John Gill Commentary Ezekiel 24

Again, in the ninth year Of Jehoiachin's captivity, from which the dates of Ezekiel are, and of Zedekiah's reign, which commenced together: in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month ; the month Tebet, which answers to part of our December, and part of January; so that it was at the latter end of December when this prophecy was given out; at which time Jerusalem was besieged by the king of Babylon, even in the winter season: the word of the Lord came unto me, saying ; as follows:

Son of man, write you the name of the day
That is, what day of the week it was, as well as what day of the month; as whether the first, or second, or third: for the Jews had no other names for their days, as we have: even of this same day ;
according to Bishop Usher ^F18 , it was the 30th of January, and the fifth day of the week (Thursday); A.M. 3414, or 590 before Christ. Mr. Whiston ^F19 places it at 3413 A.M. or 591 before Christ. The prophet is bid to observe it punctually, and write it exactly, that there might be no mistake; to set it down in his pocket book; or it may be in some public register, that it might not only be remembered by him, but known by the people; that so when they should hear the fact afterwards related, and exactly agreeing with this prediction, they would acknowledge him to be a true prophet; since this would be a confirmation of the word of the Lord coming to him.

the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day ;
or "drew nigh" ^F20 ; brought up his army to it, and laid siege against it, and prepared everything to carry it on; which he very probably did in person, though he afterwards retired, and left the command of his army with his generals; and this was exactly the day before mentioned; see (2 Kings 25:1) (Jeremiah 39:1) (52:4) . The Prophet Ezekiel was now in Chaldea, many miles from Judea, and yet has this account the very selfsame day, even from the Lord himself, who is omniscient and omnipresent.

FOOTNOTES:

• F18: Annales Vet. Test. A. M. 3414.
• F19: Chronological Tables, cent. 10.
• F20: (Kmo) "appropinquavit", Pagninus, Vatablus; so R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 84. 2. "adjunxit se", Montanus

And utter a parable to the rebellious house
The people of the Jews so called, not so much on account of their rebellion against the king of Babylon, which caused him to come against them, as on account of their rebellion against God, and the breach of his laws; see (Ezekiel 2:3Ezekiel 2:5–8) . The prophet is bid to represent to them, in a figurative and emblematic way, the miseries that were coming upon them for their wickedness, namely, under the parable of a boiling pot: and say unto them, thus saith the Lord God ;
speaking in his name, and as coming from him, and clothed with his authority; that the following parable might not be thought to be a fancy and chimera of his own:

"set on a pot, set it on"; set a pot on the fire, and do it quickly. This "pot" is the city of Jerusalem, which was to be brought into great distress and ruin; not a cauldron of brass, wherein the inhabitants should be as safe as if they had walls of brass about them, as they vainly boasted, (Ezekiel 11:3) , but a seething pot, such an one as Jeremiah saw, to which, it may be, reference is here had, (Jeremiah 1:13) , in which the people should be destroyed:

and also pour water into it ;
which, as it is some time a boiling, may denote the length of the siege of the city, which held two years; and of the troubles and miseries attending it; and of the greatness of them, which were as intolerable as boiling water.

The Targum is,

``prophesy that armies shall come against this city; and also there shall be given unto it length of time to receive the siege.''

Gather the pieces of it into it fire being made, and the pot set on, and water poured into it, the next thing is, to put in the pieces that are to be boiled; and these are to be gathered; meaning the people of the land, that were to be gathered from the several parts of it, for their security, as they thought; but the event proved it was for their ruin:

even every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder; the princes and gentry, the great and the mighty, the rich and wealthy of the people; who, upon the invasion, got together in Jerusalem, to secure their persons and substance:

fill it with the choice bones; or with those pieces that have the choice bones, that are full of marrow; the strongest among the people; the soldiers, or such as were fit for war; the best of their militia, brought hither to defend the city; but, in fact, to be slain, as they were.

The Targum is, ``gather the princes thereof into the midst of her, every terrible man and warrior; fill her with the army of the people.''

Take the choice of the flock King, princes, nobles, magistrates, priests and rulers of the people: and burn also the bones under it :

or, "put a pile of bones under it" {u}; the bones of them that are slain in it; denoting the great slaughter of them; or the bones of the innocent that had been murdered in it; which were the cause of these judgments coming upon them; and caused the wrath of God to burn the more hotly against them; or the bones of the wicked:

and make it boil well ; the pot; that the water may be very hot and boiling; denoting the severity of the judgments of God in the city, to the destruction of many by sword, famine, and pestilence:

and let them boil the bones of it therein ; that the strongest among them may be weakened and destroyed by the length and severity of the siege, and the judgments attending it.

The Targum is, ``bring near the kings of the people, and even join auxiliaries with them; hasten the time of it yea, let her slain be cast in the midst of her.''

FOOTNOTES:

• F21: (hytxt Mymueh rwd) "pyram ossium sub ipsa", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Starckius. (rwd) "rogus, strues materiae combustibililis rotunda", Stockius, p. 223.