1.

Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

the ninth year. Of Jehoiachin's captivity. See the table, p. 1105. Compare Ezekiel 1:2 .
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .

2.

Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.

Son of man. See note on Ezekiel 2:1 .
this same day. Compare 2Ki 26:1 .Jeremiah 39:1 ; Jeremiah 52:4 . The captives of Israel thus knew what was going on in Jerusalem.

3.

And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it:

the Lord GOD. Hebrew. Adonai Jehovah . See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .
pot : or, caldron, using the words of the scoffers in Ezekiel 11:3 , and compare Jeremiah 1:13 .

4.

Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.

5.

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.

burn = pile up.
bones. Ginsburg thinks we should read "wood". them. The 1611 edition of the Authorized Version reads "him".

6.

Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall up on it.

the bloody city . See note on Ezekiel 22:2 .
scum = verdigris. Occurs only in this chapter.
let no lot fall, &c. Signifying that the city was to be destroyed, not lotted out to or by the conquerors.

7.

For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust;

not. The 1611 edition of the Authorized Version omitted this "not". to cover it with duet. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 17:13 ).
10 spice it well , &c.: or, boil it down till only the bones are left.

8.

That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set her blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered.

9.

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

10.

Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.

11.

Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed.

brass = copper.
hot = scorched.

12.

She hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire.

shall be in the fire. Ginsburg thinks it should read "with a stench".

13.

In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.

14.

I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord GOD.

saith the Lord GOD = [is] Adonai Jehovah's oracle.

15.

Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

16.

Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.

the desire of thine eyes. Put by the Figure of speech Periphrasis ( App-6 ): for Ezekiel's wife. A symbol of Jerusalem, See Ezekiel 24:21 .
stroke : or plague.

17.

Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.

bind, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 10:6 ; Leviticus 13:45 ; Leviticus 21:10 ). cover not thy lips. Compare Micah 3:7 .
the bread of men : i.e. the bread or food brought to the house of mourners. Compare Jeremiah 16:5-7 . Hosea 9:4 ,
men. Hebrew, plural of 'enosh . App-14 .

18.

So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.

as = according as.

19.

And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?

20.

Then I answered them, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

21.

Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.

desire . . . pitieth . Note the Figure of speech Paronomaeia ( App-6 ), to call attention to the emphasis. Hebrew. mahmad. . . mahmal.
soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .
left = left behind.

22.

And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.

23.

And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another.

ye shall not. Some codices read "yet shall ye neither". mourn moan. iniquities. Hebrew. 'avah . App-44 ,

24.

Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

25.

Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters,

in the day See App-18 .
desire = delight.
minds = souls. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .

26.

That he that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine ears?

he that escapeth. This we find exactly fulfilled in eh. Ezekiel 33:21 , by the flight, on the fifth day of the tenth month, in the twelfth year.

27.

In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

no more dumb : i.e. as regards his nation and his testimony to it. In the interval his prophecies are concerning other nations (Ezekiel chapters 25-32).
they shall know , &c. See note on Ezekiel 6:10 .