Ezekiel 24:17

Translations

Modern

Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.”

Traditional

Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.

Literal

Groan, keep silent, you shall make no mourning for the dead. Bind your turban on you, and place your sandals on your feet; do not put a wrap over the lip, and the bread of men do not eat.”

Latin

Ingemisce tacens: mortuorum luctum non facies: corona tua circumligata sit tibi, et calceamenta tua erunt in pedibus tuis: nec amictu ora velabis, nec cibos lugentium comedes.

Original

Hebrew

English

Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.”

Notes

Ezekiel 24:15–17

Nowhere do we see a prophet so deeply involved in his message as in this event. God took the life of Ezekiel’s wife. Yet Ezekiel was not allowed to mourn her openly, even though she was very precious to him.

Ezekiel was a priest (Ezekiel 1:3). Priests had strict rules about mourning. When people mourned, they often tore their clothes and left their hair uncombed. These public signs of grief made a person ceremonially unclean (not fit for worship).

Priests were not allowed to make themselves unclean, except for their closest family members (Leviticus 21:1–4). Even so, God told Ezekiel not to follow the usual customs of mourning.

Ezekiel’s silence was a sign act (a symbolic action that carries a message). It showed what would soon happen to Israel (Ezekiel 24:20–24; see “Prophetic Sign Acts” Theme Note). The people would lose something precious, but they would not be able to mourn in the normal way.

Theme notes and profiles

Ezekiel Prophetic Sign Acts

Events

Prophecies of Ezekielc. 593 BC

Related verses

Hosea 9:4
They will not pour out wine offerings to the LORD, and their sacrifices will not please Him, but will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat will be defiled. For their bread will be for themselves; it will not enter the house of the LORD.
2 Samuel 15:30
But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went.
Leviticus 10:6
Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair become disheveled and do not tear your garments, or else you will die, and the LORD will be angry with the whole congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn on account of the fire that the LORD has ignited.
Jeremiah 16:4–7
“They will die from deadly diseases. They will not be mourned or buried, but will lie like dung on the ground. They will be finished off by sword and famine, and their corpses will become food for the birds of the air and beasts of the earth.”
Leviticus 21:10
The priest who is highest among his brothers, who has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been ordained to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair hang loose or tear his garments.
Psalm 46:10
“Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.”
Psalm 37:7
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when men prosper in their ways, when they carry out wicked schemes.
Psalm 39:9
I have become mute; I do not open my mouth because of what You have done.
Amos 8:3
“In that day,” declares the Lord GOD, “the songs of the temple will turn to wailing. Many will be the corpses, strewn in silence everywhere!”
Micah 3:7
Then the seers will be ashamed and the diviners will be disgraced. They will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God.”
Habakkuk 2:20
But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.
Leviticus 13:45
A diseased person must wear torn clothes and let his hair hang loose, and he must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’

Glossary

Ezekiel (Person) Ezekiel, Book of Mourning Prophet, Prophetess

Topics

Bereavement: And to Ezekiel, for his Wife Bread: Served Round After Funerals Christian Minister: Trials and Persecutions of Dress: Bonnets (Rv , Head-Tires), Worn by Women Ezekiel: Teaches by Pantomime: Does not Show Mourning Upon the Death of his Wife Instruction by Object Lessons: Widowhood Mourning: Covering: The Upper Lip Prophets: Frequently in Their Actions Were Made Signs to the People Shoe: Taken off at a Time of Mourning Shoes: The Jews: Never Wore, in Mourning Symbols and Similitudes: Death Symbols and Similitudes: Mourning Forbidden The Feet of the Jews: Neglected in Affliction Tire: A Headdress

Ezekiel 24:17

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