John Gill Commentary Ezekiel 24:5

"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." — Ezekiel 24:5 (ASV)

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.''

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FOOTNOTES:

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