Ezekiel 4:15

15 He answered me: "Then I'll let you use cow dung instead of human excrement. You can make your bread over that."

Ezekiel 4:15 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 4:15

Then he said to me
The Lord hearkened to the prophet's prayer and argument, and makes some abatement and alteration in the charge he gave him: lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung:
that is, allowed him to make use of the one instead of the other, in baking his mingled bread: thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith;
having gathered cow's dung, and dried it, he was to burn it, and bake his bread with it, which is meant by preparing it. In some parts of our nation, where fuel is scarce, cow's dung is made use of; it is gathered and plastered on the walls of houses, and, being dried in clots, is taken and burnt.

Ezekiel 4:15 In-Context

13 The LORD says: In this same way the Israelites will eat their unclean bread among the nations where I am scattering them.

14 And I said: "Ah, LORD God! I've never been unclean! From my childhood until now I've never eaten anything that wasn't properly slaughtered, and no unclean meat has ever entered my mouth!"

15 He answered me: "Then I'll let you use cow dung instead of human excrement. You can make your bread over that."

16 Then he said to me: Human one, I'm destroying the food supply in Jerusalem. They will anxiously ration and eat their food, and in dismay they will dole out and drink their water.

17 When their food and water dwindles away, everyone will be horrified, and they will waste away because of their guilt.