Siege of Jerusalem Symbolized

“Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. 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) 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)

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Ominous Object Lessons

“And you, son of man, take a brick[a] and set it in front of you. Inscribe[b] a city on it—Jerusalem. 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. Then for your part take an iron frying pan[e] and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city. Set your face toward it. It is to be under siege; you are to besiege it. This is a sign[f] for the house of Israel.

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 4:1 sn Ancient Near Eastern bricks were 10 to 24 inches long and 6 to 13½ inches wide.
  2. Ezekiel 4:1 tn Or perhaps “draw.”
  3. Ezekiel 4:2 tn Or “a barricade.”
  4. Ezekiel 4:2 tn Heb “set camps against it.”
  5. Ezekiel 4:3 tn Or “a griddle,” that is, some sort of plate for cooking.
  6. Ezekiel 4:3 tn That is, a symbolic object lesson.