Ezekiel 24:3-12

3Tell a story to these people who refuse to obey me. Say to them, “This is what the Almighty Lord says: Put the pot on the fire. Put it there now. Pour some water into the pot.

4Put the pieces of meat into it. Put in all the good pieces of meat. Put in the leg and the shoulder. Fill it with all the best bones.

5Use meat and bones from the best sheep. Put more wood on the fire under the pot. Cause the water in the pot to boil well. Cook the bones and the meat.

6This is what the Almighty Lord says: Terrible trouble will come to the city that is full of murderers! It is like a pot that has become dirty. Nobody has tried to clean it. Take out each piece of meat, one by one. No piece is special.

7You can see the blood of people that men killed in the city. It lies on the rocks where everyone can see it. Those murderers did not leave the blood on the ground, where dirt would hide it.

8I have put the blood on the rocks where everyone can see it. Nothing will be able to hide it. When I see it, I am very angry. I will punish the people of that city as they deserve.

9So this is what the Almighty Lord says: Terrible trouble will come to the city that is full of murderers! I will put more wood on the fire to destroy it.

10Yes, make a big heap of wood. Make the fire burn hot! Cook the meat well! Mix in some spices! Let the bones burn.

11Then put the empty pot on the coals of the fire. Make the pot very hot, so that its metal is bright red. Burn all the dirt to remove it. Make the pot clean again!

12Yes, I have tried to make it clean. But the disgusting dirt is still there. So throw the pot and all its dirt on the fire!