Ezekiel 24:6-21

6“ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for that city of murderers, for that tarnished pot. Its tarnish will not come off. Empty the meat out of it piece by piece without choosing any particular piece.

7Blood is still in that city. The blood was poured on a bare rock. It wasn’t poured on the ground where dust would cover it.

8In order to stir up my fury so that I would pay that city back, I put the blood of its victims on a bare rock. Now that blood can’t be covered.

9“ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: How horrible it will be for that city of murderers. I, too, will pile the wood high.

10Pile it high, and light the fire. Cook the meat thoroughly, stir the mixture, and let the bones burn.

11Then set the empty pot on the coals so that it gets hot and its copper glows. Its impurities will melt away, and its tarnish will burn off.

12“ ‘I have worn myself out trying to clean this pot. Even the fire can’t take away its thick tarnish.

13I tried to clean you of your filthy lust, but you wouldn’t clean yourself from your filth. You will never be clean until I unleash my fury on you.

14I, the Lord, have spoken. It will happen, and I will do it. I will not ignore you, pity you, or change my plans. I will punish you because of the way you lived and because of everything you have done,’ ” declares the Almighty Lord.

15Then the Lord spoke his word to me. He said,

16“Son of man, with one blow I’m going to take away from you the person you love the most. But you must not mourn, cry, or let tears run down your face.

17Groan silently. Don’t grieve for the person who dies. Tie on your turban, and put on your sandals. Don’t cover your face or eat the food that mourners eat.”

18So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I was ordered.

19The people asked me, “Tell us, what do these things that you are doing mean to us?”

20I told them, “The Lord spoke his word to me. He said,

21‘Tell the nation of Israel, “This is what the Almighty Lord says: I’m going to dishonor my holy place. You brag that my holy place gives you strength. It’s the thing you love the most. It’s your hearts’ desire. So the sons and daughters that you left behind will die in battle.