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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 down the name of the day, this very day—the king of Babylon started his siege against Jerusalem this very day. ³ And also pour water into it. ⁴ Fill it with choice cuts; ⁵ And let the cuts simmer in it.” ⁶ On which no lot has fallen. ⁷ To cover it with dust. ⁸ That it may not be covered.” ⁹ I too will make the pyre great. ¹⁰ And let the cuts be burned up. ¹¹ That its scum may be consumed. ¹² Let her scum be in the fire! ¹³ Till I have caused My fury to rest upon you. ¹⁴ 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 one stroke; yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, nor shall your tears run down. ¹⁷ Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the dead; bind your turban on your head, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips, and do not eat man’s bread of sorrow.” ¹⁸ So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died; and the next morning I did as I was commanded. ¹⁹ And the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things signify to us, that you behave so?” 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, your arrogant boast, the desire of your eyes, the delight of your soul; and your sons and daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword. ²² And you shall do as I have done; you shall not cover your lips nor eat man’s bread of sorrow. ²³ Your turbans shall be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; you shall neither mourn nor weep, but you shall pine away in your iniquities and mourn with 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 ‘And you, son of man—will it not be in the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy and their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that on which they set their minds, their sons and their daughters: ²⁶ that on that day one who escapes will come to you to let you hear it with your ears? ²⁷ On that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped; you shall speak and no longer be mute. Thus you will be a sign to them, and they shall know that I am the Lord.’ ”