Ezekiel 4:13

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

Ezekiel 4:13 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 4:13

And the Lord said, even thus shall the children of Israel,
&c.] Not the ten tribes only, or those who were among the other two, but all the Jews in captivity: eat the defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them;
so called, not because mixed, but baked in the above manner; which was a symbol of the defilements which they should contract upon various accounts, by dwelling among the Gentiles; so that this foretells their captivity; their pollution among the nations of the world; and that they should not be the holy people to the Lord they had been, and had boasted of. The Jews F11 cite this passage to prove that he that eats bread without drying his hands is as if he ate defiled bread.


FOOTNOTES:

F11 T. Bab. Sota, fol, 4. 2.

Ezekiel 4:13 In-Context

11 You will also ration your water by measure, drinking a sixth of a hin at fixed times each day.
12 Eat it like barley bread, and bake it on human excrement while they watch.
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."
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