Yechezkel 5

1 And thou, Ben Adam, take thee a sharp cherev, take thee a barber’s ta’ar (razor), and cause it to pass upon thine rosh and upon thy zakan (beard): then take thee scales for weighing and divide the hair.

2 Thou shalt burn with flame a third part in the midst of the Ir, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and strike it all around with the cherev: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the ruach; and I will draw out the cherev after them.

3 Thou shalt also take thereof a few in mispar, and bind them in the folds of thy robes.

4 Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the eish, and burn them in the eish; for thereof shall an eish spread unto kol Bais Yisroel.

5 Thus saith Adonoi Hashem; This is Yerushalayim: I have set it in the midst of the Goyim and countries that are all around her.

6 And she hath rebelled against My mishpatim with resha’ah more than the Goyim, and My chukkot more than the countries that are all around her: for they have refused My mishpatim and My chukkot, they have not walked in them.

7 Therefore thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Because more than the Goyim that are all around you, ye have been ungovernable, and have not walked in My chukkot, neither have done My mishpatim, neither have done according to the mishpatim of the Goyim that are all around you;

8 Therefore thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Hineni, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute mishpatim in the midst of thee in the sight of the Goyim.

9 And I will do to thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of kol to’avot of thee.

10 Therefore the avot shall eat banim in the midst of thee, and the banim shall eat their avot; and I will execute shefatim (judgments, punishments) in thee, and kol she’erit of thee will I scatter unto kol ruach.

11 Therefore, as I live, saith Adonoi Hashem; Surely, because thou hast made My Mikdash tameh with all thy shikkutzim, and with all thine to’avot, therefore will I also withdraw; neither shall Mine eye pity, neither will I spare.

12 A third part of thee shall die by dever, and by ra’av shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the cherev all around thee; and I will scatter a third part into kol ruach, and I will draw out a cherev after them.

13 Thus shall Mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause My chemah to be satisfied against them, and I will be avenged: and they shall know that I Hashem have spoken in My kinah, when I have accomplished My chemah against them.

14 Moreover I will make thee a ruin, and a cherpah among the Goyim that are all around thee, before the eyes of all that pass by.

15 So it shall be a cherpah (reproach) and a gedufah (taunt), a musar and a meshammah (astonishment, object of horror) unto the Goyim that are all around thee, when I shall execute shefatim (judgments) on thee in anger and in chemah and in tokhchot chemah (furious rebukes). I Hashem have spoken.

16 When I shall send upon them disastrous khitzim (arrows) of ra’av (famine), which shall be for mashchit (destruction), and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the ra’av (famine) upon you, and will break your mateh lechem (staff of bread, food supply):

17 So will I send upon you ra’av (famine) and chayyah ra’ah (wild beasts), and they shall leave thee bereaved as childless: and dever and dahm shall pass through thee; and I will bring the cherev upon thee. I Hashem have spoken.

Yechezkel 5 Commentary

Chapter 5

A type of hair, showing the judgments about to come upon the Jews. (1-4) These awful judgments are declared. (5-17)

Verses 1-4 The prophet must shave off the hair of his head and beard, which signifies God's utter rejecting and abandoning that people. One part must be burned in the midst of the city, denoting the multitudes that should perish by famine and pestilence. Another part was to be cut in pieces, representing the many who were slain by the sword. Another part was to be scattered in the wind, denoting the carrying away of some into the land of the conqueror, and the flight of others into the neighbouring countries for shelter. A small quantity of the third portion was to be bound in his shirts, as that of which he is very careful. But few were reserved. To whatever refuge sinners flee, the fire and sword of God's wrath will consume them.

Verses 5-17 The sentence passed upon Jerusalem is very dreadful, the manner of expression makes it still more so. Who is able to stand in God's sight when he is angry? Those who live and die impenitent, will perish for ever unpitied; there is a day coming when the Lord will not spare. Let not persons or churches, who change the Lord's statutes, expect to escape the doom of Jerusalem. Let us endeavour to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. Sooner or later God's word will prove itself true.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 5

This chapter is of the same argument with the former; and contains a type of Jerusalem's destruction; an explanation of that type; what were the reasons of God's judgments on that city; and the nature, rise, and end of them. The type is in Eze 5:1-4; the explanation of that type is in Eze 5:5; the reasons of the severe judgments threatened are changing the statutes of the Lord, and not walking in them, and defiling the sanctuary with their abominations, Eze 5:6-11; an account of the judgments of God, answerable to each of the parts in the type, Eze 5:12; the ends of these judgments are, with respect to God, the accomplishment of his anger, and the satisfaction of his justice; with respect to the Jews, bringing them to an acknowledgment that he had spoken in his zeal; and, with respect to the nations, their instruction and astonishment, Eze 5:13-15; and the chapter is concluded with an assurance that these judgments would be sent, Eze 5:16,17.