Ezekiel 4:15

15 Then he said unto me, Behold, I give thee cow’s dung for man’s dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread with it.

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 And the LORD said, Even thus shall the sons of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, where I will drive them.

14 Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul is not defiled: for from my youth up even until now have I not eaten of that which dies of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither has abominable flesh come into my mouth.

15 Then he said unto me, Behold, I give thee cow’s dung for man’s dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread with it.

16 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I break the sustenance of bread in Jerusalem; and they shall eat bread by weight, and with anguish; and they shall drink water by measure, and with terror.

17 For they shall lack bread and water, and terrorize one another, and faint because of their iniquity.