Ezekiel 5:12

12 The third part of thee shall die by pestilence, and shall be wasted by hunger in the midst of thee; and the third part of thee shall fall down by sword in thy compass; forsooth I shall scatter thy third part into each wind, and I shall draw out a sword after them. (A third part of thee shall die by pestilence, and shall be wasted by famine in the midst of thee; and a third part of thee shall fall down by the sword all around thee; and I shall scatter a third part of thee into each wind, and then I shall draw out a sword to go after them.)

Ezekiel 5:12 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 5:12

A third part of them shall die with the pestilence
This, with what follows, explains the division of the hair into the three parts, and what was done with them; and shows that the burning of one third part denotes their being destroyed by the pestilence, mentioned along with burning coals, ( Habakkuk 3:5 ) ; and by famine, as follows: and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee;
and though there is no account of the former, yet there is of the latter; and no doubt but the pestilence raged, as well as the famine, at the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee;
signified by the third part of the hair, smitten with a knife; and intends such as perished by the sword of the Chaldeans at the taking of the city, and when they fled out of it; and so are properly said to fall round about it: and I will scatter a third part into all the winds;
the greatest part of which were carried into Babylon, and others into other parts; (See Gill on Ezekiel 5:2); and I will draw out a sword after them;
particularly after them that went into Egypt. The Septuagint and Arabic versions read a "fourth part" in each clause, as before; and make it out thus, "a fourth part of thee shall be consumed with death (the pestilence); and a fourth part of thee shall be consumed with famine in the midst of thee; and a fourth part of thee I will scatter to every wind; and a fourth part of thee shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will draw out the sword after them".

Ezekiel 5:12 In-Context

10 Therefore fathers shall eat (their) sons in the midst of thee, and sons shall eat their fathers; and I shall make dooms in thee (and I shall bring in judgements upon thee), and I shall winnow all thine remnants into each wind;

11 Therefore (as) I live, saith the Lord God, no but for that that thou defouledest mine holy thing in all thine offences, and in all thine abominations; and I shall break, and mine eye shall not spare, and I shall not do mercy. (And so as I live, saith the Lord God, because thou hast defiled my holy place with all thy offences, and with all thy abominations, I shall break thee, and my eye shall not spare thee, and I shall not have any mercy on thee.)

12 The third part of thee shall die by pestilence, and shall be wasted by hunger in the midst of thee; and the third part of thee shall fall down by sword in thy compass; forsooth I shall scatter thy third part into each wind, and I shall draw out a sword after them. (A third part of thee shall die by pestilence, and shall be wasted by famine in the midst of thee; and a third part of thee shall fall down by the sword all around thee; and I shall scatter a third part of thee into each wind, and then I shall draw out a sword to go after them.)

13 And I shall [ful]fill my strong vengeance, and I shall make mine indignation to rest in them, and I shall be comforted. And they shall know, that I the Lord spake in my fervent love, when I shall [ful]fill all mine indignation in them. (And I shall fulfill my strong vengeance, and I shall make my indignation to rest upon them, and then I shall be comforted, or shall be satisfied. And they shall know, that I the Lord spoke in my jealous anger, when I shall fulfill all my indignation upon them.)

14 And I shall give thee into desert, [and] into shame to heathen men that be in thy compass, in the sight of each that passeth forth. (And I shall make thee into desolation, and into shame to the heathen who be all around thee, and before each person who passeth by.)