Ezekiel 24:5
Ezekiel 24:5 in Multiple Translations
Take the choicest of the flock and pile the fuel beneath it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it.’
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.
Take the choice of the flock, and also a pile of wood for the bones under the caldron; make it boil well; yea, let the bones thereof be boiled in the midst of it.
Take the best of the flock, put much wood under it: see that its bits are boiling well; let the bones be cooked inside it.
Choose the best animal from the flock. Pile up the fuel underneath it. Get it boiling and cook the bones in it.
Take one of the best sheepe, and burne also the bones vnder it, and make it boyle well, and seethe the bones of it therein,
The choice of the flock to take, And also to pile of the bones under it, Boil it thoroughly, yea, cook its bones in its midst.
Take the choice of the flock, and also a pile of wood for the bones under the cauldron. Make it boil well. Yes, let its bones be boiled within it.”
Take the choice of the flock, and burn also the bones under it, and make it boil well, and let them boil its bones in it.
Take the fattest of the flock, and lay together piles of bones under it: the seething thereof is boiling hot, and the bones thereof are thoroughly sodden in the midst of it.
Pile wood on the fire, and cook the bones and the meat in the boiling water.’
Berean Amplified Bible — Ezekiel 24:5
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Ezekiel 24:5 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
מִבְחַ֤ר
הַ/צֹּאן֙
לָק֔וֹחַ
וְ/גַ֛ם
דּ֥וּר
הָ/עֲצָמִ֖ים
תַּחְתֶּ֑י/הָ
רַתַּ֣ח
רְתָחֶ֔י/הָ
גַּם
בָּשְׁל֥וּ
עֲצָמֶ֖י/הָ
בְּ/תוֹכָֽ/הּ
מִבְחַ֤ר
mibchâr
H4005
best
N-ms
הַ/צֹּאן֙
tsôʼn
H6629
Sheep (Gate)
Art | N-cs
לָק֔וֹחַ
lâqach
H3947
to take
V-Qal-Ptc
וְ/גַ֛ם
gam
H1571
also
Conj | DirObjM
דּ֥וּר
dûwr
H1754
circle
V-Qal-Impv-2ms
הָ/עֲצָמִ֖ים
ʻetsem
H6106
bone
Art | N-fp
תַּחְתֶּ֑י/הָ
tachath
H8478
underneath
Prep | Suff
רַתַּ֣ח
râthach
H7570
to boil
V-Piel-Impv-2ms
רְתָחֶ֔י/הָ
rethach
H7571
boiling
N-mp | Suff
גַּם
gam
H1571
also
DirObjM
בָּשְׁל֥וּ
bâshal
H1310
to boil
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
עֲצָמֶ֖י/הָ
ʻetsem
H6106
bone
N-fp | Suff
בְּ/תוֹכָֽ/הּ
tâvek
H8432
midst
Prep | N-ms | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Ezekiel 24:5
מִבְחַ֤ר
mibchâr
H4005
"best"
N-ms
This word means best or choicest, describing something of the highest quality. It is used to describe God's chosen people in the Bible.
Definition: choicest, best Also means: miv.chor (מִבְחוֹר "choice" H4004)
Usage: Occurs in 13 OT verses. KJV: choice(-st), chosen. See also: Genesis 23:6; Jeremiah 22:7; Isaiah 22:7.
הַ/צֹּאן֙
tsôʼn
H6629
"Sheep (Gate)"
Art | N-cs
This word refers to a flock of sheep or goats, and is sometimes used to describe people in a figurative sense. It is also associated with the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem, a significant location in biblical times.
Definition: This name means sheep and goats Also named: probatikos (προβατικός "Sheep Gate" G4262)
Usage: Occurs in 247 OT verses. KJV: (small) cattle, flock ([phrase] -s), lamb ([phrase] -s), sheep(-cote, -fold, -shearer, -herds). See also: Genesis 4:2; Deuteronomy 28:31; Psalms 44:12.
לָק֔וֹחַ
lâqach
H3947
"to take"
V-Qal-Ptc
This Hebrew word means to take or get something, and it is used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to take a wife, to take possession of something, or to receive a gift. For example, in Genesis 2:22, God takes a rib from Adam to create Eve.
Definition: : take 1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to take, take in the hand 1a2) to take and carry along 1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away 1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept 1a5) to take up or upon, put upon 1a6) to fetch 1a7) to take, lead, conduct 1a8) to take, capture, seize 1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be captured 1b2) to be taken away, be removed 1b3) to be taken, brought unto 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be taken from or out of 1c2) to be stolen from 1c3) to be taken captive 1c4) to be taken away, be removed 1d) (Hophal) 1d1) to be taken unto, be brought unto 1d2) to be taken out of 1d3) to be taken away 1e) (Hithpael) 1e1) to take hold of oneself 1e2) to flash about (of lightning)
Usage: Occurs in 909 OT verses. KJV: accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win. See also: Genesis 2:15; Genesis 34:17; Exodus 30:23.
וְ/גַ֛ם
gam
H1571
"also"
Conj | DirObjM
Also means 'even' or 'too', used for emphasis or to connect ideas, like 'both...and' or 'neither...nor'. It can introduce a climax or show contrast.
Definition: 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike
Usage: Occurs in 661 OT verses. KJV: again, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea. See also: Genesis 3:6; Exodus 19:9; 1 Samuel 14:21.
דּ֥וּר
dûwr
H1754
"circle"
V-Qal-Impv-2ms
This word refers to a round object, like a ball or a pile of things. It is used in the Bible to describe circular things. In the book of Isaiah, it describes a ball or a circle.
Definition: 1) circle, ball 1a) circle 1b) ball
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: ball, turn, round about. See also: Isaiah 22:18; Isaiah 29:3; Ezekiel 24:5.
הָ/עֲצָמִ֖ים
ʻetsem
H6106
"bone"
Art | N-fp
In the original Hebrew, this word refers to a bone or the body, and can also mean the substance or essence of something. It is used in many parts of the Bible, including in the book of Genesis and Psalms, to describe the physical body.
Definition: : bone/limb 1) bone, essence, substance 1a) bone 1a1) body, limbs, members, external body 1b) bone (of animal) 1c) substance, self
Usage: Occurs in 108 OT verses. KJV: body, bone, [idiom] life, (self-) same, strength, [idiom] very. See also: Genesis 2:23; Job 33:19; Psalms 6:3.
תַּחְתֶּ֑י/הָ
tachath
H8478
"underneath"
Prep | Suff
This Hebrew word means underneath or below, often used to describe physical locations or positions. It appears in various books, including Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to indicate something is under or beneath something else. The word has several related meanings.
Definition: : under/below 1) the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas n m 1a) the under part adv accus 1b) beneath prep 1c) under, beneath 1c1) at the foot of (idiom) 1c2) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig) 1c3) of subjection or conquest 1d) what is under one, the place in which one stands 1d1) in one's place, the place in which one stands (idiom with reflexive pronoun) 1d2) in place of, instead of (in transferred sense) 1d3) in place of, in exchange or return for (of things mutually interchanged) conj 1e) instead of, instead of that 1f) in return for that, because that in compounds 1g) in, under, into the place of (after verbs of motion) 1h) from under, from beneath, from under the hand of, from his place, under, beneath
Usage: Occurs in 450 OT verses. KJV: as, beneath, [idiom] flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, [idiom] unto, [idiom] when...was mine, whereas, (where-) fore, with. See also: Genesis 1:7; Deuteronomy 7:24; 1 Kings 20:42.
רַתַּ֣ח
râthach
H7570
"to boil"
V-Piel-Impv-2ms
To boil or cause something to boil. In the book of Exodus, it describes the boiling of water. The prophet Jeremiah also uses it to describe the boiling over of God's wrath.
Definition: 1) to boil 1a) (Piel) to cause to boil 1b) (Pual) to be made to boil 1c) (Hiphil) to cause to boil
Usage: Occurs in 3 OT verses. KJV: boil. See also: Job 30:27; Job 41:23; Ezekiel 24:5.
רְתָחֶ֔י/הָ
rethach
H7571
"boiling"
N-mp | Suff
This Hebrew word means boiling, like water boiling in a pot, and is used to describe a well that is bubbling up with water. It appears in the book of Genesis. This word is used to describe a natural spring.
Definition: boiling
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] (boil) well. See also: Ezekiel 24:5.
גַּם
gam
H1571
"also"
DirObjM
Also means 'even' or 'too', used for emphasis or to connect ideas, like 'both...and' or 'neither...nor'. It can introduce a climax or show contrast.
Definition: 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike
Usage: Occurs in 661 OT verses. KJV: again, alike, also, (so much) as (soon), both (so)...and, but, either...or, even, for all, (in) likewise (manner), moreover, nay...neither, one, then(-refore), though, what, with, yea. See also: Genesis 3:6; Exodus 19:9; 1 Samuel 14:21.
בָּשְׁל֥וּ
bâshal
H1310
"to boil"
V-Qal-Perf-3cp
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to boil or cook something, like food in a pot. It can also mean to ripen, like fruit growing ripe on a tree.
Definition: 1) to boil, cook, bake, roast, ripen, grow ripe 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to boil, cook 1a2) to grow ripe, ripen 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to boil 1b2) to cook 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be boiled 1c2) to be sodden 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to ripen 1d2) ripen, brought to ripeness
Usage: Occurs in 24 OT verses. KJV: bake, boil, bring forth, roast, seethe, sod (be sodden). See also: Genesis 40:10; 1 Samuel 2:15; Zechariah 14:21.
עֲצָמֶ֖י/הָ
ʻetsem
H6106
"bone"
N-fp | Suff
In the original Hebrew, this word refers to a bone or the body, and can also mean the substance or essence of something. It is used in many parts of the Bible, including in the book of Genesis and Psalms, to describe the physical body.
Definition: : bone/limb 1) bone, essence, substance 1a) bone 1a1) body, limbs, members, external body 1b) bone (of animal) 1c) substance, self
Usage: Occurs in 108 OT verses. KJV: body, bone, [idiom] life, (self-) same, strength, [idiom] very. See also: Genesis 2:23; Job 33:19; Psalms 6:3.
בְּ/תוֹכָֽ/הּ
tâvek
H8432
"midst"
Prep | N-ms | Suff
This word refers to the middle or center of something, such as a group of people or a physical space. It can also mean among or between things, as seen in various Bible translations.
Definition: 1) midst, middle 1a) midst, middle 1b) into, through (after verbs of motion) 1c) among (of a number of persons) 1d) between (of things arranged by twos) 1e) from among (as to take or separate etc)
Usage: Occurs in 390 OT verses. KJV: among(-st), [idiom] between, half, [idiom] (there-, where-), in(-to), middle, mid(-night), midst (among), [idiom] out (of), [idiom] through, [idiom] with(-in). See also: Genesis 1:6; Numbers 35:5; 2 Chronicles 32:4.
Study Notes — Ezekiel 24:5
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Ezekiel 24:5 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 24:5
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 24:5
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 24:5
- Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 24:5
- Ellicott's Commentary on Ezekiel 24:5
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ezekiel 24:5
- Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 24:5
- Barnes' Notes on Ezekiel 24:5
- Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 24:5
- Sermons on Ezekiel 24:5
Context — The Parable of the Cooking Pot
3Now speak a parable to this rebellious house and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Put the pot on the fire; put it on and pour in the water.
4Put in the pieces of meat, every good piece— thigh and shoulder— fill it with choice bones.
5Take the choicest of the flock and pile the fuel beneath it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it.’
6Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed, to the pot now rusted, whose rust will not come off! Empty it piece by piece; cast no lots for its contents. 7For the blood she shed is still within her; she poured it out on the bare rock; she did not pour it on the ground to cover it with dust.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremiah 52:24–27 | The captain of the guard also took away Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest of second rank, and the three doorkeepers. Of those still in the city, he took a court official who had been appointed over the men of war, as well as seven trusted royal advisers. He also took the scribe of the captain of the army, who had enlisted the people of the land, and sixty men who were found in the city. Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. There at Riblah in the land of Hamath, the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death. So Judah was taken into exile, away from its own land. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 52:10 | There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also killed all the officials of Judah. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 39:6 | There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and he also killed all the nobles of Judah. |
| 4 | Ezekiel 24:9–10 | Yes, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed! I, too, will pile the kindling high. Pile on the logs and kindle the fire; cook the meat well and mix in the spices; let the bones be burned. |
| 5 | Ezekiel 20:47 | Say to the forest of the Negev: Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to ignite in you a fire, and it will devour all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and by it every face from south to north will be scorched. |
| 6 | Ezekiel 34:20 | Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says to them: ‘Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. |
| 7 | Revelation 19:20 | But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. |
| 8 | Ezekiel 34:16–17 | I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.’ This is what the Lord GOD says to you, My flock: ‘I will judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the goats. |
Ezekiel 24:5 Summary
Ezekiel 24:5 is a verse where God is telling Ezekiel to take the best animals and cook them in a pot, which is a symbol for the city of Jerusalem and the judgment that God will bring upon it. This verse is saying that God will bring judgment upon those who have rebelled against Him, just like the pot is brought to a boil, as seen in Ezekiel 22:31. We can learn from this verse that God is a holy and just God, who will not tolerate sin, as seen in Deuteronomy 32:4, and that we should strive to live a life that is pleasing to Him, as seen in Colossians 1:10. By trusting in God's sovereignty, we can have confidence that He is working all things for our good, even when His ways seem mysterious or difficult to understand, as seen in Romans 8:28.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the pot represent in Ezekiel 24:5?
The pot in Ezekiel 24:5 represents the city of Jerusalem, as seen in Ezekiel 24:3-6, and the judgment that God will bring upon it, much like the boiling pot, as mentioned in Jeremiah 1:13-14, where God shows Jeremiah a boiling pot, symbolizing the judgment that will be poured out from the north.
Why is God instructing Ezekiel to cook the choicest of the flock in Ezekiel 24:5?
God is using this parable to illustrate the severity of the judgment He will bring upon Jerusalem, where the choicest of the flock represents the best of the city, and cooking it signifies the complete destruction that will come upon it, as seen in Ezekiel 5:9-10, where God says He will do what He has never done before because of their sins.
What does the fuel beneath the pot signify in Ezekiel 24:5?
The fuel beneath the pot signifies the passions and sins of the people, which will fuel the judgment of God, much like the fire that fuels the pot, as seen in Psalms 21:9, where God's wrath is like a fiery furnace.
Is this verse talking about a literal pot or is it a metaphor?
This verse is using a pot as a metaphor for the city of Jerusalem and the judgment that God will bring upon it, as seen in Ezekiel 24:3-6, where God explains the parable to Ezekiel, and in other scriptures like Lamentations 4:10, which describes the horrific conditions during the siege of Jerusalem.
Reflection Questions
- What are some areas in my life where I need to allow God to 'bring to a boil' and refine me, just like the pot in Ezekiel 24:5?
- How can I apply the principle of God's judgment being like a refining fire, as seen in Ezekiel 24:5 and Malachi 3:2-3, to my own life and walk with God?
- What are some ways that I can 'pile fuel beneath' my own spiritual growth, and what are some things that might be hindering my growth, as seen in Ezekiel 24:5?
- In what ways can I trust God's sovereignty, even when His ways seem mysterious or difficult to understand, like the parable of the pot in Ezekiel 24:5?
Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 24:5
Take the choice of the flock,.... King, princes, nobles, magistrates, priests and rulers of the people: and burn also the bones under it: or, "put a pile of bones under it" (u); the bones of them
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 24:5
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.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 24:5
Take the choice; pick out the very best in the flock, that is, the greatest, richest, most powerful for authority and interest in the nation and city. Burn; or, heap together in order to burn, to make a fire with. The bones; not of the pieces to be boiled, but the bones of the many innocents murdered in Jerusalem and in the land; for their blood crieth for vengeance, and their bones, scattered on the face of the earth, will both make and maintain this fire. Make it boil well; let the fire be so great, and the pot so long over, till all within it be boiled thoroughly, till all the strength and marrow be wasted, and the very flesh drop to pieces; so shall this people be wasted by this judgment. Seethe the bones: see : this is doubled to assure us, however the meaner sort did, the more considerable part of the Jews should not escape. In this allegory there may lie couched an exact correspondence between the sins and punishments of this people; their sin was the slaying the best, or by oppressing them broke their bones, boiled out the marrow, sucked them dry; and now God will retaliate to these men.
Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 24:5
Ezekiel 24:5 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.Ver. 5. Take the choice of the flock.] The king and his peers. And burn also the bones.] The dry bones, the common people, for these will burn like wood. And let him seethe the bones.] The choice bones.
Ellicott's Commentary on Ezekiel 24:5
(5) Burn also the bones under it.—It is uncertain whether this is or is not the exact sense. The word for “burn” means, as is shown in the margin, heap, and is a noun. This is taken by many with a verb implied, in the sense of “make a heap of wood to burn the bones.” On the other hand, the sense of the text is that given in most of the ancient versions, and it is certain that bones, before the fat is extracted, may be used for fuel. It is better, therefore, to translate quite literally, heap the bones under it, leaving the same ambiguity as in the original as to whether the bones are to be burned upon the fuel or themselves used for fuel. In either case, the bones are those which are left after “the good pieces” have been put into the cauldron. No part of the people shall escape; the refuse alike with the choice is doomed to destruction.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ezekiel 24:5
Verse 5. Make it boil well] Let it boil over, that its own scum may augment the fire, that the bones - the soldiers, may be seethed therein. Let its contentions, divided counsels, and disunion be the means of increasing its miseries, רתח רתחיה rattach rethacheyha, let it bubble its bubbling; something like that of the poet: - "Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble: Fire burn, and cauldron bubble." Very like the noise made by ebullition, when a pot of thick broth, "sleek and slab," is set over a fierce fire. Such was that here represented, in which all the flesh, the fat and the bones were to be boiled, and generally dissolved together.
Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 24:5
5. burn also the bones] a pile also of wood under it. If “pile” could be read as a verb, and pile also wood, the construction would be easier. In spite of the versions wood must be substituted for “bones.” make it boil well] Lit. make boil its boilings. The word “boilings” does not occur again; possibly by changing a letter “boil its pieces,” parallel to its bones in next clause. let them seethe] let the bones thereof be seethed. Naturally here and Ezekiel 24:4 “bones” include the flesh upon them. They are those of such parts as leg and shoulder.
Barnes' Notes on Ezekiel 24:5
Burn - Rather, as in margin; the bones would serve for fuel.
Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 24:5
5. Burn also the bones — R.V., “pile also the bones under it.” Great critics, like Smend and Cornill, read “wood” instead of “bones,” but this is opposed to all the versions.
Sermons on Ezekiel 24:5
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Passing Under the Rod by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the urgency of the last days and the impending wrath of God. He highlights the image of a trumpet sounding and preparations being made for b |
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A Plant of Renown (Part One) by Ian Paisley | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the significance of Jesus showing his hands and side to the disciples after his resurrection. He explains that the hands represent the first |
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(Revelation) the Banishment of Satan by Willie Mullan | In this sermon, the preacher begins by quoting a passage from the Bible about the Spirit of the Lord being upon him to preach good tidings to the meek. He then talks about the key |
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Discipline and Blessing Part 2 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the illogical premise that creation can exist without a creator. He argues that children are being taught this illogical premise from an ear |
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(Revelation) the Day of Vengeance Fully Come by Willie Mullan | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the events leading up to the day of judgment as described in the book of Revelation. He highlights the battle of Armageddon, the judgment of |
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Upon His Head Were Many Crowns by Rolfe Barnard | In this sermon, the preacher describes a scene where the four and twenty elders and the four beasts worship God on His throne. They praise Him by saying "Hallelujah!" and a voice f |
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Hell by Francis Turretin | Francis Turretin delves into the topic of Hell and Eternal Death, affirming the existence of hell and its punishments, which include eternal torment with the devils for the wicked |