Ezekiel 4:7

7 Turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem and with bared arm prophesy against her.

Ezekiel 4:7 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
7 Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it.
English Standard Version (ESV)
7 And you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem, with your arm bared, and you shall prophesy against the city.
New Living Translation (NLT)
7 “Meanwhile, keep staring at the siege of Jerusalem. Lie there with your arm bared and prophesy her destruction.
The Message Bible (MSG)
7 Look straight at the siege of Jerusalem. Roll up your sleeve, shake your bare arm, and preach against her.
American Standard Version (ASV)
7 And thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, with thine arm uncovered; and thou shalt prophesy against it.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
7 Turn your face toward the blockaded Jerusalem. Shake your fist and prophesy against it.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
7 You must turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem with your arm bared, and prophesy against it.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
7 "Next, turn your face toward the model of Jerusalem under attack. Uncover your arm as if you were a soldier ready to fight. Prophesy against the city.

Ezekiel 4:7 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 4:7

Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege at
Jerusalem
All the while he was lying either on the left side or the right, his face was to be directed to the siege of Jerusalem, portrayed upon the tile, and to all the preparations made for that purpose, to show that all had reference to that and that it wound certainly be; for, as the prophet represented the Chaldean army the directing and setting his face to the siege shows their resolution and inflexibleness, that they were determined upon taking the city, and nothing should divert them from it: and thine arm [shall be] uncovered;
which was usual in fighting in those times and countries; for, wearing long garments, they were obliged to turn them up on the arm, or lay them aside, that they might more expeditiously handle their weapons, and engage with the enemy: in this form the soldiers in Trajan's column are figured fighting; and it is related that the Africans used to fight with their arms uncovered {h}; thus Scanderbeg in later times used to fight the Turks. The design of the phrase is to show how ready, diligent, and expeditious, the Chaldeans would be in carrying on the siege. The Targum renders it,

``thou shalt strengthen thine arm;''
and so do the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions: and thou shall prophesy against it:
meaning not so much by words, if at all, but by these actions, gestures, and habit; for they all foretold what would certainly come to pass.
FOOTNOTES:

F8 Vid. Lydium de Re Militari, l. 4. c. 3. p. 160.

Ezekiel 4:7 In-Context

5 I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the people of Israel.
6 “After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the people of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year.
7 Turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem and with bared arm prophesy against her.
8 I will tie you up with ropes so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have finished the days of your siege.
9 “Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. You are to eat it during the 390 days you lie on your side.

Cross References 1

  • 1. S ver 3; Ezekiel 6:2; S Ezekiel 13:17
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