God’s Word Translation
Ezekiel 4:2
2Set up a blockade against it, build attack walls around it, put up dirt ramps around it, have troops ready to attack it, and place battering rams all around it.
Ezekiel 4:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.
- New International Version (NIV)Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works against it, build a ramp up to it, set up camps against it and put battering rams around it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And put siegeworks against it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a mound against it. Set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Lay siege against it, build a siege wall against it, and heap up a mound against it; set camps against it also, and place battering rams against it all around.
Context of Ezekiel 4:2
1⌞The Lord said,⌟ “Son of man, take clay, put it in front of you, and draw a map of Jerusalem on it. Set up a blockade against it, build attack walls around it, put up dirt ramps around it, have troops ready to attack it, and place battering rams all around it. 3Then take an iron pan, and set it up as a wall between you and the city. Turn your face toward the city as if you were going to attack it, and then attack it. This is a sign for the people of Israel. 4“Then lie on your left side and take the punishment of the nation of Israel yourself. You will bear its punishment as many days as you lie on that side.
Read all of Ezekiel 4Ezekiel 4:2 word by word
וְנָתַתָּ֨ה עָלֶ֜יהָ מָצ֗וֹר וּבָנִ֤יתָ עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ דָּיֵ֔ק וְשָׁפַכְתָּ֥ עָלֶ֖יהָ סֹֽלְלָ֑ה וְנָתַתָּ֨ה עָלֶ֧יהָ מַחֲנ֛וֹת וְשִׂים־עָלֶ֥יהָ כָּרִ֖ים סָבִֽיב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And layנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
- siegeמָצוֹרmâtsôr mâtsûr · siegeH4692
- against it, and buildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- a fortדָּיֵקdâyêq · siegeworkH1785
- against it, and castשָׁפַךְshâphak · to pour: build siege moundH8210
- a mountסֹלְלָהsôlelâh sôlelâh · moundH5550
- the campמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
- also against it, and setשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- ramsכַּרkar · ramH3733
- against it round aboutסָבִיבsâbîyb sebîybâh · aroundH5439
Cross-references for Ezekiel 4:2
- Jeremiah 39:1In the tenth month of Zedekiah’s ninth year as king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with his entire army and blockaded it.
- Jeremiah 52:4On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem with his entire army. They set up camp and built dirt ramps around the city walls.
- Luke 19:42He said, “If you had only known today what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden, so you cannot see it.
- Ezekiel 21:22The omens will indicate that he should go to the right, to Jerusalem. So he will set up his battering rams there, give the order to kill, raise a battle cry, aim the battering rams against the city gates, put up ramps, and set up blockades.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 4:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Battering rams - כרים carim . This is the earliest account we have of this military engine. It was a long beam with a head of brass, like the head and horns of a ram, whence its name. It was hung by chains or ropes, between two beams, or three legs, so that it could admit of being drawn backward and forward some yards. Several stout men, by means of ropes, pulled it as far back as it could go, and then, suddenly letting it loose, it struck with great…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Lay siege against it - The prophet is represented as doing that which he portrays. The leading features of a siege are depicted. See the Jeremiah 6:6 note. The camp - Encampments. The word denotes various hosts in various positions around the city. Fort - It was customary in sieges to construct towers of vast height, sometimes of 20 stories, which were wheeled up to the walls to enable the besiegers to reach the battlements with their arrows; in the lower…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-2The first of Ezekiel’s sign acts was a visual message. A sign act is a symbolic action that teaches a lesson (see “Prophetic Sign Acts” Theme Note). God told Ezekiel to build a small model of Jerusalem. He then showed the city surrounded by enemy forces. This model picture showed that Jerusalem would soon be under siege (surrounded and attacked by an army).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. fort--rather, "watch-tower" (Jr 52:4) wherein the besiegers could watch the movements of the besieged [Gesenius]. A wall of circumvallation [Septuagint and Rosenmuller]. A kind of battering-ram [Maurer]. The first view is best. a mount--wherewith the Chaldeans could be defended from missiles. battering-rams--literally, "through-borers." In Eze 21:22 the same Hebrew is translated "captains."Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 4:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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