Yechezkel 24 | This Very Day the King of Babylon Laid Siege to Jerusalem

Our chapter marks the conclusion of Yechezkel’s first period of prophecy. This period, which began with the command: "You will be struck silent and you will not be a man of rebuker to them" (3:26), comes full circle at the end of our chapter: "On that day your mouth will be opened with the fugitive, and you will speak; you will no longer be struck silent" (24:27). We will return to discuss the significance of his silence and the conclusion of Yechezkel’s first prophetic section, but first, let us highlight a few additional points that arise in the chapter:

The Pot and the Flesh:  The date recorded at the beginning of the prophecy, the tenth of Tevet in the ninth year, is the start of the siege of Jerusalem: "the king of Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem on this very day" (24:2). This moment marks a turning point. Yechezkel had warned and explained the impending destruction to the people who refused to believe it was approaching. Once the siege begins, and as it progresses, the destruction becomes increasingly tangible. Yechezkel chooses to illustrate this destruction with a parable about a pot left on the fire for too long, burning everything inside, and eventually the pot itself. This imagery recalls an earlier parable in Yechezkel’s prophecies, when the people of Jerusalem placed their trust in the city to protect them, declaring: "the city, she is the pot – we are the meat!" (11:3). Now, Yechezkel emphasizes that even if Jerusalem is a pot and its inhabitants are the flesh seeking refuge within, their hopes for protection will be in vain. The flesh will burn, the pot will burn, and the destruction will be absolute.

The Mourning for Yechezkel’s Wife: Among the symbolic acts that Yechezkel is commanded to perform, he faces one of the most painful trials. God informs him that his wife will die, yet he is forbidden to mourn for her. This symbolic act reflects the utter despair regarding the people of Jerusalem (there is no point in mourning, for "I have destroyed a ruined house"), the severity of their situation (when grief pervades every home, there is no one left to offer comfort). Moreover, it illustrates the inability of the people to fully grasp the tragedy that is befalling them. Just as Yechezkel does not mourn for his wife, so too must the exiles in Babylon refrain from mourning for Jerusalem. This shocking act draws attention, allowing Yechezkel to explain: "Say to the House of Israel: So says the Lord God: I am going to desecrate My sanctuary – your power’s majesty, your eyes’ delight, your soul’s tenderness – and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall to the sword. You will do as I have done... And Yechezkel will be a sign to you: everything that he has done, so will you do when it comes, and you will know that I am the Lord God." (24:21–24). This painful challenge once again underscores the intertwining of the personal and the national in the life of the prophet.

The End of the Silence: Even within the period between Chapter 3 and our chapter, when Yechezkel was "silent", he still delivered prophecies. The defining characteristic of this period was not mere speechlessness but rather the despair of any possibility for repentance. Throughout his prophecies, Yechezkel repeatedly emphasized that Jerusalem’s destruction was now unavoidable, that there was no longer a way to avert it. However, once the destruction actually takes place, a new era begins, Yechezkel will now help the people rebuild, restore what was lost, and guide them toward redemption. God had warned Yechezkel from the people who won’t listen: "For they are a defiant house." (3:27). Yechezkel’s role during this entire period, knowing there was no way to prevent the disaster and that the people would not listen regardless, was simply to proclaim the alert: "And they will know that a prophet was among them." (2:5). When the so-called "unexpected" destruction finally arrives, the people are meant to recognize who had foreseen it all along, and to trust him as a guide for the future, as they embark on the process of rebuilding.