THE PROPHET’S FOOD SYMBOLIZING THE CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE IN EXILE, Ezekiel 4:9-17. The prophet is commanded to take of all kinds of grain and make the mixture into cakes, which he shall bake with dung, and of which he shall eat very sparingly. This is to show the impoverished condition of the people in the siege (Ezekiel 4:16-17), and also their pollution during the exile (Ezekiel 4:13). read more
12. The supply of wood in a besieged city must soon give out. Camels’ and asses’ dung, which is the ordinary fuel for poor people in Egypt and Palestine even to this day, could not be used because the beasts were all dead. Besides, the once “holy people” have lost all sense of shame. This vividly represents the loathesomeness and uncleanness of the people (Ezekiel 4:13; compare Deuteronomy 23:13), and was as revolting to Ezekiel as to us (Leviticus 5:3; Leviticus 7:21). Henceforth the once... read more
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Ezekiel 4:12
And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.As barley cakes — Because they never had enough to make a loaf with, they eat them as barley cakes.With dung — There was no wood left, nor yet dung of other creatures. This also was represented in a vision. read more