Ezekiel 4

A Sign of Jerusalem’s Siege

1“Now youH859, sonH1121 of manH120, takeH3947 a brickH3843, placeH5414 itH853 before youH6440, and drawH2710 on itH5921 the cityH5892 of JerusalemH3389. 2Then layH5414 siegeH4692 against itH5921: ConstructH1129 a siege wallH1785, buildH8210 a rampH5550 to itH5921, set upH5414 campsH4264 against itH5921, and placeH7760 battering ramsH3733 around itH5921 on all sidesH5439. 3ThenH859 takeH3947 an ironH1270 plateH4227 and set it upH5414 as an ironH1270 wallH7023 between yourselfH996 and the cityH5892. TurnH3559 your faceH6440 toward itH413 so that it isH1961 under siegeH4692, and besiege itH6696H5921. ThisH1931 will be a signH226 to the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478.

4ThenH859 lie downH7901 onH5921 your leftH8042 sideH6654 and placeH7760 the iniquityH5771 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 upon yourselfH5921. You are to bearH5375 their iniquityH5771 for the numberH4557 of daysH3117 you lie on your sideH7901H5921. 5For IH589 have assignedH5414 to you 390H7969H3967H8673 daysH3117, according to the numberH4557 of yearsH8141 of their iniquityH5771. So you shall bearH5375 the iniquityH5771 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478.

6When you have completedH3615 these daysH428, lie downH7901 againH8145, but onH5921 your rightH3227 sideH6654, and bearH5375 the iniquityH5771 of the houseH1004 of JudahH3063. I have assignedH5414 to you 40H705 daysH3117, a dayH3117 for each yearH8141. 7You must turnH3559 your faceH6440 towardH413 the siegeH4692 of JerusalemH3389 with your armH2220 baredH2834, and prophesyH5012 against itH5921.

8Now beholdH2009, I will tie you upH5414 with ropesH5688H5921 so you cannotH3808 turnH2015 from sideH6654 toH413 sideH6654 untilH5704 you have finishedH3615 the daysH3117 of your siegeH4692.

The Defiled Bread

9But takeH859H3947 wheatH2406, barleyH8184, beansH6321, lentilsH5742, milletH1764, and speltH3698; putH5414 themH853 in a singleH259 containerH3627 and makeH6213 themH853 into breadH3899 for yourself. This is what you are to eatH398 during theH4557 390H7969H3967H8673 daysH3117 you lieH7901 onH5921 your sideH6654. 10You are to weigh outH4946 twentyH6242 shekelsH8255 of foodH39781 to eatH398 each dayH3117, and you are to eat itH398 at set timesH6256H5704.

11You are also to measure outH4884 a sixthH8345 of a hinH1969 of waterH43252 to drinkH8354, and you are to drink itH8354 at set timesH6256H5704. 12And you shall eatH398 the food as you would a barleyH8184 cakeH5692, after you bakeH5746 it over dried humanH120 excrementH1561H6627 in the sightH5869 of the people.”

13Then the LORDH3068 saidH559, “This is howH3602 the IsraelitesH1121H3478 will eatH398 their defiledH2931 breadH3899 among the nationsH1471 to whichH834 I will banish themH5080H8033.”

14“AhH162, LordH136 GODH3069,” I saidH559H2009, “IH5315 have neverH3808 defiled myselfH2930.3 From my youthH5271 untilH5704 nowH6258 I have notH3808 eatenH398 anything found deadH5038 or mauled by wild beastsH2966. NoH3808 uncleanH6292 meatH1320 has ever enteredH935 my mouthH6310.”

15“LookH7200,” He repliedH559H413, “I will letH5414 you use cowH1241 dungH6832 instead ofH8478 humanH120 excrementH1561, and you may bakeH6213 your breadH3899 over thatH5921.”

16Then He toldH559 meH413, “SonH1121 of manH120H2005, I am going to cut offH7665 the supplyH42944 of foodH3899 in JerusalemH3389. They will anxiouslyH1674 eatH398 breadH3899 rationed by weightH4948, and in despairH8078 they will drinkH8354 waterH4325 by measureH4884. 17SoH4616 they will lackH2637 foodH3899 and waterH4325; they will be appalledH8074 at the sight of oneH376 anotherH251 wasting awayH4743 in their iniquityH5771.