A Cooking Pot
1 Nine years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, the Lord spoke to me on the tenth day of the tenth month. He said:
2 Ezekiel, son of man, write down today's date, because the king of Babylonia has just begun attacking the city of Jerusalem. 3 Then tell my rebellious people:
“Pour water in a cooking pot
and set it over a fire.
* 4 Throw in the legs and shoulders
of your finest sheep
and put in the juicy bones.
5 Pile wood underneath the pot,
and let the meat and bones
boil until they are done.”
6 These words mean that Jerusalem is doomed! The city is filled with murderers and is like an old, rusty pot. The meat is taken out piece by piece, and no one cares what happens to it. 7 The people of Jerusalem murdered innocent people in the city and didn't even try to cover up the blood that flowed out on the hard ground. 8 But I have seen that blood, and it cries out for me to take revenge.
9 I, the Lord God, will punish that city of violence! I will make a huge pile of firewood, 10 so bring more wood and light it. Cook the meat and boil away the broth to let the bones scorch. 11 Then set the empty pot over the hot coals until it is red-hot. That will clean the pot and burn off the rust. 12 I've tried everything else. Now the rust must be burned away.
13 Jerusalem is so full of sin and evil that I can't get it clean, even though I have tried. It will stay filthy until I let loose my fierce anger against it. 14 That time will certainly come! And when it does, I won't show the people of Jerusalem any pity or change my mind. They must be punished for the evil they have done. I, the Lord God, have spoken.
Ezekiel's Wife Dies
15 The Lord said, 16 “Ezekiel, son of man, I will suddenly take the life of the person you love most. But I don't want you to complain or cry. 17 Mourn in silence and don't show that you are grieving. Don't remove your turban or take off your sandals; don't cover your face to show your sorrow, or eat the food that mourners eat.”
18 One morning, I was talking with the people as usual, and by sunset my wife was dead. The next day I did what the Lord had told me, 19 and when people saw me, they asked, “Why aren't you mourning for your wife?”
20 I answered:
The Lord God says 21 he is ready to destroy the temple in which you take such pride and which makes you feel so safe. Your children who now live in Jerusalem will be killed. 22 Then you will do the same things I have done. You will leave your face uncovered and refuse to eat the food that mourners usually eat. 23 You won't take off your turbans and your sandals. You won't cry or mourn, but all day long you will go around groaning because of your sins.
24 I am a warning sign—everything I have done, you will also do. And then you will know the Lord God has made these things happen.
25 The Lord said, “Ezekiel, I will soon destroy the temple that makes everyone feel proud and safe, and I will take away their children as well. 26 On that same day, someone will escape from the city and come to tell you what has happened. 27 Then you will be able to speak again, and the two of you will talk. You will be a warning sign to the people, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
Līdzība par verdošu katlu
(Sal. Jer 1:13–19)1 Devītā gada desmitā mēneša desmitajā dienā Kunga vārds nāca pār mani: 2 “Cilvēka dēls, pieraksti šo dienu, jo tieši šodien Bābeles ķēniņš aplenks Jeruzālemi! 3 Izstāsti šai dumpinieku saimei līdzību: tā saka Kungs Dievs:
liec katlu uz uguns, uzliec un ielej ūdeni,
4 samet iekšā gabalus, visus labos gabalus –
stilbu un plecu, vislabākos kaulus,
5 ņem no vislabākajām avīm!
Liec katlam apakšā kokus,
lai tas strauji uzvirst
un pat kauli labi izvārās!
6 Jo tā saka Kungs Dievs:
ak, vai, asiņu pilsētai –
tā ir kā rūsains katls, kam rūsa nenoiet!
Gabalu pēc gabala raus no tā,
un lozi par to nemetīs!
7 Jo tās vidū asinis tecēja uz kailas klints,
zemē tās nelēja, ka putekļi apklātu!
8 Lai nu ceļas versme, lai nāk atriebšana,
es liešu viņas asinis uz kailas klints –
nekas tās neapklās!
9 Tā saka Kungs Dievs:
ak, vai, asiņu pilsētai! Arī es kraušu lielu kaudzi:
10 nes kaudzi malkas, dedz guni, vāri gaļu,
piemet garšvielas, lai nodeg kauli!
11 Tad liec uz oglēm tukšu podu, lai karst, lai gail varš,
lai izkūst nešķīstība, lai nobrūk rūsa!
12 Veltas pūles! – rūsa nezūd, pat ugunī paliek!
13 Tu nešķīsta un izvirtusi, tādēļ es tevi šķīstīju,
bet tu šķīsta nekļuvi no savas netīrības –
nu vairs šķīsta nekļūsi,
līdz es remdēšos, liedams dusmas pār tevi!
14 Es, Kungs, esmu runājis – tas nāks, es to darīšu!
Es neatkāpšos, es neapžēlošos, es līdzi nejutīšu!
Tie tevi tiesās pēc darbiem, ko tu darījusi!”
saka Kungs Dievs.
Ecehiēla sievas nāve kā zīme
15 Kunga vārds nāca pār mani: 16 “Cilvēka dēls, redzi, vienā mirklī es tev atņemšu sirdsmīļo. Bet tu nevaimanā, neapraudi viņu un nelej asaras – 17 vaidi klusītiņām. Nerīko miroņa apstāvēšanu. Apklāj galvu, apauj kājas, neaizsedz muti, neēd sēru maltīti!” 18 No rīta es runāju ar ļaudīm, un vakarā nomira mana sieva. Nākamajā rītā es darīju, kā man bija pavēlēts. 19 Tad ļaudis man vaicāja: “Vai tu mums nepastāstīsi, kādēļ tu tā dari?” 20 Es tiem teicu: “Kunga vārds nāca pār mani: 21 saki Israēla namam: tā saka Kungs Dievs: redzi, es sagānīšu savu svētvietu, ar ko jūs varen lepojaties, kas tīk jūsu acīm un ielīksmo jūsu prātu. Jūsu dēli un meitas, kas vēl atlikuši, kritīs no zobena. 22 Tad jūs darīsiet tāpat kā es – savas mutes neaizsegsiet, sēru maltīti neēdīsiet, 23 galvas jums būs apklātas un kājas apautas. Jūs nevaimanāsiet un neapraudāsiet – jūs iznīksiet savas vainas dēļ un vaidēsiet viens par otru! 24 Ecehiēls jums būs par zīmi – visu, ko viņš darījis, arī jūs darīsiet. Kad tas notiks, jūs zināsiet, ka es esmu Kungs Dievs!” –
25 “Cilvēka dēls! Vai tad es tiem jau šodien neatņemšu drošumu, prieku, slavu un visu, kas tīk viņu acīm un ielīksmo prātu, un viņu dēlus un meitas? 26 Todien nāks bēglis un tev to pastāstīs. 27 Todien tava mute tiks atdarīta, tu runāsi ar to un vairs nebūsi mēms. Tad tu kļūsi tiem par zīmi un tie zinās, ka es esmu Kungs!”
