And utter a parable to the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: “Set on the pot, set it on; pour in water also;
English Standard Version (ESV)
The repetition of "set it on" isn't just about starting a fire; it emphasizes the undeniable urgency and the deliberate way God is bringing judgment, turning the very thing they boasted about as protection into a tool of destruction.
And utter a parable to the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: “Set on the pot, set it on; pour in water also;
English Standard Version (ESV)
God tells Ezekiel to use a parable, picturing Jerusalem as a pot ready for boiling, to warn the rebellious people. This imagery directly responds to their boastful proverb that the city was a safe cauldron protecting them. The setup of the pot with water signifies the coming siege and the intense suffering of the inhabitants trapped within the city walls.
Why would God compare His chosen city to a boiling pot? It sounds like judgment, not protection.
The imagery of a pot being set on the fire with water poured in is a powerful metaphor for judgment.
The Pot = Jerusalem
The pot itself represents the city of Jerusalem. Unlike the people's boast that the city was a protective 'cauldron' (Ezekiel 11:3), God declares it will be the cauldron, but one set for boiling and destruction.
The Water = Calamity
The water poured in signifies the overwhelming influx of calamities and the prolonged suffering that will come upon the city through the siege. It's not just a quick event, but a process of intense suffering.
The Fire = Divine Judgment
The fire underneath signifies God's judgment being enacted through the invading armies. The whole scenario paints a vivid picture of inescapable doom for a rebellious people.
Why the repetition: 'Set on, set it on'? What does this urgency tell us about God's message and the people's response?
The emphatic repetition in "Set on the pot, set it on" conveys a sense of urgency and finality. It’s a command that brooks no delay.
God's Unwavering Judgment
This isn't a suggestion; it’s God’s decree. The repeated command emphasizes that His judgment is not tentative but certain and imminent. The 'rebellious house' has left God no choice but to act.
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A Rejection of God's Word
For a people called 'rebellious,' this parable serves as a stark warning. They have repeatedly ignored the pronouncements of God through His prophets. The urgency highlights that the time for repentance has passed, and the time for judgment has arrived.
Understand the original words
mashal · Hebrew Noun
A short, illustrative story or comparison used to convey spiritual truth or divine message. It often employs metaphors to reveal the hidden or impending judgment of God to those who are unwilling to hear direct prophecy.
beit hamməri · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A designation for the people of Israel who have persistently refused to obey God's commands. It highlights their stubbornness, lack of faith, and deviation from the covenantal relationship established at Sinai.
Adonai YHWH · Hebrew Noun Phrase
The Master or Sovereign; a title emphasizing God's absolute authority and ownership over all creation, and His right to govern the affairs of nations and individuals.
sir · Hebrew Noun
A vessel used for cooking; in biblical prophecy, it is often a metaphor for a city or a nation undergoing severe testing, purification, or destruction through the fire of God's judgment.
This parable by Ezekiel vividly portrays the impending destruction of Jerusalem, using the familiar image of a boiling pot to represent the city's intense suffering and the comprehensive judgment of God against His rebellious people during the Babylonian siege.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, attacks Jerusalem and takes Jehoiakim captive, along with many young nobles and skilled workers, including Daniel. This marks the beginning of Babylonian dominance over Judah.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
After a brief rebellion, Nebuchadnezzar deports King Jehoiachin and another large group of Judeans, including the prophet Ezekiel, to Babylon. This event profoundly impacted the Jewish exiles.
c. 589 BC— this verse
Siege of Jerusalem Begins
Zedekiah, the new king of Judah, rebels against Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar responds by laying siege to Jerusalem, beginning a long and devastating period for the city and its inhabitants.
c. 587 BC
Ezekiel's Vision of the Temple Defiled
While in exile, Ezekiel receives a series of visions, including one showing the abominations within the Jerusalem Temple. This highlights God's judgment on the people's unfaithfulness.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
After a siege of approximately two years, the Babylonian army breaches Jerusalem's walls. The city is destroyed, the Temple is burned, and most of the remaining population is exiled.
Jeremiah also used the imagery of a boiling pot to symbolize impending destruction and judgment against Jerusalem, highlighting the consistency of God's message through His prophets.
Ezekiel 11:3This passage directly references the people's own proverb, comparing Jerusalem to a cauldron where they felt safe, thus showing how God would turn their boast into their destruction.
Lamentations 4:3This passage echoes the imagery of the boiling pot by describing how even sea monsters draw milk and give it to their young, while the daughters of the people of Jerusalem are figuratively crushed and starved, showing the depth of their suffering.
Nahum 2:10Nahum describes Nineveh's destruction using imagery of melting hearts and trembling limbs, similar to how the inhabitants of Jerusalem would be consumed by the 'boiling' judgment.
gillEzekiel 24:3: "And 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:"
And utter a parable to the rebellious house,.... The people of the Jews so called, not so much on account of their rebellion against the king of Babylon, which caused him to come against them, as on account of their rebellion against God, and the breach of his laws; see Ezekiel 2:3 . The prophet is bid to represent to them, in a figurat…
bensonEzekiel 24:3: "And 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:"
Ezekiel 24:3-5 . Utter a parable unto the rebellious house — Though the house of Judah has as yet paid no due regard to what thou and the rest of the prophets have uttered or done; nevertheless, still further represent to them the destruction coming upon them by a symbolical action. Set on a pot, &c. — By the pot was signified Jerusalem…
The repetition of "set it on" isn't just about starting a fire; it emphasizes the undeniable urgency and the deliberate way God is bringing judgment, turning the very thing they boasted about as protection into a tool of destruction.
God tells Ezekiel to use a parable, picturing Jerusalem as a pot ready for boiling, to warn the rebellious people. This imagery directly responds to their boastful proverb that the city was a safe cauldron protecting them. The setup of the pot with water signifies the coming siege and the intense suffering of the inhabitants trapped within the city walls.
God tells Ezekiel to use a parable, picturing Jerusalem as a pot ready for boiling, to warn the rebellious people. This imagery directly responds to their boastful proverb that the city was a safe cauldron protecting them. The setup of the pot with water signifies the coming siege and the intense suffering of the inhabitants trapped within the city walls.
"And utter a parable to the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD:
“Set on the pot, set it on;
pour in water also;" — The repetition of "set it on" isn't just about starting a fire; it emphasizes the undeniable urgency and the deliberate way God is bringing judgment, turning the very thing they boasted about as prot…
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Last reviewed October 2026