son of man. See note on Ezekiel 2:1 . tile: or, brick . A Babylonian brick, as used for inscription, was about 14 inches by 12. lay = give, or take, as in verses: Ezekiel 4:1 , Ezekiel 4:2 , Ezekiel 4:5 , Ezekiel 4:8 ; not Ezekiel 4:4 . Hebrew. nathan, rendered "appointed" in Ezekiel 4:6 . pourtray = grave. read more
fort = a siege tower, or bulwark. mount = embankment. read more
pan = a flat plate, as used for baking. set thy face . Ref to Pentateuch (Leviticus 17:10 ; Leviticus 20:3 , Leviticus 20:5 , Leviticus 20:6 ; Leviticus 26:17 ). App-92 . Compare Jeremiah 21:10 ; Jeremiah 44:11 . the house of Israel . See note on Exodus 16:31 . To be carefully distinguished here from Judah. read more
PROPHECY OF JERUSALEM'S DESTRUCTION (Ezekiel 4-7)VISIBLE PORTRAYAL OF FALL OF JERUSALEMThe absurd view that the events of this chapter existed only subjectively in the mind of Ezekiel, that it was all a vision of his, is here rejected. "The adoption of such an interpretation is not the act of an honest interpreter."[1]What Ezekiel did here was only another example of what many of God's prophets throughout the ages also did. Zedekiah's "horns of iron" (1 Kings 22:11); Isaiah's walking "naked and... read more
Ezekiel 4:1. Take thee a tile— A slate. See Jeremiah 1:11; Jeremiah 13:4. Maimonides, not attending to the primitive mode of information made use of by Ezekiel here, by Jeremiah in the passages referred to, and by several other of the prophets, is much scandalised at several of these actions, unbecoming, as he supposed, the dignity of the prophetical office: and is therefore for resolving them in general into supernatural visions, impressed on the imagination of the prophet; and this because... read more
Ezekiel 4:3. Take thou unto thee an iron pan— The prophet takes to him an iron pot or vessel, such as fire was wont to be carried in before the Chaldean and Persian generals, when they went to battle. And he puts it for a wall of iron between him and the city, to signify the force and strength of that army whose symbol was fire. Then he sets, or hardens his face against the city, as men look fiercely, who are inflexibly bent on the ruin of another; and he lays siege to it, or declares the city... read more
1. tile—a sun-dried brick, such as are found in Babylon, covered with cuneiform inscriptions, often two feet long and one foot broad. read more
2. fort—rather, "watch-tower" (Jeremiah 52:4) wherein the besiegers could watch the movements of the besieged [GESENIUS]. A wall of circumvallation [Septuagint and ROSENMULLER]. A kind of battering-ram [MAURER]. The first view is best. a mount—wherewith the Chaldeans could be defended from missiles. battering-rams—literally, "through-borers." In Jeremiah 52:4- : the same Hebrew is translated "captains." read more
3. iron pan—the divine decree as to the Chaldean army investing the city. set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city—Ezekiel, in the person of God, represents the wall of separation between him and the people as one of iron: and the Chaldean investing army. His instrument of separating them from him, as one impossible to burst through. set . . . face against it—inexorably (Psalms 34:16). The exiles envied their brethren remaining in Jerusalem, but exile is better than the straitness of... read more
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Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 4:1-17
4:1-7:27 JUDGMENT AGAINST JERUSALEMSiege and exile (4:1-17)Prophets often acted their messages instead of, or in addition to, speaking them. Ezekiel drew a rough picture of Jerusalem on a brick, placed the brick on the ground, then with sticks, stones, clay and markings in the sand, he modelled a siege of the city. The message to the exiles was that they had no chance of an early return to Jerusalem. On the contrary, Jerusalem could expect further attack. God would not defend the city; rather... read more