Under the parable of a boiling pot, 1-5, is shown the irrevocable destruction of Jerusalem, 6-14. By the sign of Ezekiel not mourning for the death of his wife, 15-18, is shown the calamity of the Jews to be beyond all sorrow, 19-27.
1 Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 "Son of man, write for yourself the name of the day, even of this very day. The king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this very day.
3 And utter a parable to the rebellious house, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD:
"Set on a pot, set it on,/
and also pour water into it.
4 Gather its pieces 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 also burn the bones under it./
Make it boil well,/
and let them boil its bones in it."
6 Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD:
"Woe to the bloody city,/
to the pot whose scum is therein,/
and whose scum has not gone out of it!/
Bring it out piece by piece./
Let no lot fall upon it.
7 For her blood is in the midst of her./
She set it upon the top of a rock./
She did not pour it upon the ground/
to cover it with dust,
8 So that it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance./
I have set her blood upon the top of a rock,/
so that it should not be covered."
9 Therefore, thus says 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,/
spice it well,/
and let the bones be burned.
11 Then set it empty upon its coals,/
so that its brass may be hot and may burn,/
and that its filthiness may be melted in it,/
so that its scum may be consumed.
12 She has wearied herself with lies,/
and her great scum did not go forth out of her./
Her scum shall be in the fire.
13 In your filthiness is lewdness./
Because I have purged you,/
and you were not purged,/
you shall not be purged from your filthiness anymore/
until I have caused my fury to rest upon you.
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 your ways and according to your doings,/
they shall judge you,"
says the Lord GOD.'"
15 Also the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 16 "Son of man, behold, I take away from you the desire of your eyes with a stroke. Yet you shall not mourn nor weep, neither shall your tears run down. 17 Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the turban of your head upon you, put your shoes upon your feet, do not cover your lips, and do not eat the bread of men." 18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And I did in the morning as I was commanded. 19 And the people said to me, "Will you not tell us what these things are to us that you are doing?" 20 Then I answered them, "The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 21 'Speak to the house of Israel, "Thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellence of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pities. And your sons and your daughters whom you have left shall fall by the sword. 22 And you shall do as I have done. You shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men. 23 And your turbans shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet. You shall not mourn nor weep, but you shall pine away for your iniquities and mourn toward one another. 24 Thus Ezekiel is a sign to you. According to all that he has done you shall do. And when this comes, you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.'"
25 'Also, 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 on which they set their minds, their sons and their daughters, 26 That he who escapes in that day shall come to you, to cause you to hear it with your ears? 27 In that day your mouth shall be opened to him who has escaped, and you shall speak and no longer be mute. And you shall be a sign to them. And they shall know that I am the LORD.'"
Matthew Henry Commentary - Ezekiel, Chapter 24[➚]
John Gill's Chapter Summary:
In this chapter the destruction of the city and temple of Jerusalem is prophesied of; the former under the parable of a boiling pot; the latter is represented by the sudden death of Ezekiel's wife. The time of this prophecy was that very day the king of Babylon began the siege of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 24:1-2); the parable of the boiling pot (Ezekiel 24:3-5); the explanation and application of it to the city of Jerusalem (Ezekiel 24:6-14); the prophet is told of the death of his wife and bid not to mourn on that account, which accordingly came to pass (Ezekiel 24:15-18); upon the people's inquiring what these things meant, he informs them that hereby was signified the profanation of the temple; and that their distress should be so great, that they should not use any set forms of mourning, but pine away and die (Ezekiel 24:19-24); and the chapter is closed with assuring the prophet that the day these things should come to pass, a messenger should be sent him, to whom he should open his mouth and be no more mute (Ezekiel 24:25-27).