Ezekiel 24:16–23

¹⁶“Son of man, with one blow^k I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes.^l Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears.^{m 17}Groan quietly;ⁿ do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban^o fastened and your sandals^p on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard^q or eat the customary food of mourners.^r”

¹⁸So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.^s

¹⁹Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things have to do with us?^t Why are you acting like this?”

²⁰So I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me: ²¹Say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary^u—the stronghold in which you take pride,^v the delight of your eyes,^w the object of your affection. The sons and daughters^x you left behind will fall by the sword.^{y 22}And you will do as I have done. You will not cover your mustache and beard^z or eat the customary food of mourners.^{a 23}You will keep your turbans^b on your heads and your sandals^c on your feet. You will not mourn^d or weep but will waste away^e because of^a your sins and groan among yourselves.^f