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

Ezekiel 24:5 is part of the "Parable of the Boiling Pot," a vivid oracle describing the imminent and thorough destruction of Jerusalem. The verse specifically instructs to "Take the choice of the flock, and heap the bones under it; boil it well, making its bones stew in its midst." This imagery symbolizes God's severe judgment upon Jerusalem (the pot) and its inhabitants (the meat). The selection of "the choice of the flock" signifies the valuable and prominent citizens being consumed. "Heaping the bones under it" can represent either intensely stoking the fire with fuel (some translations suggest wood, not literal bones, at this point, reflecting the fierce heat of judgment) or even placing bones to be completely disintegrated, highlighting the complete dissolution of Jerusalem's strongest elements. The command to "boil it well, making its bones stew in its midst" emphasizes the irreversible, all-encompassing nature of the divine judgment, reducing everything—even the city's foundations and strength—to nothing.

Ezekiel 24 5 Context

Ezekiel 24 marks a pivotal point in the book. It records the exact day Nebuchadnezzar began his final siege against Jerusalem (January 15, 588 BC), information conveyed to Ezekiel, who was in exile in Babylon. Chapters 20-23 focused on the historical transgressions of Israel and Judah; Chapter 24 then declares the imminence and nature of the judgment for these sins. The verse is part of the "Parable of the Boiling Pot" (Eze 24:3-14), an analogy that graphically illustrates Jerusalem's destruction. The pot represents Jerusalem, its inhabitants are the choice pieces of meat and bones within, and the intense fire underneath symbolizes the Babylonian siege and God's wrath. This chapter not only portrays Jerusalem's fate but also connects it directly to Ezekiel's personal life through the death of his wife, a further sign that the people will suffer profoundly but will not lament in the usual way, as their grief will be too overwhelming to express. The command in verse 5 underlines the ferocity and thoroughness of the impending judgment.

Ezekiel 24 5 Word analysis

• Take (קַח֙ - qach): An imperative verb, directly instructing Ezekiel to perform the prophetic act. This emphasizes God's direct command and involvement in orchestrating this symbolic action, which is intrinsically tied to divine judgment.
• the choice (מִבְחַר - mivchar): Meaning "the best," "the select," or "the choicest." This refers to the most esteemed, prosperous, or capable members of the flock (representing Jerusalem's elite, leadership, or strong young people). Their selection for judgment signifies that even the 'best' of the city will not escape the impending destruction, a stark reversal of usual sacrificial practices where the 'choice' parts are for acceptable offering.
• of the flock (הַצֹּאִ֨ן - ha'tzo'n): Refers collectively to sheep or small cattle, a common biblical metaphor for God's people (Israel/Judah). Here, they are prepared not as cherished sheep but as meat for consumption, under divine wrath.
• and heap (חֲרֹ֔ק - charoq, usually associated with gnashing/scraping/grinding): In this context, it often refers to piling up or intensely stirring/scraping. The Septuagint and some translations suggest 'furnish' or 'put under'. This action denotes intensified effort or quantity, ensuring the thoroughness of the cooking process. Some commentators link it to 'fueling the fire'.
• the bones (הַֽעֲצָמִ֖ים - ha'atzamim): This can refer to literal bones or, by metonymy, to logs/wood for fuel in some interpretations (less common). If literal bones, it signifies even the hardest, foundational parts of the animal/city. Piling bones under it intensifies the heat or ensures total decomposition, leaving nothing recognizable. In the context of Jerusalem, these "bones" could represent its strongest elements, foundational structures, or its dead, all consumed.
• under it (אֶל־תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ - el-tachteyha): Directly beneath the pot, indicating the source of the heat for cooking. This location emphasizes the foundational aspect of the destruction and heat.
• boil it well (גַּם־רְתַ֖ח רְתָחֶ֑יהָ - gam-retach retacheyha): Literally, "and also boil its boilings." The repetition of the root `רָתַח` (râthach) meaning "to boil" emphasizes intensity, fierceness, and thoroughness. This signifies a prolonged and brutal siege leading to utter destruction, a judgment that is not light or swift but deep and consuming.
• making its bones stew (וּבַשֵּׁ֥ל עֲצָמֶ֖יהָ - u'va'shel atz'a'mey'ha): "And stew/cook its bones." This denotes the final stage of total breakdown, where even the hard bones become tender, dissolve, or release their essence into the mixture.
• in its midst (בְּתוֹכָֽהּ - be'tochah): Within the pot, signifying that the destruction is internal and self-consuming, within Jerusalem itself, leaving nothing distinct or strong.

Words-group analysis

• Take the choice of the flock: Highlights the specific, deliberate selection of Jerusalem's most significant elements (people, resources) for divine judgment, demonstrating that no aspect, however valued, will escape. It reverses the typical "choice offering" for sanctification into a "choice offering" for annihilation.
• heap the bones under it: This phrase carries double weight. If referring to logs, it depicts an immense, uncontrolled fire of judgment. If literal bones, it intensifies the image of complete breakdown, reducing everything, even the foundational or strong elements, to total disintegration within the city. It underscores the severity of God's unyielding judgment.
• boil it well, making its bones stew in its midst: This combined phrase portrays the exhaustive and inescapable nature of the impending doom. It implies not just a surface-level attack but a deep, permeating judgment that dissolves the very framework of the city, internalizing the destruction until nothing is left whole or firm, underscoring the severity and irreversibility of God's wrath.

Ezekiel 24 5 Bonus section

This verse, situated within the "Parable of the Boiling Pot," is an example of what biblical scholars call "performative speech" or "symbolic action" within prophetic literature. God doesn't just describe; He instructs Ezekiel to verbally embody the divine decree. The very act of relating this parable in such visceral terms contributes to its power. Furthermore, the use of culinary imagery, common in everyday life, grounds the horrific prophecy in a relatable context for the original audience, making the reality of the siege and its consequences exceptionally clear. The irony is also potent: what begins as an act of preparing a feast turns into a gruesome illustration of annihilation, twisting the domestic into an instrument of divine wrath. The specificity of "bones" here also echoes Ezekiel's later vision of the valley of dry bones (Eze 37), but with an inverse outcome: in chapter 24, bones are utterly disintegrated as a symbol of death and destruction, while in chapter 37, they are miraculously resurrected, offering a contrasting future hope for Israel's restoration.

Ezekiel 24 5 Commentary

Ezekiel 24:5 unveils God's unwavering and severe judgment on Jerusalem through the chilling metaphor of a boiling pot. The "choice of the flock" symbolizes Jerusalem's most precious and prominent inhabitants, slated for destruction, not preservation. The command to "heap the bones under it" and "boil it well, making its bones stew in its midst" speaks to an unparalleled intensity of judgment. This signifies that not only will the valuable elements be consumed, but even the hard, foundational structures or the very essence of what gives the city strength (the "bones") will be utterly broken down and dissolved from within. This is a prophetic picture of a total, irreversible, and painful destruction, where God's consuming fire would leave no part of the rebellious city untouched or undestroyed, resulting in a profound dissolution that even eliminates the hope of simple recovery or lament.