16. “Son of man, you love your wife very much, but I am going to take her away from you. Your wife will die suddenly, but you must not show your sadness. You must not cry loudly. You will cry and your tears will fall,
17. but you must mourn quietly. Dress as you normally do; wear your turban and sandals; don’t cover your mustache, and don’t eat the food people normally eat when someone dies.”
18. The next morning I told the people what God had said. That evening, my wife died. The next morning I did what God commanded.
19. Then the people said to me, “Why are you doing this? What does it mean?”
20. Then I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me. He told me
21. to speak to the family of Israel. The Lord GOD said, ‘Look, I will destroy my holy place. You are proud of that place and sing songs of praise about it. You love to see it. You really love that place. But I will destroy it, and your children that you left behind will be killed in battle.
22. But you will do the same things that I have done about my dead wife. You will not cover your mustache or eat the food people normally eat when someone dies.
23. You will wear your turbans and your sandals. You will not show your sadness publicly or cry publicly, but you will waste away with guilt and talk to each other quietly about your grief.
24. So Ezekiel is an example for you. You will do all the same things he did. That time of punishment will come, and then you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’”
25-26. The Lord said, “Son of man, I will take away the place that makes the people feel safe—Jerusalem, that beautiful city that makes them so happy. They really love that place. They love to look at it. But I will take it away from them, and I will also take their children. On that day one of the survivors will come to you with the bad news about Jerusalem.
27. That same day you will be able to talk to the messenger. You will not be silent anymore. This will be a sign to the people, and they will know that I am the Lord.”