Ezekiel Chapter 5
1 "You, son of man, take a sharp sword. You shall take it as a barber's razor to yourself, and shall cause it to pass over your head and over your beard. Then take balances to weigh and divide the hair.
2 A third part you shall burn in the fire in the middle of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled. You shall take a third part, and strike with the sword around it. A third part you shall scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them.
3 You shall take of it a few in number, and bind them in the folds of your robe.
4 Of these again you shall take, and cast them into the middle of the fire, and burn them in the fire. From it a fire will come out into all the house of Israel.
5 "The Lord GOD says: 'This is Jerusalem. I have set her in the middle of the nations, and countries are around her.
6 She has rebelled against my ordinances in doing wickedness more than the nations, and against my statutes more than the countries that are around her; for they have rejected my ordinances, and as for my statutes, they have not walked in them.'
7 "Therefore the Lord GOD says: 'Because you are more turbulent than the nations that are around you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my ordinances, neither have followed the ordinances of the nations that are around you;
8 therefore the Lord GOD says: 'Behold, I, even I, am against you; and I will execute judgements amongst you in the sight of the nations.
9 I will do in you that which I have not done, and which I will not do anything like it any more, because of all your abominations.
10 Therefore the fathers will eat the sons within you, and the sons will eat their fathers. I will execute judgements on you; and I will scatter the whole remnant of you to all the winds.
11 Therefore as I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things, and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish you. My eye won't spare, and I will have no pity.
12 A third part of you will die with the pestilence, and they will be consumed with famine within you. A third part will fall by the sword around you. A third part I will scatter to all the winds, and will draw out a sword after them.
13 " 'Thus my anger will be accomplished, and I will cause my wrath towards them to rest, and I will be comforted. They will know that I, the LORD, have spoken in my zeal, when I have accomplished my wrath on them.
14 " 'Moreover I will make you a desolation and a reproach amongst the nations that are around you, in the sight of all that pass by.
15 So it will be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment, to the nations that are around you, when I execute judgements on you in anger and in wrath, and in wrathful rebukes-I, the LORD, have spoken it-
16 when I send on them the evil arrows of famine that are for destruction, which I will send to destroy you. I will increase the famine on you, and will break your staff of bread.
17 I will send on you famine and evil animals, and they will bereave you. Pestilence and blood will pass through you. I will bring the sword on you. I, the LORD, have spoken it.' "
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Ezekiel Chapter 5 Guide
In this chapter we have the description of the last of the four signs. The prophet was commanded to take a sword, sharpened as a barber's razor, and therewith to cut off his hair and his beard. The hair thus taken was to be weighed, and divided into three parts. The first was to be burned in the midst of the city at the expiration of the siege; the second was to be smitten with the sword round about the city; and the third to be scattered to the wind. Finally, a few hairs were to be gathered and bound in his skirt, and of them some were to be cast into the fire.
The explanation of the sign was then given at length to Ezekiel. Jerusalem, set in the midst of the nations, had rebelled against Jehovah, and for this He was against her. A third part of the people was to die by pestilence in the midst of the city, another third would die in battle round about her; the remaining third would be scattered to the winds.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Ezekiel Chapter 5 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- A type of hair, showing the judgments about to come upon the Jews. -- (1-4)
- These awful judgments are declared. -- (5-17)
Verses 1-4
The prophet must shave off the hair of his head and beard, which signifies God's utter rejecting and abandoning that people. One part must be burned in the midst of the city, denoting the multitudes that should perish by famine and pestilence. Another part was to be cut in pieces, representing the many who were slain by the sword. Another part was to be scattered in the wind, denoting the carrying away of some into the land of the conqueror, and the flight of others into the neighbouring countries for shelter. A small quantity of the third portion was to be bound in his shirts, as that of which he is very careful. But few were reserved. To whatever refuge sinners flee, the fire and sword of God's wrath will consume them.
Verses 5-17
The sentence passed upon Jerusalem is very dreadful, the manner of expression makes it still more so. Who is able to stand in God's sight when he is angry? Those who live and die impenitent, will perish for ever unpitied; there is a day coming when the Lord will not spare. Let not persons or churches, who change the Lord's statutes, expect to escape the doom of Jerusalem. Let us endeavour to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. Sooner or later God's word will prove itself true.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.