Ezekiel 5:1-5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 5:1-4

We have here the sign by which the utter destruction of Jerusalem is set forth; and here, as before, the prophet is himself the sign, that the people might see how much he affected himself with, and interested himself in, the case of Jerusalem, and how it lay to his heart, even when he foretold the desolations of it. He was so much concerned about it as to take what was done to it as done to himself, so far was he from desiring the woeful day. I. He must shave off the hair of his head and... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 5:5-17

We have here the explanation of the foregoing similitude: This is Jerusalem. Thus it is usual in scripture language to give the name of the thing signified to the sign; as when Christ said, This is my body. The prophet's head, which was to be shaved, signified Jerusalem, which by the judgments of God was now to be stripped of all its ornaments, to be emptied of all its inhabitants, and to be set naked and bare, to be shaved with a razor that is hired, Isa. 7:20. The head of one that was a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 5:1

And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife ,.... Or, "sword" F13 חרב "gladium", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Polanus, Starckius. . The word signifies any sharp instrument, by which anything is cut off, or cut asunder; what is here meant is explained by the following: take thee a barber's razor . The Septuagint and Arabic versions read this in conjunction with the former, thus, "take thee a knife", or "sword, sharper than a barber's razor"; and so the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 5:2

Thou, shall burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city ,.... Of Jerusalem, as portrayed upon the tile, Ezekiel 4:1 ; or the prophet was now in Chaldea. The burning of the third part of the hair with fire denotes such who were destroyed by the pestilence and famine during the siege; see Lamentations 5:10 ; or it denotes the burning of the city itself, when the siege was over; since it follows: when the days of the siege are fulfilled ; for, when it was taken, it was burnt... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 5:3

Thou shall also take thereof a few in number ,.... These are they that were left in the land of Judea by Nebuzaradan, for vinedressers and husbandmen, and such as returned out of Egypt into the land of Judah, Jeremiah 44:28 ; and bind them in thy skirts ; in the pockets of them; signifying both the very small number of them, and their preservation. Jarchi and Kimchi interpret these of those that were carried captive to Babylon, and lived there, and were preserved, and returned again. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 5:4

Then take of them again ,.... Of that small number preserved: and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire : this was fulfilled in Gedaliah and the Jews that were with him, over whom the king of Babylon had made him governor, who were slain by Ishmael, Jeremiah 41:1 ; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel ; from this barbarous murder of Gedaliah and his men, judgment came upon all the house of Israel; a war commenced between... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 5:5

Thus saith the Lord God, this is Jerusalem ,.... A type or sign of it; it may refer to both the former and latter type. It is the city of Jerusalem that is designed by the city portrayed upon the tile; and the same is signified by the head of the prophet that was to be shaved; that being not only the chief city of Judea, but of the whole world, as follows: I have set it in the midst of the nations ; as the chief of them; and distinguished it from them by peculiar favours and blessings,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 5:1-4

Take thee a sharp knife - Among the Israelites, and indeed among most ancient nations, there were very few edge-tools. The sword was the chief; and this was used as a knife, a razor, etc., according to its different length and sharpness. It is likely that only one kind of instrument is here intended; a knife or short sword, to be employed as a razor. Here is a new emblem produced, in order to mark out the coming evils. The prophet represents the Jewish nation. His hair, the people. ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 5:5

This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations - I have made this city the most eminent and the most illustrious in the world. Some think that these words refer to its geographical situation, as being equally in the center of the habitable world. But any point on a globe is its center, no matter where laid down; and it would not be difficult to show that even this literal sense is tolerably correct. But the point which is the center of the greatest portion of land that can be... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 5:1

Verse 1 By another vision God confirms what he had lately taught concerning the siege of Jerusalem. For he orders the Prophet to shave the hairs off his head and his beard, then to distribute them into three parts, and to weigh them in a balance. He mentions a just balance, that equity may be preserved, and that one portion may not surpass another. There is no doubt that by the hairs he understands the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as by the head he understands the seat itself of their... read more

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