They are saying, ‘Is not the time near to build houses? The city is the cooking pot, and we are the meat.’
Parallel translations
- WEB who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This is the cauldron, and we are the meat.’
- KJV Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.
- NKJV who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses; this city is the caldron, and we are the meat.’
- NASB who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This city is the pot and we are the meat.’
- NLT They say to the people, ‘Is it not a good time to build houses? This city is like an iron pot. We are safe inside it like meat in a pot.’
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The leaders boast a false security, saying the city is a protective cauldron and they are the safe meat within it. It exposes their presumption that judgment will not touch them.
Overview
Their proverb, "this is the cauldron and we are the meat," claims the city walls will protect them like a pot shields its contents. They dismiss the prophets' warnings of imminent destruction ("the time is not near to build"). This complacent confidence ignores God's pronounced judgment. False security apart from God always fails, while true refuge is found only in the Lord, supremely in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Ezek 12:27“Son of man, take note that the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many years from now; he prophesies about the distant future.’
- Ezek 12:22“Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel: ‘The days go by, and every vision fails’?
- Jer 1:11–13And the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” “I see a branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
- Ezek 11:7–11Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: The slain you have laid within this city are the meat, and the city is the pot; but I will remove you from it.
- Ezek 7:7Doom has come to you, O inhabitants of the land. The time has come; the day is near; there is panic on the mountains instead of shouts of joy.
- Ezek 24:3–14Now speak a parable to this rebellious house and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Put the pot on the fire; put it on and pour in the water.
- 2 Pet 3:4“Where is the promise of His coming?” they will ask. “Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation.”
- Amos 6:5You improvise songs on the harp like David and invent your own musical instruments.
- Isa 5:19to those who say, “Let Him hurry and hasten His work so that we may see it! Let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come so that we may know it!”
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The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 11:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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