Jerusalem’s Desolation Foretold

“As for you, son of man, take a (A)sharp sword; take and [a]use it as a barber’s razor on your head and beard. Then take (B)scales for weighing and divide [b]the hair. A third you shall burn in the fire at the center of the city, when the (C)days of the siege are completed. Then you shall take a third and strike it with the sword all around [c]the city, and a third you shall scatter to the wind; for I will (D)unsheathe a sword behind them. Take also a few hairs in number from [d]them and bind them in the hems of your robes. Take again some of them and throw them into the fire and burn them in the fire; from it a fire will [e]spread to all the house of Israel.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 5:1 Lit pass it over your head
  2. Ezekiel 5:1 Lit them
  3. Ezekiel 5:2 Lit it
  4. Ezekiel 5:3 Lit there
  5. Ezekiel 5:4 Lit go out

“As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword and use it as a barber’s razor.[a] Shave off some of the hair from your head and your beard.[b] Then take scales and divide up the hair you cut off. Burn a third of it in the fire inside the city when the days of your siege are completed. Take a third and slash it with a sword all around the city. Scatter a third to the wind, and I will unleash a sword behind them. But take a few strands of hair[c] from those and tie them in the ends of your garment.[d] Again, take more of them and throw them into the fire,[e] and burn them up. From there a fire will spread to all the house of Israel.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 5:1 tn The Hebrew word occurs only here in the OT.
  2. Ezekiel 5:1 tn Heb, “pass (it) over your head and your beard.”
  3. Ezekiel 5:3 tn Heb “from there a few in number.” The word “strands” has been supplied in the translation for clarification.
  4. Ezekiel 5:3 sn Objects could be carried in the end of a garment (Hag 2:12).
  5. Ezekiel 5:4 tn Heb “into the midst of” (so KJV, ASV). This phrase has been left untranslated for stylistic reasons.