ֣ק׀ דֹּ֗ם מֵתִים֙ אֵ֣בֶל לֹֽא־תַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה פְאֵֽרְךָ֙ חֲב֣וֹשׁ עָלֶ֔יךָ וּנְעָלֶ֖יךָ תָּשִׂ֣ים בְּרַגְלֶ֑יךָ וְלֹ֤א תַעְטֶה֙ עַל־שָׂפָ֔ם וְלֶ֥חֶם אֲנָשִׁ֖ים לֹ֥א תֹאכֵֽל׃
Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.”
וָאֲדַבֵּ֤ר אֶל־הָעָם֙ בַּבֹּ֔קֶר וַתָּ֥מָת אִשְׁתִּ֖י בָּעָ֑רֶב וָאַ֥עַשׂ בַּבֹּ֖קֶר כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר צֻוֵּֽיתִי׃
So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And the next morning I did as I had been commanded.
וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ אֵלַ֖י הָעָ֑ם הֲלֹֽא־תַגִּ֥יד לָ֙נוּ֙ מָה־אֵ֣לֶּה לָּ֔נוּ כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה עֹשֶֽׂה׃
Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean to us?”
וָאֹמַ֖ר אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם דְּבַ֨ר־יְהוָ֔ה הָיָ֥ה אֵלַ֖י לֵאמֹֽר׃
So I answered them, “The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
אֱמֹ֣ר׀ לְבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כֹּֽה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֒ הִנְנִ֨י מְחַלֵּ֤ל אֶת־מִקְדָּשִׁי֙ גְּא֣וֹן עֻזְּכֶ֔ם מַחְמַ֥ד עֵֽינֵיכֶ֖ם וּמַחְמַ֣ל נַפְשְׁכֶ֑ם וּבְנֵיכֶ֧ם וּבְנֽוֹתֵיכֶ֛ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עֲזַבְתֶּ֖ם בַּחֶ֥רֶב יִפֹּֽלוּ׃
Tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I am about to desecrate My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and the delight of your soul. And the sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword.’
וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֑יתִי עַל־שָׂפָם֙ לֹ֣א תַעְט֔וּ וְלֶ֥חֶם אֲנָשִׁ֖ים לֹ֥א תֹאכֵֽלוּ׃
Then you will do as I have done: You will not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.
וּפְאֵרֵכֶ֣ם עַל־רָאשֵׁיכֶ֗ם וְנַֽעֲלֵיכֶם֙ בְּרַגְלֵיכֶ֔ם לֹ֥א תִסְפְּד֖וּ וְלֹ֣א תִבְכּ֑וּ וּנְמַקֹּתֶם֙ בַּעֲוֹנֹ֣תֵיכֶ֔ם וּנְהַמְתֶּ֖ם אִ֥ישׁ אֶל־אָחִֽיו׃
Your turbans will remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or weep, but you will waste away because of your sins, and you will groan among yourselves.
וְהָיָ֨ה יְחֶזְקֵ֤אל לָכֶם֙ לְמוֹפֵ֔ת כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה תַּעֲשׂ֑וּ בְּבֹאָ֕הּ וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֥י אֲנִ֖י אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃ ס
‘Thus 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 GOD.’
וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם הֲל֗וֹא בְּי֨וֹם קַחְתִּ֤י מֵהֶם֙ אֶת־מָ֣עוּזָּ֔ם מְשׂ֖וֹשׂ תִּפְאַרְתָּ֑ם אֶת־מַחְמַ֤ד עֵֽינֵיהֶם֙ וְאֶת־מַשָּׂ֣א נַפְשָׁ֔ם בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃
And you, son of man, know that on the day I take away their stronghold, their pride and joy—the desire of their eyes which uplifted their souls—and their sons and daughters as well,
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא יָב֥וֹא הַפָּלִ֖יט אֵלֶ֑יךָ לְהַשְׁמָע֖וּת אָזְנָֽיִם׃
on that day a fugitive will come and tell you the news.
בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יִפָּ֤תַח פִּ֙יךָ֙ אֶת־הַפָּלִ֔יט וּתְדַבֵּ֕ר וְלֹ֥א תֵֽאָלֵ֖ם ע֑וֹד וְהָיִ֤יתָ לָהֶם֙ לְמוֹפֵ֔ת וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ ס
On that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped; you will speak and no longer be mute. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD.”