Ezekiel 5
5
Ezekiel Shaves His Hair
1Yahweh said, “Son of man, take a sharp sword; use it like a barber’s razor and shave your head and beard. # 5:1 The sharp sword is a metaphor for the king of Babylon. The hair of a priest was a mark of his consecration to serve God (see Lev. 19:27; 21:5). Shaving the head was a sign of humiliation (see 2 Sam. 10:4–5), catastrophe (see Jer. 41:5), and mourning (see Job 1:20; Isa. 22:12; Jer. 7:29). Then take scales and divide the hair into three piles. 2When the days of your siege are over, burn up a third in the midst of the city of Jerusalem. # 5:2 The third of his hair that Ezekiel burns represents the people who will die at the time Jerusalem is destroyed (see 7:15). Take another third and chop it up with the sword around the perimeter of the tile-city. # 5:2 This third of his hair represents those who will die by the sword when trying to escape Jerusalem. Then scatter the last third to the wind. I will pursue those who escape the city with my sword. # 5:2 This third of his hair represents those who escape Jerusalem, are scattered among the nations, but will later be killed (see Lev. 26:33). 3Also keep back a few hairs and wrap them up in the folds of your cloak. # 5:3 These few hairs represent the remnant that is spared (see Isa. 4:3). 4And of those, take just a few hairs and throw them on the fire and burn them. # 5:4 These few hairs represent some of the exiles who will still be destroyed. That fire will spread to all the people of Israel.” # 5:4 That is, God will continue to punish the people of Israel.
God Promises to Destroy Jerusalem
5Listen to what the Lord Yahweh says: “This represents Jerusalem. I have placed her in the center of the nations, encircled by foreign countries. 6Yet she has rebelled more wickedly against my ways # 5:6 Or “regulations,” “decisions,” or “judgments.” and against my laws than the gentile nations that surround her. Indeed, she has deliberately rejected my commands and not kept my laws.”
7Therefore, the Lord Yahweh says, “Because you acted more wickedly than the nations around you, since you do not keep my laws or respect my commands, and since you do not respect even the moral standards of the surrounding nations, # 5:7 As translated from the most reliable Hebrew manuscripts. However, a number of Hebrew manuscripts and the Syriac read “You have acted according to the laws of the nations around you.” That is, Israel not only exceeded the other nations in wickedness, but they also added heathen customs to their apostasy. See 11:12. 8therefore, behold—I, Lord Yahweh, declare that I am against you. And I will pass my judgment on you for all the nations to see. 9Because of all your loathsome practices, I am coming against you more severely than I have ever done before or will ever do again. 10As a result, those of you who are parents will eat their children, and children will eat their parents. I will punish you and scatter what remains of you to the winds.
11“For as surely as I live, I, Lord Yahweh, declare: because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your horrible and loathsome practices, I will withdraw from you and will not even glance on you with pity or spare you. 12Inside Jerusalem, a third of your people will die of plague or starvation. Outside the city, a third will fall by the sword. And a third I will scatter to the winds and pursue with my sword. 13Then my anger will come to an end # 5:13 Or literally “I will make my fury quiet.” and be fully spent against them, and then my justice will have been satisfied. When I have carried out my anger against them, they will know how jealous I am for them. Afterward, they will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken in my zeal.
14“Moreover, I will reduce you to a heap of ruins, an object of scorn to the surrounding nations, in the eyes of all who pass by. 15You will be mocked and insulted. Your downfall will be an appalling lesson to the surrounding nations. This will happen when I execute judgment on you in my furious anger and with my furious punishment. I, Yahweh, have spoken.
16“I will release against them the deadly arrows of famine—arrows of destruction! Then I will make the famine even worse and cut off your food supply. 17I will send severe famine and wild animals against you to rob you of your children. Sickness and bloodshed will overtake you, and I will bring the sword down upon you. I, Yahweh, have spoken.”
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Ezekiel 5: TPT
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