Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.
Parallel translations
- WEB who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This is the cauldron, and we are the meat.’
- BSB They are saying, ‘Is not the time near to build houses? The city is the cooking pot, and we are the meat.’
- 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 12:27Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.
- Ezek 12:22Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?
- Jer 1:11–13Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.
- Ezek 11:7–11Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this city is the caldron: but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it.
- Ezek 7:7The morning is come unto thee, O thou that dwellest in the land: the time is come, the day of trouble is near, and not the sounding again of the mountains.
- Ezek 24:3–14And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it:
- 2 Pet 3:4And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
- Amos 6:5That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;
- Isa 5:19That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!
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Original language
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