who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This city is the cauldron, and we are the meat.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
These rulers twist the idea of security, essentially saying, "Why worry about the future when we have this city? Its walls will protect us like a cauldron keeps meat from burning." They dismiss the prophet's warning of impending destruction by embracing a dangerous illusion of safety within Jerusalem's fortifications.
who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This city is the cauldron, and we are the meat.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
Within Ezekiel’s vision, a group of arrogant princes are actively opposing God's prophet, dismissing his warnings of imminent destruction. They mock the idea that disaster is near, instead encouraging the people to believe they are safe within Jerusalem’s walls, comparing the city to a protective cauldron for the people within. This defiance directly contradicts Ezekiel’s earlier pronouncements of judgment and sets the stage for God’s severe response to these false counselors.
Why would the people ignore God's clear warnings of destruction? Their focus on 'building houses' reveals a dangerous disconnect from reality.
The prophet Ezekiel is delivering a stark message: judgment is not distant, it's knocking at the door! But a group within Jerusalem, the 'princes of the people,' are actively spreading a message of false security. They say, 'It is not near to build houses.'
The Illusion of Normalcy
Normally, building houses signifies a time of peace, stability, and a long-term future. Think of Jeremiah's message to the exiles, telling them to settle in Babylon because their captivity would be long (Jeremiah 29:5). But these princes are twisting this idea. They imply that the prophecies of destruction aren't true, or at least not for a very long time. They want people to believe that life will go on as usual, that they can continue their daily routines and investments.
Rejecting God's Timeline
This isn't just wishful thinking; it's a direct defiance of God's prophetic timeline. Ezekiel has been clear about the impending doom (Ezekiel 7:2-3). These leaders, however, are encouraging the opposite – to invest in the city as if it were permanent. They are essentially saying, 'Don't worry about God's judgment; it's too far off to matter. We can go about our business.'
They compare Jerusalem to a 'cauldron,' but not in the way you might expect. What does this grim metaphor reveal about their defiance?
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The second part of their defiant cry is, 'this city is the cauldron, and we are the meat.' This imagery, while sounding like a declaration of safety, is actually a potent symbol of their doomed situation.
A False Sense of Security
The 'cauldron' represents the city of Jerusalem, and the 'meat' represents the people within it. Their logic seems to be: a cauldron protects the food inside from the direct flames of the fire beneath. So, they believe Jerusalem's strong walls will shield them from the invading Babylonian army – the 'fire' surrounding them. It's a grim, almost cynical, way of saying, 'Let the enemy rage outside; we are safe within these walls.'
God's Inverted Judgment
However, God will later reveal the true meaning of the 'cauldron' (Ezekiel 24:6). It's not a place of protection, but a symbol of judgment where the people will be consumed by the very fire they think they're safe from. By calling Jerusalem the cauldron, these princes are unknowingly prophetic, but in the worst way possible. They are declaring that they will share the city's fate, as the 'meat' that will be cooked in the fire when judgment comes.
Understand the original words
siyr · Hebrew Noun
A vessel used for cooking; here it is used metaphorically to describe Jerusalem as a place of confinement and intense suffering, where the inhabitants are trapped by impending judgment.
The people in Jerusalem, hearing reports of Jeremiah's counsel to the exiles, twist his words. They mock the idea of a long exile, claiming their city is a secure 'cauldron' that will protect them from the 'fire' of Nebuchadnezzar's army, stubbornly refusing to believe destruction is imminent.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar deports Judean nobles and skilled workers, including Daniel, to Babylon. This event marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation of Jerusalem
Following a rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and another large group of Judeans to Babylon, including the prophet Ezekiel. Jerusalem's temple treasures are also taken.
c. 595 BC
Jeremiah's Letter to Exiles
The prophet Jeremiah sends a letter to the exiles in Babylon, instructing them to settle down, build houses, and plant gardens, as their exile will be long (70 years).
c. 593 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Vision of Judgment
Ezekiel receives a vision in Babylon detailing the corruption in Jerusalem and the impending divine judgment upon the city and its leaders.
c. 587/586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar's armies conquer Jerusalem after a long siege, destroy the Temple, and deport the remaining population to Babylon, ending the Davidic monarchy.
This passage describes Jeremiah's vision of a boiling pot facing north, which Ezekiel's audience mocks, showing they are twisting a divine warning into a reason for false security.
Jeremiah 29:5Jeremiah instructed the exiles to build houses and settle, implying a long stay in Babylon; Ezekiel's critics mock this idea, suggesting their immediate safety in Jerusalem makes it irrelevant.
Ezekiel 24:3This later passage in Ezekiel picks up the cauldron imagery and applies it directly to Jerusalem's destruction, fulfilling the warning that the people mocked and showing the true destructive nature of the 'pot'.
2 Peter 3:4This New Testament passage describes scoffers who deny the certainty of judgment by questioning its timing, mirroring the same attitude of those in Ezekiel 11:3 who dismissed God's prophetic warnings.
Ezekiel 7:2Ezekiel had previously declared that 'the end' was near for Israel; the words of these princes directly contradict this, highlighting their defiance and the people's dangerous complacency.
cambridgeEzekiel 11:3: "Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh."
3 . It is not near; let us build ] Rather as R.V. The time to build houses is not near , lit. the building of houses is not near . The phrase “to build houses” is to be taken as in ch. Ezekiel 28:26 , “And they shall dwell with confidence therein, and shall build houses and plant vineyards and shall dwell with confidence.” To build houses is a sign and a consequence of a time of peace…
barnesEzekiel 11:3: "Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh."
It is not near - In contradiction to Ezekiel 7:2 . Let us build houses - "To build houses" implies a sense of security. Jeremiah bade the exiles "build houses" in a foreign land because they would not soon quit it Jeremiah 29:5; Jeremiah 35:7. These false counselors promised to their countrymen a sure and permanent abode in the city which God had doomed to destruction. No need, they sa…
These rulers twist the idea of security, essentially saying, "Why worry about the future when we have this city? Its walls will protect us like a cauldron keeps meat from burning." They dismiss the prophet's warning of impending destruction by embracing a dangerous illusion of safety within Jerusalem's fortifications.
Within Ezekiel’s vision, a group of arrogant princes are actively opposing God's prophet, dismissing his warnings of imminent destruction. They mock the idea that disaster is near, instead encouraging the people to believe they are safe within Jerusalem’s walls, comparing the city to a protective cauldron for the people within. This defiance directly contradicts Ezekiel’s earlier pronouncements of judgment and sets the stage for God’s severe response to these false counselors.
Within Ezekiel’s vision, a group of arrogant princes are actively opposing God's prophet, dismissing his warnings of imminent destruction. They mock the idea that disaster is near, instead encouraging the people to believe they are safe within Jerusalem’s walls, comparing the city to a protective cauldron for the people within. This defiance directly contradicts Ezekiel’s earlier pronouncements of judgment and sets the stage for God’s severe response to these false counselors.
"who say, ‘The time is not near to build houses. This city is the cauldron, and we are the meat.’" — These rulers twist the idea of security, essentially saying, "Why worry about the future when we have this city? Its walls will protect us like a cauldron keeps meat from burning." They dismiss the p…
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Last reviewed October 2026