Ezekiel 24 3

Ezekiel 24:3 kjv

And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it:

Ezekiel 24:3 nkjv

And utter a parable to the rebellious house, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Put on a pot, set it on, And also pour water into it.

Ezekiel 24:3 niv

Tell this rebellious people a parable and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "?'Put on the cooking pot; put it on and pour water into it.

Ezekiel 24:3 esv

And utter a parable to the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: "Set on the pot, set it on; pour in water also;

Ezekiel 24:3 nlt

Then give these rebels an illustration with this message from the Sovereign LORD: "Put a pot on the fire,
and pour in some water.

Ezekiel 24 verses

Ezekiel 24 3 Meaning

Ezekiel 24:3 initiates the vivid parable of the boiling pot, a stark prophecy of God's imminent judgment upon Jerusalem. Through this allegorical instruction to the prophet, the Lord declares that Jerusalem, likened to a cooking pot, is about to be placed under intense divine scrutiny and destruction. The command to prepare the pot by filling it with water signifies the setup for the siege, where the city's inhabitants will suffer and ultimately be consumed by the judgment represented by the scorching fire. It underlines the certain, dire fate awaiting the "rebellious house" due to their persistent unfaithfulness.

Ezekiel 24 3 Context

Ezekiel 24 marks a pivotal and somber moment in Ezekiel's prophetic ministry. The chapter opens with a precise date, "the tenth day of the tenth month," which historical records confirm was the exact day the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem began (2 Kgs 25:1, Jer 52:4). This particular parable is delivered to the exiles in Babylon, confirming to them through divine revelation what was simultaneously occurring thousands of miles away. It serves as irrefutable proof of God's prophetic accuracy and control over history. The verse itself commands Ezekiel to initiate a highly symbolic act – preparing a cooking pot – which sets the stage for God's detailed explanation of Jerusalem's impending destruction. The message confronts the stubborn hope of those still in Jerusalem, who believed their city was impenetrable, and the misguided optimism of some exiles clinging to a swift return. The city, previously considered a protective 'caldron' (Ezek 11:3), now becomes a pot of impending doom, cooking its inhabitants to their destruction.

Ezekiel 24 3 Word analysis

• And utter a parable: (וְדַבֵּר מָשָׁל, v'dabber mashal).
  • "utter": a command for direct speech, indicating divine instruction.
  • "parable": mashal (מָשָׁל) means proverb, allegory, or similitude. Here it signifies an extended metaphorical narrative demanding interpretation, a common prophetic tool. It's meant to convey complex truths or warnings vividly, sometimes obscuring meaning for those hardened.
• unto the rebellious house: (אֶל־בֵּית הַמֶּרִי, el beit ha-meri).
  • "rebellious house": A recurring designation by Ezekiel for the house of Israel/Judah (e.g., Ezek 2:5, 3:9), highlighting their persistent and deep-seated disobedience, obstinacy, and unresponsiveness to God's commands and warnings. It signifies spiritual apostasy.
• and say unto them: (וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם, v'amarta aleihem).
  • Direct instruction, emphasizing that Ezekiel is God's messenger delivering a specific divine message.
• Thus saith the Lord GOD: (כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה, koh amar Adonai YHWH).
  • The quintessential prophetic formula, signifying undeniable divine authority and truth. It authenticates the message as coming directly from God Himself, not human conjecture. "Adonai" (Lord) points to His sovereign lordship, and "YHWH" (God, the unutterable Name) signifies His covenant-keeping and self-existent nature.
• Set on a pot, set it on: (שְׁפוֹת הַסִּיר שְׁפוֹת, shfot ha-sir shfot).
  • "Set on a pot": Sir (סִּיר) refers to a large cooking pot, often used for boiling meat. This pot symbolizes Jerusalem itself.
  • "set it on, set it on": The repetition of shfot (from שָׁפַת, 'to place, to set on fire') adds urgency, emphasis, and certainty. It denotes the definite and immediate action of placing the pot (Jerusalem) over the fire (divine judgment/siege).
• and also pour water into it: (וְגַם־יָצֹק בּוֹ מַיִם, v'gam yatsaq bo mayim).
  • "pour water into it": An essential step for boiling. The water symbolizes the intensifying circumstances of the siege, the gathering of judgment, or even the cleansing process through suffering. This preparation highlights the imminent and inescapable nature of the coming event.

• utter a parable unto the rebellious house: This phrase highlights God's strategic communication method. Confronting an unyielding people ("rebellious house") requires more than simple instruction; it needs a compelling, memorable allegory ("parable") to penetrate their hardened hearts and reveal their true state and impending doom. It implies both judgment and a final, clear warning.
• Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it: This declaration marks the transition from prophetic pronouncement to divine command and allegorical action. The double emphasis "set on a pot, set it on" ensures no misunderstanding about the inevitability and immediacy of the judgment, showing God's direct orchestration. Pouring water completes the preparation for the symbolic 'cooking' of Jerusalem's inhabitants.

Ezekiel 24 3 Bonus section

This prophecy holds particular significance not only for its vivid imagery but also for its precise timing. It was revealed to Ezekiel in Babylon on the very day the siege of Jerusalem commenced. This exact correspondence demonstrated God's omniscient control over history and further solidified Ezekiel's authenticity as a prophet, allowing him to confirm critical news to the exiles before it physically reached them. The "pot" imagery had a complex and evolving meaning for the people: earlier in Ezekiel (Ezek 11), the people in Jerusalem foolishly claimed the city's walls would protect them like a "pot," safeguarding its contents (the people, the "meat"). However, God reinterprets and subverts this comforting image in chapter 24. Here, the "pot" becomes a place of entrapment and consumption, where the "meat" (the inhabitants) will be thoroughly "cooked" and consumed by the fire of divine judgment, transforming a symbol of security into one of terrifying destruction and doom.

Ezekiel 24 3 Commentary

Ezekiel 24:3 serves as the dramatic prologue to one of the Bible's most chilling parables, symbolizing God's devastating judgment on Jerusalem. The instruction to Ezekiel to "utter a parable" signals a message of profound significance and metaphorical depth directed at the "rebellious house" of Israel, emphasizing their chronic resistance to God's will. The formula "Thus saith the Lord GOD" authenticates the divine origin and unalterable nature of the prophecy, assuring the audience this is God's decree, not merely a human interpretation of events. The specific command to "Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it" graphically initiates the allegory of Jerusalem as a cooking vessel, preparing for the intense heat of siege and destruction. The repetition underscores the certainty and imminence of the coming calamity. This mundane act of preparing a pot foreshadows the horrific reality where the city's inhabitants would be consumed by God's fiery wrath, brought through the Babylonian invasion, highlighting divine sovereignty over historical events and the tragic consequences of sustained unfaithfulness.