Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version take the pick of the flock. Pile wood beneath it for the bones; bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it. New Living Translation Use only the best sheep from the flock, and heap fuel on the fire beneath the pot. Bring the pot to a boil, and cook the bones along with the meat. English Standard Version Take the choicest one of the flock; pile the logs under it; boil it well; seethe also its bones in it. Berean Standard Bible Take the choicest of the flock and pile the fuel beneath it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it.’ Berean Literal Bible Take the choicest of the flock, and pile up the bones under it; bring to a boil the boiling of it, and let seethe the limbs in the midst of it.’ King James Bible 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. New King James Version Take the choice of the flock. Also pile fuel bones under it, Make it boil well, And let the cuts simmer in it.” New American Standard Bible “Take the choicest of the flock, And also stack wood under the pot. Make it boil vigorously. Also boil its bones in it.” NASB 1995 “Take the choicest of the flock, And also pile wood under the pot. Make it boil vigorously. Also seethe its bones in it.” NASB 1977 “Take the choicest of the flock, And also pile wood under the pot. Make it boil vigorously. Also seethe its bones in it.” Legacy Standard Bible Take the choicest of the flock, And also pile wood under the pot. Make it seethe vigorously. Also boil its bones in it.” Amplified Bible “Take the choicest of the flock, And also pile wood under the pot. Make it boil vigorously And boil its bones in the pot.” Berean Annotated Bible Take the choicest of the flock and pile the fuel beneath it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it. Christian Standard Bible Take the choicest of the flock and also pile up the fuel under it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it. Holman Christian Standard Bible Take the choicest of the flock and also pile up the fuel under it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it.” American Standard Version 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. Contemporary English Version Pile wood underneath the pot, and let the meat and bones boil until they are done." English Revised Version Take the choice of the flock, and pile also the bones under it: make it boil well; yea, let the bones thereof be seethed in the midst of it. GOD'S WORD® Translation selected from the best sheep. Pile wood under the pot. Bring the mixture in the pot to a boil. Cook the bones that are in it well. Good News Translation Use the meat of the finest sheep; pile the wood under the pot. Let the water boil; boil the bones and the meat." International Standard Version Take the best bones from the flock, pile wood under the pot for the bones, bring it to a boil, and then cook the bones in it."'" NET Bible Take the choice bone of the flock, heap up bones under it; boil rapidly, and boil its bones in it. New Heart English Bible Take the choice of the flock, and also a pile of wood for the bones under the caldron; make it boil well; yes, let its bones be boiled in its midst."' Webster's Bible Translation 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleTake the choicest of the flock and pile the fuel beneath it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it.’ World English Bible 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.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionTo take the choice of the flock, "" And also to pile the bones under it, "" Boil it thoroughly, indeed, cook its bones in its midst. Berean Literal Bible Take the choicest of the flock, and pile up the bones under it; bring to a boil the boiling of it, and let seethe the limbs in the midst of it.’ Young's Literal Translation 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. Smith's Literal Translation Take the choice of the flock and also wheel the bones under it, boil its boilings; also they cooked the bones in the midst of it. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleTake 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. Catholic Public Domain Version Take the fattest from the flock, and arrange also a heap of bones under it. Its cooking has boiled over, and its bones in its midst have been thoroughly cooked. New American Bible Choose the pick of the flock, then pile logs beneath it; Bring it to a boil, cook all the pieces in it. New Revised Standard Version Take the choicest one of the flock, pile the logs under it; boil its pieces, seethe also its bones in it. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd burn also the bones under the pot, and make it boil well, and let the bones seethe in it. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Set ablaze the bones under the pot and burn them under it OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Take the choice of the flock, And pile also the bones under it; Make it boil well, That the bones thereof may also be seethed in the midst of it. Brenton Septuagint Translation which are taken from choice cattle, and burn the bones under them: her bones are boiled and cooked in the midst of her. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Parable of the Cooking Pot…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.… Cross References Take the choicest of the flock 1 Samuel 15:9 Saul and his troops spared Agag, along with the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs, and the best of everything else. They were unwilling to devote them to destruction, but they devoted to destruction all that was despised and worthless. Exodus 12:5 Your lamb must be an unblemished year-old male, and you may take it from the sheep or the goats. Leviticus 1:10 If, however, one’s offering is a burnt offering from the flock—from the sheep or goats—he is to present an unblemished male. and pile the fuel beneath it. Leviticus 1:7-8 The sons of Aaron the priest shall put a fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. / Then Aaron’s sons the priests are to arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, atop the burning wood on the altar. Leviticus 6:12-13 The fire on the altar shall be kept burning; it must not be extinguished. Every morning the priest is to add wood to the fire, arrange the burnt offering on it, and burn the fat portions of the peace offerings on it. / The fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it must not be extinguished. 1 Kings 18:33 Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, placed it on the wood, Bring it to a boil Exodus 29:31-32 You are to take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. / At the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that is in the basket. Leviticus 8:31 And Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the meat at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of ordination offerings, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it.’ 2 Chronicles 35:13 They roasted the Passover animals on the fire according to the regulation, and they boiled the other holy offerings in pots, kettles, and bowls and quickly brought them to all the people. and cook the bones in it.’ Micah 3:3 You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.” 1 Kings 13:2 And he cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD, “O altar, O altar, this is what the LORD says: ‘A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David, and upon you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense upon you, and human bones will be burned upon you.’” 2 Kings 23:16-20 And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the hillside, and he sent someone to take the bones out of the tombs, and he burned them on the altar to defile it, according to the word of the LORD proclaimed by the man of God who had foretold these things. / Then the king asked, “What is this monument I see?” And the men of the city replied, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and proclaimed these things that you have done to the altar of Bethel.” / “Let him rest,” said Josiah. “Do not let anyone disturb his bones.” So they left his bones undisturbed, along with those of the prophet who had come from Samaria. … Jeremiah 1:13-14 Again the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “What do you see?” “I see a boiling pot,” I replied, “and it is tilting toward us from the north.” / Then the LORD said to me, “Disaster from the north will be poured out on all who live in the land. Isaiah 34:6 The sword of the LORD is bathed in blood. It drips with fat—with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, a great slaughter in the land of Edom. Jeremiah 7:29-34 Cut off your hair and throw it away. Raise up a lamentation on the barren heights, for the LORD has rejected and forsaken the generation of His wrath.’ / For the people of Judah have done evil in My sight, declares the LORD. They have set up their abominations in the house that bears My Name, and so have defiled it. / They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben-hinnom so they could burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I never commanded, nor did it even enter My mind. … 2 Kings 24:10-14 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege. / And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it. / Jehoiachin king of Judah, his mother, his servants, his commanders, and his officials all surrendered to the king of Babylon. So in the eighth year of his reign, the king of Babylon took him captive. … Treasury of Scripture 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. the choice Ezekiel 20:47 And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein. Ezekiel 34:16,17,20 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment… Jeremiah 39:6 Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah. burn. Ezekiel 24:9,10 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great… Jump to Previous Beneath Best Bits Boil Boiled Boiling Bones Burn Caldron Choice Choicest Cook Cooked Flock Inside Logs Midst Pieces Pile Pot Seethe Seethed Therein Thereof Thoroughly Vigorously WoodJump to Next Beneath Best Bits Boil Boiled Boiling Bones Burn Caldron Choice Choicest Cook Cooked Flock Inside Logs Midst Pieces Pile Pot Seethe Seethed Therein Thereof Thoroughly Vigorously WoodEzekiel 24 1. Under the parable of a boiling pot6. is shown the irrevocable destruction of Jerusalem 15. By the sign of Ezekiel not mourning for the death of his wife 19. is shown the calamity of the Jews to be beyond all sorrow Take the choicest of the flock This phrase signifies selecting the best and most valuable members of the community, often representing the leaders or those of high status in Israel. In biblical context, the "choicest" often refers to offerings that are pure and without blemish, as seen in Leviticus 1:3. This selection underscores the severity of the judgment coming upon Jerusalem, as even the most esteemed will not be spared. Historically, the leaders and influential figures were often the first to face consequences during times of national crisis. and pile the fuel beneath it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it. Persons / Places / Events 1. EzekielA prophet of God, called to deliver messages of judgment and hope to the Israelites during their Babylonian exile. 2. Jerusalem The city symbolized by the cooking pot, representing the impending judgment and destruction due to the people's unfaithfulness. 3. The Flock Represents the people of Israel, particularly the leaders and those considered the best among them, who are subject to God's judgment. 4. The Cooking Pot A metaphor for Jerusalem, where the people are being "cooked" or judged for their sins. 5. Babylonian Siege The historical event during which Jerusalem was besieged and eventually destroyed by the Babylonians, fulfilling the prophecy. Teaching Points Understanding God's JudgmentGod's judgment is not arbitrary but a response to persistent sin and rebellion. It serves as a call to repentance and a return to righteousness. The Role of Leaders The "choicest of the flock" signifies that leaders and those in positions of influence are held to a higher standard and are accountable for their actions. Purification through Trials Just as the boiling pot purifies, trials and challenges in our lives can serve to refine our character and faith, drawing us closer to God. The Consequences of Sin The imagery of the cooking pot reminds us that sin has serious consequences, and ignoring God's warnings can lead to destruction. Hope in Restoration While the passage focuses on judgment, it is part of a larger account that includes the promise of restoration and renewal for those who turn back to God. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Ezekiel 24:5?2. How does Ezekiel 24:5 illustrate God's judgment on Jerusalem's leaders and people? 3. What does "pile the wood beneath it" symbolize in Ezekiel 24:5? 4. How can we apply the warning in Ezekiel 24:5 to modern Christian life? 5. What other biblical passages discuss God's judgment using similar imagery as Ezekiel 24:5? 6. How does understanding Ezekiel 24:5 deepen our comprehension of God's justice and holiness? 7. What is the significance of boiling the choice bones in Ezekiel 24:5? 8. How does Ezekiel 24:5 reflect God's judgment on Jerusalem? 9. Why does Ezekiel use a cooking pot metaphor in 24:5? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Ezekiel 24? 11. What foods are mentioned in the Bible? 12. Is there any historical or archaeological support for the events symbolized by the boiling pot imagery (Ezekiel 24:3-14), or does it contradict known facts about Jerusalem's siege? 13. In Ezekiel 5:2-4, does the command to burn, scatter, and bind hair contradict other biblical teachings on ritual purity or symbolism? 14. How does biblical stewardship relate to flock management? What Does Ezekiel 24:5 Mean Take the choicest of the flock• “Take the choicest of the flock” (Ezekiel 24:5) pictures Jerusalem’s influential citizens—the princes, priests, and skilled craftsmen—lifted out for judgment. • God is not targeting the weak alone; He is dealing with the best and brightest who should have led the nation in righteousness (cf. 2 Kings 24:14–15; Jeremiah 52:28). • Like Amos 6:1 warns complacent leaders in Zion, this phrase reminds us that privilege never exempts anyone from accountability before the Lord (Luke 12:48). Pile the fuel beneath it • Fuel stacked under the pot represents every circumstance God marshals to execute judgment—Babylon’s armies, famine, and internal strife (Ezekiel 24:9–10). • Isaiah 9:19 and Lamentations 4:11 reveal the same image: God’s wrath as a consuming fire, stoked until His purpose is complete. • The fuel is deliberate; nothing about the siege will be accidental or random (Nahum 1:6). Bring it to a boil • The boiling pot signals the siege in full force—pressure so intense that the “meat” (the people) begins to break down (Ezekiel 11:3–7). • Jeremiah feels this heat when he cries, “My heart is pounding within me” (Jeremiah 4:19). • God uses the heat not only to punish but to expose impurities, similar to the smelting imagery in Ezekiel 22:20–22. Cook the bones in it • Bones normally remain after flesh is gone, yet here even they are cooked, pointing to a judgment that leaves nothing untouched (Micah 3:2–3). • 2 Chronicles 36:17–19 records that Jerusalem’s walls, houses, and temple were all burned—just as the bones in the pot dissolve. • Psalm 34:20 promises the righteous that not one of his bones will be broken; by contrast Jerusalem’s unrepentant sinners experience total ruin (Jeremiah 19:9). summary Ezekiel 24:5 uses homely kitchen language to describe a horrifying reality: God will seize even the finest of His people, stoke every possible means of judgment, apply relentless pressure, and leave nothing unpurged. The passage is a sober call to wholehearted obedience—because when God’s patience ends, His judgment is thorough, intentional, and perfectly just. (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.Verse 5. - Burn also the bones under it; better, with the Vulgate and Revised Version, pile the bones. The bones of animals were often used as fuel. Currey quotes an interesting passage from Livingstone's 'Last Journal,' 1. p. 347, narrating how, when the supply of ordinary fuel failed, he made his steamer work with the bones of elephants. See a like practice among the Scythians (Herod., 4:61).Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Takeלָק֔וֹחַ (lā·qō·w·aḥ) Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute Strong's 3947: To take the choicest מִבְחַ֤ר (miḇ·ḥar) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 4005: Choicest, best of the flock הַצֹּאן֙ (haṣ·ṣōn) Article | Noun - common singular Strong's 6629: Small cattle, sheep and goats, flock and וְגַ֛ם (wə·ḡam) Conjunctive waw | Conjunction Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and pile the fuel דּ֥וּר (dūr) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 1754: A circle, ball, pile beneath it. תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ (taḥ·te·hā) Preposition | third person feminine singular Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of Bring it to a boil רְתָחֶ֔יהָ (rə·ṯā·ḥe·hā) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 7570: To boil and גַּם־ (gam-) Conjunction Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and cook בָּשְׁל֥וּ (bā·šə·lū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 1310: To boil up, cooking, to ripen the bones הָעֲצָמִ֖ים (hā·‘ă·ṣā·mîm) Article | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 6106: A bone, the body, the substance, selfsame in it.’ בְּתוֹכָֽהּ׃ (bə·ṯō·w·ḵāh) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre Links Ezekiel 24:5 NIVEzekiel 24:5 NLT Ezekiel 24:5 ESV Ezekiel 24:5 NASB Ezekiel 24:5 KJV Ezekiel 24:5 BibleApps.com Ezekiel 24:5 Biblia Paralela Ezekiel 24:5 Chinese Bible Ezekiel 24:5 French Bible Ezekiel 24:5 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Ezekiel 24:5 Take the choice of the flock (Ezek. 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