Ezekiel 4 - New International Version (NIV)

Siege of Jerusalem Symbolized

4 “Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. 2 Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works against it, build a ramp(A) up to it, set up camps against it and put battering rams around it.(B) 3 Then take an iron pan,(C) place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face toward(D) it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign(E) to the people of Israel.(F)

4 “Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the people of Israel upon yourself.[a] You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. 5 I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the people of Israel.

6 “After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin(G) of the people of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year.(H) 7 Turn your face(I) toward the siege of Jerusalem and with bared arm prophesy against her. 8 I will tie you up with ropes so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have finished the days of your siege.(J)

9 “Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt;(K) put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. You are to eat it during the 390 days you lie on your side. 10 Weigh out twenty shekels[b](L) of food to eat each day and eat it at set times. 11 Also measure out a sixth of a hin[c] of water and drink it at set times.(M) 12 Eat the food as you would a loaf of barley bread; bake it in the sight of the people, using human excrement(N) for fuel.” 13 The Lord said, “In this way the people of Israel will eat defiled food among the nations where I will drive them.”(O)

14 Then I said, “Not so, Sovereign Lord!(P) I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead(Q) or torn by wild animals. No impure meat has ever entered my mouth.(R)”

15 “Very well,” he said, “I will let you bake your bread over cow dung instead of human excrement.”

16 He then said to me: “Son of man, I am about to cut off(S) the food supply in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair,(T) 17 for food and water will be scarce.(U) They will be appalled at the sight of each other and will waste away because of[d] their sin.(V)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 4:4 Or upon your side
  2. Ezekiel 4:10 That is, about 8 ounces or about 230 grams
  3. Ezekiel 4:11 That is, about 2/3 quart or about 0.6 liter
  4. Ezekiel 4:17 Or away in

Cross references

  1. Ezekiel 4:2 : S Jer 6:6; Eze 17:17; Da 11:15
  2. Ezekiel 4:2 : S Jer 33:4; Eze 21:22
  3. Ezekiel 4:3 : S Lev 2:5
  4. Ezekiel 4:3 : ver 7; Eze 20:46; 21:2
  5. Ezekiel 4:3 : S Isa 8:18; S 20:3; Jer 13:1-7; 18:1-4; 19:1-2; Eze 5:1-4; 12:3-6
  6. Ezekiel 4:3 : S Jer 39:1
  7. Ezekiel 4:6 : S Ex 28:38
  8. Ezekiel 4:6 : Nu 14:34; Da 9:24-26; 12:11-12
  9. Ezekiel 4:7 : S ver 3; Eze 6:2; S 13:17
  10. Ezekiel 4:8 : Eze 3:25
  11. Ezekiel 4:9 : S Isa 28:25
  12. Ezekiel 4:10 : S Ex 30:13
  13. Ezekiel 4:11 : ver 16
  14. Ezekiel 4:12 : S Isa 36:12
  15. Ezekiel 4:13 : Hos 9:3; Am 7:17
  16. Ezekiel 4:14 : Jer 1:6; Eze 9:8; 20:49
  17. Ezekiel 4:14 : S Lev 11:39
  18. Ezekiel 4:14 : S Ex 22:31; Dt 14:3; 32:37-38; Da 1:8; Hos 9:3-4
  19. Ezekiel 4:16 : S Ps 105:16
  20. Ezekiel 4:16 : ver 10-11; S Lev 26:26; Isa 3:1; Eze 12:19
  21. Ezekiel 4:17 : La 5:4; Eze 5:16; 12:18-19; Am 4:8
  22. Ezekiel 4:17 : S Lev 26:39; Eze 24:23; 33:10

You Might Also Like:

Ezekiel 4 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

4 `And thou, son of man, take to thee a brick, and thou hast put it before thee, and hast graven on it a city -- Jerusalem, 2 and hast placed against it a siege, and builded against it a fortification, and poured out against it a mount, and placed against it camps, yea, set thou against it battering...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

4 And thou, son of man, take to thee a tilestone; and thou shalt set it before thee, and thou shalt describe therein the city of Jerusalem (and thou shalt draw upon it the city of Jerusalem). 2 And thou shalt ordain besieging against that Jerusalem; and thou shalt build strongholds, and thou shalt b...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - World English Bible (WEB)

4 “You also, son of man, take a tile, and lay it before yourself, and portray on it a city, even Jerusalem. 2 Lay siege against it, build forts against it, and cast up a mound against it. Also set camps against it and plant battering rams against it all around. 3 Take for yourself an iron pan, and...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - The Voice (VOICE)

Like other prophets, Ezekiel often acts out his messages in bizarre ways. These chapters contain a series of prophetic actions that communicate God’s message in powerful, nonverbal ways. By dramatizing God’s plan before an audience, a prophet is better able to change the people’s perceptions, attitu...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Ezekiel Portrays the Siege of Jerusalem4 “Now you, son of man, take a brick and lay it before you. Engrave on it a city, Jerusalem. 2 Lay siege against it, build earthworks against it, raise an assault ramp against it; pitch camps against it and place battering rams all around it. 3 Then take an i...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Siege of Jerusalem Portrayed4 “And you, O son of man, take a brick and lay it before you, and portray upon it a city, even Jerusalem; 2 and put siegeworks against it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against i...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Siege of Jerusalem Portrayed4 “And you, O son of man, take a brick and lay it before you, and portray upon it a city, even Jerusalem; 2 and put siegeworks against it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against i...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Siege of Jerusalem Portrayed4 And you, O mortal, take a brick and set it before you. On it portray a city, Jerusalem; 2 and put siege-works against it, and build a siege-wall against it, and cast up a ramp against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering-rams against it all round. 3 ...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Siege of Jerusalem Portrayed4 “And you, O mortal, take a brick and set it before you. On it portray a city, Jerusalem,(A)2 and put siegeworks against it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a ramp against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around.(B...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - New Living Translation (NLT)

A Sign of the Coming Siege4 “And now, son of man, take a large clay brick and set it down in front of you. Then draw a map of the city of Jerusalem on it. 2 Show the city under siege. Build a wall around it so no one can escape. Set up the enemy camp, and surround the city with siege ramps and batte...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - New Life Version (NLV)

Ezekiel Shows How Jerusalem Will Be Taken4 “Now, son of man, get a hard clay block. Set it down in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. 2 Then build a battle-wall around it to shut it in, and build a hill of dirt against the wall. Cut down trees and lay them on wheels all around the c...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Siege of Jerusalem Portrayed4 “You also, son of man, take a clay tablet and lay it before you, and portray on it a city, Jerusalem. 2 (A)Lay siege against it, build a (B)siege wall against it, and heap up a mound against it; set camps against it also, and place battering rams against it all aro...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

Siege of Jerusalem symbolised4 ‘Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. 2 Then lay siege to it: erect siege works against it, build a ramp up to it, set up camps against it and put battering-rams around it. 3 Then take an iron pan, place ...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - New International Version (NIV)

Siege of Jerusalem Symbolized4 “Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. 2 Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works against it, build a ramp(A) up to it, set up camps against it and put battering rams around it.(B) 3 Then take an iron pan,(C)...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

An Attack on Jerusalem Is Pictured4 “Son of man, get a block of clay. Put it in front of you. Draw the city of Jerusalem on it. 2 Then pretend to surround it and attack it. Make some little models of war machines. Build a ramp up to it. Set camps up around it. Surround it with models of logs to be ...
Read More

Ezekiel 4 - New English Translation (NET)

Ominous Object Lessons4 “And you, son of man, take a brick[a] and set it in front of you. Inscribe[b] a city on it—Jerusalem. 2 Lay siege to it! Build siege works against it. Erect a siege ramp[c] against it! Post soldiers outside it[d] and station battering rams around it. 3 Then for your part ta...
Read More