Ezekiel 24 5

Ezekiel 24:5 kjv

Take the choice of the flock, and burn also the bones under it, and make it boil well, and let them seethe the bones of it therein.

Ezekiel 24:5 nkjv

Take the choice of the flock. Also pile fuel bones under it, Make it boil well, And let the cuts simmer in it."

Ezekiel 24:5 niv

take the pick of the flock. Pile wood beneath it for the bones; bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it.

Ezekiel 24:5 esv

Take the choicest one of the flock; pile the logs under it; boil it well; seethe also its bones in it.

Ezekiel 24:5 nlt

Use only the best sheep from the flock,
and heap fuel on the fire beneath the pot.
Bring the pot to a boil,
and cook the bones along with the meat.

Ezekiel 24 verses

Ezekiel 24 5 Meaning

This verse describes God’s decree to refine the iniquity of Jerusalem and purge its sin through a process like cooking and burning, implying intense judgment and purification.

Ezekiel 24 5 Context

Ezekiel 24 presents a powerful allegory of God’s judgment against Jerusalem. The city is likened to a cauldron filled with the remnants of Israel, and the inhabitants are the pieces within, about to be boiled and consumed. This specific verse emphasizes the intentionality of God’s action as a process to refine away Jerusalem's sin and rebellion. Historically, this chapter reflects the severe destruction and exile of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, a judgment the people desperately needed but failed to embrace through repentance. The poetic language vividly portrays the complete devastation awaiting the city.

Ezekiel 24 5 Word Analysis

• עוּרִי (uru) - "Boil." From the root "ur," meaning to boil, seethe, or be enraged. This word evokes the violent, churning action of boiling, conveying intense agitation and destruction.

• סִיר (sir) - "Pot." Specifically, a cooking pot or cauldron. It symbolizes Jerusalem, a container holding the "pieces" of the city's inhabitants.

• אֲבַתָּר (avathar) - "And set on." This links the pot to the fire, indicating that the boiling will begin and continue.

• וּבָשֶׂל (uvaseyl) - "And boil." Reinforces the action of boiling, highlighting the complete cooking process.

• בָשָׂר (vasar) - "Flesh." The "pieces" of meat within the pot. This refers to the people of Jerusalem, stripped and dismembered, signifying their suffering and consumption by judgment.

• וּשְׁמָן (uvashman) - "And fats." Represents the rich or chosen parts of the nation, those who should have been righteous but were also subject to judgment due to sin.

• מִזְלָג (mizlag) - "Skewer" or "ladle." Used to stir the contents of the pot, indicating thoroughness in the judgmental process.

• וְעָצַמֹת (ve'atsamot) - "And bones." The remaining, more solid parts of the flesh. Even these are brought to boil, indicating no part of the city or its people will escape the intense judgment.

• תִּשָּׁלְקֶינָה (tishall'keina) - "shall be boiled." Passive future tense, emphasizing that this action will be done to the bones, underscoring their vulnerability and complete exposure to the heat of judgment.

• תְּצַלֶּה (tatsalleyh) - "Shall burn." A more intense word for cooking or scorching. It signifies a deepening of the judgment, moving from boiling to a consuming fire.

• יַסַּ֤ק (yassaq) - "Gather." To collect or accumulate. This suggests that the materials for the fire and for further burning will be gathered, making the judgment complete.

• כַּשְּׁמֶנֶיהָ (kachasmeneyha) - "its very muscles" or "its best pieces." The internal, essential parts are not spared, referring back to the "fats" and signifying a thorough purging.

• בַּחֶל (bachol) - "in the midst." Located within the heart or center of the pot, indicating the judgment will permeate the deepest parts.

• עָלָה (alah) - "shall go up" or "shall ascend." Refers to the rising smoke and steam, signifying the destruction and vaporizing of the city and its people, ascending to God's notice.

• Words/Groups Analysis:

  • The imagery of the pot ("sir") boiling with flesh ("vasar"), fats ("vasar"), and bones ("atsamot") emphasizes the comprehensive destruction and the thoroughness of God's judgment upon Jerusalem and its people, leaving nothing untouched.
  • The successive actions of boiling ("ur," "baseyl"), skewering ("mizlag"), burning ("tatsalleyh"), and gathering ("yassaq") portray an escalating and complete process of judgment and purification.
  • The phrase "until its very muscles shall be scorched" ("kachasmeneyha bachol tatsalleyh") underscores that even the innermost parts, the core strength or the most substantial elements of the city and its people, are subject to intense, consuming judgment.
  • The final "shall go up into the midst of it" ("avalah bachol") indicates the complete vaporization and ascent of the purified (or destroyed) essence of the city into God’s full awareness and verdict.

Ezekiel 24 5 Bonus Section

The metaphorical "flesh" and "bones" can also be seen as representing different segments of the population—the weak and vulnerable versus the strong and established leaders or the deep-rooted iniquities of the nation. The action of skewering ("mizlag") with the intention to boil the bones suggests that the very foundations of their perceived strength and resistance would be broken down. The escalation from boiling to burning signifies that the cleansing process would be more severe than anticipated, consuming the sin to its absolute core, much like precious metals are refined through extreme heat to remove all dross. This intensely visual prophecy serves as a crucial warning and a testament to the severity of sin and the unyielding justice of God.

Ezekiel 24 5 Commentary

Ezekiel 24:5 is a stark declaration of divine judgment. God is not merely allowing destruction; He is actively directing it to cleanse the sin of Jerusalem. The elaborate imagery of cooking highlights how thoroughly the city and its inhabitants will be judged. Every part, from the "flesh" to the "bones," is subjected to intense heat and process. This process is intended to purge, to burn away the impurities of rebellion and idolatry that have become ingrained within the nation. The reference to "scorching" and the gathering of materials for burning points to the consuming nature of this divine wrath against unrepentance. This judgment, though severe, serves God's ultimate purpose of purification.