Ezekiel 24:6

(6) Scum.—This word, which occurs five times in these verses (Eze_24:6; Eze_24:11-12), is found nowhere else. Interpreters are agreed in the correctness of the old Greek version of it, rust. The thought is, that not only the inhabitants of the city are wicked, but that this wickedness is so great that the city itself (represented by the cauldron) is, as it were, corroded with rust. It is therefore to be utterly destroyed, “brought out piece by piece” (see 2Ki_25:10); no lot is to fall upon it to make a discrimination, since nothing is to be spared. All previous judgments had been partial; this is to be complete.

(6-14) These verses contain the application of the parable in two distinct parts (Eze_24:6-14), but in such wise that the literal and the figurative continually run together. A new feature, that of the rust on the cauldron, is also introduced. A somewhat similar figure may be found in Isa_4:4, but with the difference that Ezekiel, as usual, goes much more into minute details.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze 24:6 Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum [is] therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.

Ver. 6. Woe to the bloody city,] i.e., Blood guilty, and full of crimes capital that call for blood.

To the pot whose scum is in it.] Who are hardened in their wickedness, which is evident to all men, and are not amended by punishments.

Let no lot fall upon it,] i.e., Let none escape unpunished. In wars often they cast lots to save some and slay some.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze 24:6-8. Wherefore thus saith the Lord — Here begins an explication of the preceding symbolical representation; Wo to the bloody city — Jerusalem, which is this pot; whose scum is therein — Whose filthiness, or wickedness, is not purged out of it. Bring it out piece by piece — One piece after another till all be taken. Let nothing be left in it; let it be emptied of every thing. This signified the entire ruin and spoil of the city and the inhabitants of it, all without distinction being either killed or carried into captivity. Let no lot fall upon it — There shall be no lot cast to determine who shall be spared and who consumed, or who shall be left and who carried into captivity; for they shall be all either destroyed or carried away. For her blood is in the midst of her — The innocent blood which she hath shed. She set it upon the top of a rock — Openly and publicly, without fear, or shame, or reluctance; she set it where it might be seen by all, and seen long; she shed blood in a presumptuous manner, and with a high hand; she was impudent and barefaced in her cruelties; she did not seek to cover or excuse them. She poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust — As being ashamed of shedding it. “These words allude to the command of the law: Lev 17:13, that they should cover the blood of any beast, or other living creature which was slain, with dust; which precept was not only intended to prevent their eating of blood, but also to give men a sort of horror or aversion to bloodshed.” — Lowth. That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance — For such impudent murders as these, which even dared the divine indignation. I have set her blood upon the top of a rock — Her punishment shall be as notorious in the sight of the world as her sin was. I will punish it so openly, and in such a manner, as shall not be soon forgotten.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24:6-8 The cooking pot was beyond cleansing. Jerusalem was full of blood that she had shed and left exposed. The Old Testament required that the blood of animals shed for meat be covered with earth (Lev 17:13). By leaving the blood of her innocent victims exposed, Jerusalem was doubly guilty. Her own blood would justly be splashed on the rocks (cp. Ps 137:8-9).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Signifying that they should not be destroyed all at once, but by little and little.

Whose iniquities and wicked citizens there yet remain.

Spare none estate or condition.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

scum--not ordinary, but poisonous scum, that is, the people's all-pervading wickedness.

bring it out piece by piece--"it," the contents of the pot; its flesh, that is, "I will destroy the people of the city, not all at the same time, but by a series of successive attacks." Not as FAIRBAIRN, "on its every piece let it (the poisonous scum) go forth."

let no lot fall upon it--that is, no lot, such as is sometimes cast, to decide who are to be destroyed and who saved (Sa2 8:2; Joe 3:3; Oba 1:11; Nah 3:10). In former carryings away of captives, lots were cast to settle who were to go, and who to stay, but now all alike are to be cast out without distinction of rank, age, or sex.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 6. Let no lot fall upon it.] Pull out the flesh indiscriminately; let no piece be chosen for king or priest; thus showing that all should be involved in one indiscriminate ruin.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

6. Explanation: the caldron is Jerusalem, the bloody city.

whose scum] rust.

bring it out] i.e. the caldron as having contents.

let no lot fall] The contents (the inhabitants) shall be pulled out indiscriminately. The dispersion is alluded to.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Wherefore thus saith the Lord God, woe to the bloody city,.... Here the parable begins to be explained; and shows that by the pot is meant the city of Jerusalem, called the bloody city, because of the blood of the prophets, and of righteous persons, and of innocent babes, that was shed in it; and which was the cause of the judgments of God coming upon her, which would issue in her destruction, and therefore "woe unto her"; see Mat 23:37,

to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it; when a pot boils, a scum arises, and appears upon the top of the water, which the cook usually takes off: this denotes the filthiness and wickedness of the people of the Jews, which would work up and be seen by the judgments of God upon them; yet should not be removed, but continue on them, unrepented of, and unpardoned. It signifies that they would remain hardened in their sins; and that the judgments of God would have no effect upon them to bring them to repentance; and that God would have no mercy on them, or pardon their sins:

bring it out piece by piece: the people that were in Jerusalem, of every class and rank, of every age and sex; suggesting that they should not be all destroyed at once, but some at one time, and some at another; some in one way, and some in another; some by famine, others by the pestilence, and others by the sword; some by sallying out upon the enemy; others by endeavouring to make their escape privately, and fall into their hands:

let no lot fall upon it; to save some, and destroy others, as is often done in war; signifying that all were destined to destruction, some way or another; and none should be spared; they that escaped the pestilence should die by famine; and they that escaped them both should die by the sword; and they that escaped all three should be carried into captivity. The Targum is,

"captivity upon captivity shall go out with her, because repentance was not in her.''

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Scum - Better, rust (and in Eze 24:11-12).

Bring it out piece by piece - It, the city; bring out the inhabitants, one by one, clear the city of them, whether by death, exile, or captivity.

Let no lot fall upon it - In the captivity of Jehoiakim and in that of Jehoiachin, some were taken, others left. Now all shall be removed.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Rust: the inveterate malice of the city, ver. 12. --- Upon it. Hurl the pieces of meat out of the pot, without any choice. (Calmet) --- All the people shall feel my indignation, the rich as well as the poor, ver. 13. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

All this allegory contains woeful and heavy tidings, misery and desolation to them that are represented by it.

The bloody city; see Eze 22:2,3; Jerusalem, which is this pot.

Whose scum is therein; filthiness, her abominations, all her lewdness, are still within. her; they have not been punished, restrained, or cast out by the execution of just and good laws; but the citizens have with obstinacy, impenitence, and with impudence continued in them.

Whose scum is not gone out of it; the same thing repeated for confirming what was said.

Bring it out piece by piece; let them know it shall be a lingering destruction to them, yet a total, one piece after another, till all be consumed.

Let no lot fall upon it; lots are for saving some, and determining who they shall be; but here shall no such discrimination be made, no sparing any and slaying others by lot, who do not die shall go into captivity.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

6. Scum — Rather, rust (as also Eze_24:11-12).

Therein — Rather, thereon. Usually the rust is removed from a pot before using it, but here it is to remain as the symbol of Jerusalem’s iniquity (Qimchi).

Let no lot fall upon it — Qimchi explains that the pieces are so small that not a single limb can be recognized, nor lots cast upon them to assign them any special destination; or that the pot itself is corrupted and eaten with verdigris, and therefore the meat is unclean and no part of it fit to be eaten; or that the inhabitants are to be snatched out of the city indiscriminately; or no lot is to be taken (2Sa_8:2), for all alike must perish. Modern expositors select from these explanations according to taste.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Scum. The word is not found elsewhere. The Authorized Version follows the Vulgate. Keil and the Revised Version give "rust." As the cauldron was of brass (Ver. 11), this must have been the verdigris which was eating into the metal, and which even the blazing fire could not get rid of. The pieces that are to be brought out are the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who are to be carried into exile. There was to be "no lot cast," as was often done with prisoners of war, taking every tenth man (decimating) of the captives for death or exile. (comp. 2Sa_8:2) All alike were doomed. (Joe_3:3)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The bloody city - Jerusalem. Whose scum - Her wickedness is still within her. Piece by piece - One piece after another 'till all be consumed. No lot - Lots are for saving some, but here shall be no sparing any.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Yahweh continues telling a parable to Ezekiel about a cooking pot that represents Jerusalem. This parable continues through Ezekiel 24:14. (See: Parables)

the city of blood

Here "blood" is a reference to "murder." AT: "the city of murderers" (See: Metonymy)

a cooking pot

Yahweh continues to compare Jerusalem to a cooking pot. AT: "it is like a cooking pot" (See: Metaphor)

rust

the red material that forms on metal. Rust eats away at metal and eventually destroys it

Take piece after piece

Yahweh does not give this command to a specific person. This is a general command given to an unspecified person within this metaphor.

but do not cast lots for it

Casting lots was a way of choosing which pieces of meat to take out, but because Yahweh wants to take out all of the pieces of meat, there is no need to cast lots.

translationWords

woe

blood

lots

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

and its filth Its filth, which they remove from its surface by boiling it, is called escume in Old French, foam, ecume in Modern French. This means: the wicked within her have not come out.

limb by limb Exile after exile, who went out and defected to the Chaldeans, every man by himself.

no lot has fallen on it Not like other pots, whose pieces they take out all at once in order to place before each one his portion and his lot. Jonathan renders: because they did not repent within it. [Therefore,] the lot of the Omnipresent did not fall on it.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.