INTRODUCTION
Chapter 24 opens with YHWH revealing to the prophet on 15 January, 588 BCE that the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem has begun that very day. Ezekiel then delivers the parable of the cooking pot to his fellow-exiles. It depicts Jerusalem as a cauldron filled with ‘choice cuts’ (its inhabitants) set on a blazing fire (the siege). The pot has corrosion (the bloodguilt and violence that characterises the city). Its contents must be emptied into the fire; then the pot will be heated until red hot in order to be purified.
This next section (24:15-27) transforms the metaphor of the cooking pot into a tragic living reality for Ezekiel. Just as the siege is announced to Ezekiel in 24:1 by a word from YHWH likewise he is informed of his forthcoming personal loss by a specific divine word in 24:15. That word commands Ezekiel to use his personal grief to perform a prophetic sign-act to the exiles.
DIVISION
15-18 YHWH ANNOUNCES THE DEATH OF EZEKIEL’S WIFE
19-24 EZEKIEL ANSWERS THE EXILES’ QUESTION
25-27 YHWH ADDRESSES EZEKIEL PERSONALLY
EXPOSITION
YHWH ANNOUNCES THE DEATH OF EZEKIEL’S WIFE (15-18)
This section (24:15-27) begins with YHWH addressing Ezekiel using the customary prophetic word formula ‘son of Adam.’ The oracle that follows focuses on a tragic personal loss for Ezekiel. YHWH will suddenly (‘at a blow’) take away the ‘delight of Ezekiel’s eyes’ but Ezekiel is forbidden to mourn, weep, shed tears, sigh aloud, cover his beard, eat the bread of men, or sit barefoot and bareheaded.
It is unclear whether that which is forbidden is petitionary mourning (as in Joel 1:13-14) in response to the announcement – i.e. asking the Lord to reverse his decision – or posthumous mourning; after the ‘delight of Ezekiel’s eyes’ has died. The traditional view is that posthumous mourning is in view. Once the ‘delight of his eyes’ is taken away Ezekiel is not to engage in a traditional public show of grief. The acts of mourning which are forbidden are ritual rather than emotional. Emotional mourning is permitted; he can mourn inwardly and sigh softly but must eat, drink and dress as normal.
It is only when we come to v.18 that we learn that Ezekiel’s ‘dearest treasure’ (NLT) is his wife: 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. This is reported in the first person (‘I’) but Ezekiel does not tell us his wife’s name or age and does not indicate how he felt or thought when his loved one’s imminent death was announced.
The fulfilment of the prophecy is swift but the timeline is unclear. Do the two mentions of ‘morning’ refer to the same morning or two different mornings?
- Ezekiel delivers the prophecy to the exiles in the morning and immediately complies with YHWH’s instructions (that same morning). Then his wife dies that evening. OR
- He delivers the prophecy to the exiles in the morning, his wife dies that evening and he obeys YHWH’s command the following morning.
The second possibility is the most commonly accepted. In either case he has little time to process his grief. I did . . . as I was commanded is a striking example of immediate and total obedience to the word of the Lord – at great personal cost.
EZEKIEL ANSWERS THE EXILES’ QUESTION (19-24)
Doubtless aware of Ezekiel’s love for his wife the exiles are shocked by his violation of the expected social and religious norms of mourning. They realise that this is a symbolic act and so they ask him for an interpretation of the sign and how it applies to them: And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so? This is the only occasion in the book when the exiles directly address the prophet Ezekiel – normally what they say is quoted to Ezekiel by YHWH.
Ezekiel answers their brief question by telling them that a word from YHWH came to him, telling him what he was to communicate to the people. The thrust of the message is that Ezekiel’s behaviour in the aftermath of his wife’s death is a prescriptive sign to the exiles. It shows how they ought to respond to the fall of the city of Jerusalem and specifically the temple. The death of Ezekiel’s wife is an analogy for the ‘death’ of the temple. The exiles’ response to that ought to mirror Ezekiel’s response to his wife’s death.
YHWH (v.21) intends to desecrate his sanctuary (by the blood of Judah’s slain sons and daughters and the presence of foreigners). The temple is the pride of the people’s power (cf. Lev 26:19), the desire of their eyes and that with which they have sympathy – i.e. they cherish the temple because to them it represents the glory and strength of the nation.
Notice that in vv.22-24 the collective response of the exiles to the fall of the sanctuary is to mirror the individual response of Ezekiel to the death of his wife. There are obvious parallels;
- in v.17 Ezekiel’s wife is the delight of his eyes, in v.21 the sanctuary is the delight of the people’s eyes.
- Like Ezekiel in vv.16-17 the people (vv.22-23) are not to publicly mourn, weep, cover their lips, eat the bread of men or go about bareheaded and barefoot.
Covering the upper lip seems to have been a sign of shame and sorrow, cf. Lev 13:45; Mic3:7. ‘The bread of men’ refers to food brought to the bereaved by family and friends. Other descriptions of mourning occur in Ezekiel 7:18 and 27:30-31.
The exiles are to imitate Ezekiel – he is a sign to them:
- And ye shall do as I have done: Ezek 24:22
- according to all that he hath done shall ye do: Ezek 24:24
In addition (v.23), they are to pine away (cf. 4:17; 33:10) for (on account of) their iniquities and groan one to another. Their grief will be compounded by the recognition that they have brought this disaster upon themselves because of their sin. They are not to make a public display of mourning but rather groan because of conviction of their guilt. The exiles share responsibility with those in Judah for the destruction of the city and the temple.
When the disaster comes the people of Judah and the exiles will recognise that YHWH is the Sovereign Lord
YHWH ADDRESSES EZEKIEL PERSONALLY (25-27)
Addressing himself to Ezekiel personally – thou son of man – YHWH refers to the false hope that the Judahites have placed in the temple, the city and future generations. They have considered these to be their strength (stronghold), joy, glory, delight and heart’s desire. Soon all will be taken from them.
As for Ezekiel, an eyewitness will escape the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and bring confirmation of its fall to him in Babylonia. Since his call Ezekiel has been mute (3:26-27), speaking only when he receives a direct oracle from YHWH, but on the day the messenger arrives Ezekiel’s speech will be restored, his silent mourning will end and his ministry enter a new phase. That too will be a sign to the exiles and they will recognise the presence of YHWH. This prophecy is fulfilled in 33:21-22.
SUMMATION
The death of Ezekiel’s wife symbolises the impending destruction of the Jerusalem temple by the Babylonian forces of Nebuchadnezzar and emphasises the severity and finality of the coming judgement. The prophet’s personal tragedy demonstrates that YHWH’s judgement is irrevocable and his muted grief is a prophetic sign of how the people should and would react to the coming destruction.
Up to this point Ezekiel has been proclaiming YHWH’s judgement upon Jerusalem and Judah. The fall of the city and the temple will confirm that he is indeed a true prophet and that YHWH has been in control of events throughout as Ezekiel has said. With the fall of Jerusalem the old era will pass and the lifting of Ezekiel’s silence mark a new phase in his ministry. The exiles will recognise that YHWH is the Sovereign Lord and on that basis future restoration can be built. With his status as a true prophet confirmed the people will listen to Ezekiel, whose ministry will transition from one that proclaims judgement to one that offers hope. But before moving on to the restoration section of his book (chapters 33-48) Ezekiel records oracles against some of Judah’s hostile neighbours (chapters 25-32).
Written Exposition 