Ezekiel 5:1-3

Listen to Ezekiel 5:1-3

Jerusalem Will Be Destroyed

1 “And you, 1O son of man, take a 2sharp sword. Use it as 3a barber’s razor and 4pass it over your head and your beard. Then take balances for weighing and divide the hair.
2 5A third part you shall burn in the fire 6in the midst of the city, 7when the days of the siege are completed. And a third part you shall take and strike with the sword all around the city. 8And a third part you shall scatter to the wind, and 9I will unsheathe the sword after them.
3 10And you shall take from these a small number and bind them in the skirts of your robe.

Ezekiel 5:1-3 Meaning and Commentary

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.

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Cross References 10

  • 1. 5:1 See ch. 2:1
  • 2. 5:1 Ps. 57:4; Isa. 49:2
  • 3. 5:1 [Isa. 7:20]
  • 4. 5:1 [ch. 1:3; 44:20; Lev. 21:5]
  • 5. 5:2 See ver. 12
  • 6. 5:2 [ver. 5; ch. 4:1]
  • 7. 5:2 See ch. 4:8
  • 8. 5:2 [ver. 10]
  • 9. 5:2 ver. 12; ch. 12:14; [Jer. 9:16]
  • 10. 5:3 [Jer. 40:6; 52:16]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025