Ezekiel 24 9

Ezekiel 24:9 kjv

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.

Ezekiel 24:9 nkjv

'Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Woe to the bloody city! I too will make the pyre great.

Ezekiel 24:9 niv

"?'Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "?'Woe to the city of bloodshed! I, too, will pile the wood high.

Ezekiel 24:9 esv

Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the bloody city! I also will make the pile great.

Ezekiel 24:9 nlt

"This is what the Sovereign LORD says:
What sorrow awaits Jerusalem,
the city of murderers!
I myself will pile up the fuel beneath her.

Ezekiel 24 verses

Ezekiel 24 9 Meaning

This verse describes God's judgment upon Jerusalem through the symbolic act of boiling a pot that is left uncovered. The impurity of the city's sin, especially its violent and corrupt nature, makes it unsuitable for consumption or use, even by God, except for the purpose of judgment and eventual purging. The bubbling is an outward manifestation of the intense and inescapable divine wrath against the city and its people.

Ezekiel 24 9 Context

Ezekiel chapter 24 vividly illustrates God's severe judgment against Jerusalem and its people due to their pervasive sin and unfaithfulness. The chapter begins with the dire prophecy of the imminent destruction of Jerusalem, using the analogy of a kettle boiling over. The wife of Ezekiel, his companion, dies suddenly without any prior warning, a personal and tragic event that God uses as a sign. Ezekiel is forbidden from mourning her, mirroring God's prohibition of public mourning for Jerusalem once its destruction arrives. This establishes the pervasive and uncontainable nature of God's judgment against the city's iniquities, represented by the impurities that boil to the surface of the pot. The chapter speaks to a people already in exile in Babylon, looking forward to their city’s fate and any potential restoration. The context is one of divine wrath provoked by sustained rebellion and idolatry, leading to the finality of judgment for this generation.

Ezekiel 24 9 Word Analysis

• Therefore (Hebrew: laken - לָכֵן): This is a conjunctive particle indicating a logical consequence or result. It connects the previous declaration of judgment with the specific symbol that follows.
• have said (Hebrew: amar - אָמַר): To speak, say, tell. God is the speaker, stating His pronouncement of judgment.
• thus says (Hebrew: koh amar - כֹּה אָמַר): A formal declaration asserting that the words that follow are a direct utterance from the LORD.
• the LORD GOD (Hebrew: Adonai YHWH - אֲדֹנָי יְהוָה): The supreme titles for God, signifying Lordship and His covenant name. This emphasizes His authority and His established relationship with Israel.
• Put (Hebrew: yasum - יָשׂוּם): From the root sum (שׂוּם), meaning to place, put, set, appoint. Here, it implies setting the pot upon the coals, an active step in the judgment process.
• on the coals (Hebrew: al ha’esh - עַל־הָאֵשׁ): Literally "upon the fire." The fire represents the intense heat and force of God's wrath that will consume and purify the contents of the pot (Jerusalem).
• it on (Hebrew: oti - אוֹתָהּ): Refers to the kettle or pot. The direct object is placed onto the fire.
• because (Hebrew: mippeney - מִפְּנֵי): Indicates the reason or cause for the action.
• its iniquity (Hebrew: na’alas’ah - נַעֲלָתָהּ): From the root ala (עָלָה), meaning to go up, ascend. Here, it refers to the boiling up or surfacing of its wickedness. The word implies an overflow or bubbling forth of something contained, like impurities rising in a boiling liquid.
• to its destination (Hebrew: sodhoth’ah - סוֹדוֹתֶיהָ): Literally "its secrets" or "its privacies." This is a complex word. In this context, it refers to the deep-seated corruption and hidden evils within the city that are now exposed and brought to the surface by the fire of judgment. It implies the complete unveiling and purging of its innermost impurities.
• and let (Hebrew: vechi - וּלְכִי): A command. This part of the verse appears to be a variation or rephrasing within the translation; however, the Hebrew can also be interpreted in relation to the consequence of the impurities boiling up. The essence remains the exposure of that which was hidden.
• not (Hebrew: al - אַל): A negative particle for commands.
• its dregs (Hebrew: tsphoyeh - צְפִיּוֹתֶיהָ): The dregs or sediment at the bottom of the pot, representing the most entrenched filth and accumulated sin.
• boil up (Hebrew: tibboleth - תִּבָּחֵל): From the root balal (בָּלַל) meaning to mix or stir up. It carries the sense of churned up, boiled up, or thoroughly mixed and stirred.
• Let (Hebrew: tinniroch - תִּנּוֹק): This seems to be a mistranslation or variation in Hebrew. The original Hebrew text, as commonly rendered, is often translated as referring to the boiling or even the heating. The emphasis is on the active process of boiling within the pot. However, some scholarly discussions of this word might lean towards the idea of being heated thoroughly or coming to a boil intensely. The intended meaning relates to the severity of the judgment and the internal turmoil.
• that (Hebrew: maan - מַעַן): Indicating purpose.
• its impurities (Hebrew: kelayoth’ah - כְּלָיוֹתֶיהָ): Literally "its kidneys." This metaphorically represents the deepest, innermost parts of the city's life, its hidden corruption and moral sickness. The kidneys were seen as seats of emotion and life, but also associated with internal organs where disease could reside.
• may be melted (Hebrew: tibal qathah - תִּבַּלּוּ): From the root balal (בָּלַל), similar to 'tibboleth' but emphasizing dissolution and being consumed.
• its rust (Hebrew: zimmah - זִמָּה): The rust or scum from the pot. This symbolizes the deeply ingrained filth and impurities that need to be removed by the intense heat. It also refers to corrupt intentions or depravity.
• may be consumed (Hebrew: tittozzach - תִּתּוֹחַ): From the root tuwach (טוּחַ), meaning to cover, anoint, or conceal. In its reflexive or passive form, it implies being purged or utterly consumed, the opposite of being covered or concealed. The rendering here relates to being stripped bare and removed by the consuming heat.

Ezekiel 24 9 Bonus Section

The imagery of a "boiling pot" as a metaphor for judgment is not unique to Ezekiel. Similar concepts appear in ancient Near Eastern literature and within other prophetic books, highlighting a common cultural understanding of purification or destruction by heat. The mention of the "dregs" and "rust" emphasizes that even the most hidden or settled corruption will be brought to light and purged. The prohibition against Ezekiel mourning signifies the overwhelming and inescapable nature of the impending destruction; there will be no space for lament when the disaster strikes, as judgment itself will render outward displays of sorrow inappropriate in their sheer magnitude and finality for the unrepentant.

Ezekiel 24 9 Commentary

The prophecy of Ezekiel 24:9 uses the powerful imagery of a heavily polluted cooking pot set over an intense fire to represent God's judgment upon Jerusalem. The "iniquity" and "secret filth" that boil up are the sins of the city – its violence, oppression, and spiritual adultery – now exposed and judged by divine wrath. The impurities, referred to by "rust" and "dregs," signify the deeply entrenched corruption within its walls and among its people. The pot is "melted" and "consumed" by the fire, meaning Jerusalem will be utterly destroyed, with its contaminants thoroughly removed through the heat of divine judgment. The command not to let its dregs boil up indicates that God's judgment will be complete and irreversible for this generation. This thorough cleansing by fire speaks of total devastation as the consequence of persistent sin, mirroring purification through trial and the complete removal of impurities to prepare for eventual rebuilding on a righteous foundation, though not for this generation of sinful inhabitants.