Ezekiel 5
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CHAPTER 5
God’s Judgment Against Jerusalem (5:1–17)
1–4 The next scene in Ezekiel’s dramatic enactment of the siege of Jerusalem was the cutting off of his hair. This act also symbolized defilement, because a priest like Ezekiel was forbidden to shave his head (Leviticus 21:5). Ezekiel’s defilement symbolized the defilement of the people of Judah.
Ezekiel’s cut hair symbolized the inhabitants of Jerusalem. One–third would be burned when Jerusalem was burned, and another third would die by the sword; the last third would be scattered (verse 2). But from this last portion, a few strands—a remnant—would be spared; these strands Ezekiel was told to place in the folds of his garment (verse 3). A few members of the scattered group would also be judged by fire (verse 4).
5–12 Then God pronounced judgment against the people of Jerusalem. When God spoke He opened Ezekiel’s mouth, and the prophet repeated God’s words to the people (Ezekiel 3:27). God said, “This is Jerusalem” (verse 5), referring to the clay tablet surrounded by model siege works (Ezekiel 4:1–2).
God then listed the people’s sins and the judgments that would soon fall upon Jerusalem. Among the judgments would be hunger so severe that parents would eat their children (Deuteronomy 28:53; Jeremiah 19:9). All this would happen because the people of Jerusalem had broken their covenant with God; as a result, God would withdraw from them His favor, His covenant blessings (see Leviticus 26:3–39).
13–17 Here the Lord says that when His people have been punished, then they will know that He has spoken (verse 13). This is the first of many places in Ezekiel’s book where the Lord says that He will be known by His judgments. If the people could not be taught by God’s words, then they would have to be taught by God’s actions!
What must the people have thought when they saw Ezekiel’s strange behavior? Ezekiel probably acted out these prophecies just in front of his house; one can imagine how the bystanders must have laughed at his behavior. But Ezekiel surely got their attention! And once he had their attention, he proclaimed to them the words of the Lord.