Ezekiel 5 Study Notes

5:10 Cannibalism was prohibited in the law of Moses (Lv 26:29; Dt 28:53-57) and was denounced by the prophets (Is 9:19-21; Jr 19:9; Zch 11:9). Tragically, the Israelites resorted to cannibalism in Jerusalem during the siege and the subsequent fall to Babylon’s forces in 588-586 BC (Lm 1:7-14; 2:20-22; 4:4-10).

5:11 The expression show you no pity was used to discourage leniency in criminal cases (Dt 7:16; 13:8; 19:13,21; 25:12). The defilement of the holy sanctuary is the sole issue in 8:1-18.

5:12 Famine and plague often accompanied the siege of a city. These were also numbered among the covenant curses of Lv 26:25-26.

5:13 God’s zeal “moves him to punish sin so people will know he is not indifferent to unrighteousness, and it moves him to redeem and restore a remnant lest the unbelieving nations should question his faithfulness” (Lamar Cooper, Ezekiel, NAC).

5:14-15 The nation that was chosen for honor (Dt 26:19) now became the moral spectacle of the nations (you will be a disgrace and a taunt). The role of the nations here contrasts with the original blessing that Israel was supposed to bring them. She failed at this task (Lk 12:48).

5:16-17 The phrase when I shoot deadly arrows of famine at them begins a list of judgments. These are identical to the standard types of covenant curses associated with disobedience of God’s law (famine, Lv 26:26,29; wild animals, Lv 26:22; Dt 32:24; disease, Dt 28:21; bloodshed, Dt 32:42).

Miqdash, from qadash (be holy), is a noun designating a thing or place as holy or consecrated. Miqdash generally means sanctuary and refers to Israel’s tabernacle (Ex 25:8) or temple (Is 63:18). Sometimes the plural of miqdash connotes the temple’s various parts, its sanctuaries (Ezk 21:2), holy places (Jr 51:51), or sacred places (Ezk 7:24). “The sanctuary (miqdash) of the sanctuary (qodesh)” is the most holy place (Lv 16:33), where the ark was. Miqdash can indicate the holy objects carried by Kohathites (Nm 10:21). The Levites presented the consecrated part of Israel’s offerings to God, a tenth of the tenth (Nm 18:29). Once miqdash appears as temple (Dn 11:31). Miqdash has modifiers indicating God’s ownership of the temple: God’s (Ps 73:17), my (Ezk 44:7-9), his (Ps 96:6), your (Ps 74:7). The temple also belongs to Jerusalem (Lm 1:10) and Israelites (2Ch 36:17). God himself is a sanctuary (Is 8:14).