Ezekiel 24 10

Ezekiel 24:10 kjv

Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.

Ezekiel 24:10 nkjv

Heap on the wood, Kindle the fire; Cook the meat well, Mix in the spices, And let the cuts be burned up.

Ezekiel 24:10 niv

So heap on the wood and kindle the fire. Cook the meat well, mixing in the spices; and let the bones be charred.

Ezekiel 24:10 esv

Heap on the logs, kindle the fire, boil the meat well, mix in the spices, and let the bones be burned up.

Ezekiel 24:10 nlt

Yes, heap on the wood!
Let the fire roar to make the pot boil.
Cook the meat with many spices,
and afterward burn the bones.

Ezekiel 24 verses

Ezekiel 24 10 Meaning

Ezekiel 24:10 describes an intensified and thorough process of destruction and judgment, likened to the severe boiling and burning of a pot. It instructs the complete consumption of the "meat" and the eventual burning of even the "bones" within the symbolic pot of Jerusalem. This signifies God's absolute and relentless wrath against the city and its inhabitants due to their persistent sin, ensuring that nothing, not even the foundation or the hardest elements, will escape His punitive purification.

Ezekiel 24 10 Context

Ezekiel 24 marks a pivotal point in the book, describing the Lord's pronouncement on Jerusalem's final destruction, coinciding with the very day Nebuchadnezzar began his last siege against the city. It begins with the parable of the boiling pot (v. 3-5), where Jerusalem is the pot, its inhabitants are the choice meat and bones, and the fire underneath is God's fierce judgment enacted through the Babylonian army. The previous verses (v. 6-9) detail the city's impurity ("rust") and unrepentant rebellion, which fuels God's wrath and necessitates this extreme punishment. Verse 10 builds on this imagery, intensifying the command for destruction, moving from merely boiling the choice pieces to a total consumption of everything within the pot, signifying that the judgment would not be superficial but would completely lay waste to the city and its population, consuming even the remnants. It foreshadows the actual burning of the city and temple.

Ezekiel 24 10 Word analysis

• Heap on the wood (`הרבה העצים`, harbeh ha`etzim):
  • הרבה (harbeh): Imperative, meaning "multiply," "increase," or "make much." Signifies a command to amplify the intensity and amount.
  • העצים (ha`etzim): "The wood." Refers to fuel for the fire.
  • Significance: Indicates the deliberate and abundant provision of fuel to make the fire exceptionally hot. This points to the ferocity and determination of God's judgment, ensuring it will be thorough and unstoppable.
• Kindle the fire (`והדלק האש`, vehaddelēq ha'ēš):
  • והדלק (vehaddelēq): Imperative, "and ignite," "and light up."
  • האש (ha'ēš): "The fire."
  • Significance: A direct command to ignite and sustain the flames, emphasizing the active initiation and maintenance of the destructive process. It’s not a passive outcome but a divinely ordered burning.
• Boil well the meat (`והתם הבשר`, vehathēm habbāsār):
  • והתם (vehathēm): Imperative, "and make complete," "finish," or "consume fully." The nuances here imply bringing the cooking to its utmost completion, consuming everything, or perfecting the process.
  • הבשר (habbāsār): "The meat" or "the flesh." Refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
  • Significance: This phrase goes beyond simple boiling. It denotes complete rendering, breaking down, and total consumption of the "meat." It points to a comprehensive destruction of the people, where no part escapes the severity of the judgment.
• And drain off the broth (`ויבושל המרקחה`, viybūšāl hammerqaḥāh):
  • ויבושל (viybūšāl): Passive verb, "and it will be cooked" or "and it will be boiled." Some interpret it as a command "to boil away" or "to reduce."
  • המרקחה (hammerqaḥāh): "The stew," "broth," or "mixture."
  • Significance: Suggests either the complete evaporation/reduction of all liquid (the lifeblood/essence) from the pot or its complete pouring out, leaving nothing. It points to a comprehensive and exhausting judgment where nothing useful or vital remains.
• And let the bones be burned (`וְהִבְעִירוּ הָעֲצָמוֹת`, vəhibə`îrû hā`atzāmôt):
  • וְהִבְעִירוּ (vəhibə`îrû): Imperative/Cohortative, "and let them burn," or "cause to burn."
  • הָעֲצָמוֹת (hā`atzāmôt): "The bones." These are the hardest parts, normally not consumed by fire in cooking, or remnants of bodies.
  • Significance: This is the climactic command, denoting the most extreme level of destruction. Bones symbolize strength, structure, and foundation. Their burning implies utter desolation, leaving no trace or remainder, not even the city's foundations or its most stubborn elements. This level of burning exceeds normal sacrificial or cooking practices, emphasizing punitive annihilation.

• Heap on the wood, kindle the fire: This grouping emphasizes an active and deliberate effort to make the fire of judgment as intense as possible, indicating the full and unrestrained nature of God's wrath. It’s not a mere slow burn but a fiercely stoked inferno.
• Boil well the meat, and drain off the broth: This pair describes the complete breakdown and reduction of the city's inhabitants. The meat is consumed thoroughly, and the very essence (broth) is evaporated or drained, leaving no life, no nourishment, no viable remainder.
• And let the bones be burned: This final, stark command elevates the destruction beyond typical consumption. It targets the very core, the last remnants, ensuring total eradication. It implies that even what is considered indestructible or foundational will be utterly consumed by God's judgment, mirroring the ultimate destruction of Jerusalem itself.

Ezekiel 24 10 Bonus section

The mention of "bones" in this context creates a strong theological parallel and contrast with other uses of the term in Scripture. While Ezekiel 37's "dry bones" speak of the miraculous resurrection and restoration of Israel, here, in Ezekiel 24, the command is for their total incineration. This contrast highlights the two extremes of God's dealings with His people: the ultimate, righteous judgment for unrepentant sin versus the boundless power of restoration for a future remnant. In Ezekiel 24, the burning of bones indicates that the judgment is not for refining (as gold in a furnace) but for absolute demolition and erasure. The act of "draining off the broth" after boiling and then burning the bones also exceeds normal cooking, emphasizing a judgment process designed to purge, deplete, and completely erase the corrupt state of the city.

Ezekiel 24 10 Commentary

Ezekiel 24:10 intensifies the divine judgment declared upon Jerusalem, vividly illustrating God's absolute wrath. The imagery of piling wood, stoking the fire, and consuming everything within the pot – even the bones – signifies an unparalleled, thorough, and inescapable destruction. It reveals God's determination to bring justice for the city's deep-seated idolatry and bloodshed. This isn't merely purification but a complete annihilation of what has become incorrigibly corrupt, ensuring that no trace, no strength, and no residue of their rebellion will remain. It's a testament to the consuming fire of God's holy character, which will ultimately deal with all sin. The total consumption reflects the absolute desolation that would befall Jerusalem, a warning to any who disregard His covenant and commandments.