Jerusalem’s Inhabitants Are Useless

you’ll be unable to speak. You won’t be one who rebukes them, because they are a rebellious people. 27 But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth, and you shall tell them, ‘The Lord G says this.’ Those who listen will listen, and those who refuse will refuse, for they are a rebellious people.”

Ezekiel 4

Jerusalem’s Siege Prophesied Living Illustration of the Siege Instructions 4:1–9

Steps

Durationa Illustration

The Siege

1. “As for you, son of man, take a brick, place it in front of you, and inscribe the city of Jerusalem on it. 1 2. Lay siege to it and build a siege wall against it. Pile up a ramp against it and put enemy camps against it. Put battering rams all around it. 2 3. Take an iron plate and make it an iron wall between you and the city. 3a 4. Set your face toward it so that it’ll appear to be under siege, and besiege it. This is a sign for the Israelites. 3b 5. Lie down on your left side and put the sin of the Israelites on it. You shall bear their sin for the number of days that you lie on it. 4 390 days As for me, I have assigned you the years of their sin as a number of days. You shall bear the sin of the Israelites. 5 6. After that, lie down a second time, on your right side. You shall bear the sin of the people of Judah. 6a 40 days A day for each year. 6b Moreover, ropes will hold you in placeb until you have completed the days of your siege. 8 7. Set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem with your arm bared and prophesy against it.” 7

The Famine

13 The L said, “In this way the Israelites will eat defiled food among the nations where I’ll drive them. 1. Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt, and put them in one container and make them into bread for yourself. This is what you are to eat during the 390 days you lie on your side. 9 2. Eat eight ouncesc by weight per day at a set time.d 10 3. Drink three cupse of water by measure, drinking at a set time. 11 4. Eat the food as barley pancakes, having baked it within their sight over human feces.” 12

a Literally, “number of days.” b Literally, “hold you so you cannot turn from one side to another.” c Literally, “twenty shekels.” And verse 11 “three cups” is literally, “one-sixth a hin.” d Literally, “per day from time to time.” And verse 11. e Literally, “a sixth of a hin.”