---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Ezekiel 4"
description: "CHAPTER 4   :-. SYMBOLICAL
VISION OF THE SIEGE
AND THE INIQUITY-BEARING. 1. tile—a sun-dried brick,
such as are found in Babylon, covered with cuneiform i"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/ezekiel/4"
---

CHAPTER 4

. SYMBOLICAL
VISION OF THE SIEGE
AND THE INIQUITY-BEARING.

**1. tile**—a sun-dried brick,
such as are found in Babylon, covered with cuneiform inscriptions,
often two feet long and one foot broad.

**2. fort**—rather, "watch-tower"
([Jeremiah 52:4](../../../kjv/jeremiah/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 [Jeremiah 52:4](../../../kjv/jeremiah/52/4) the same *Hebrew* is translated "captains."

**3. iron pan**—the divine decree
as to the Chaldean army investing the city.
**set it for a wall of iron
between thee and the city**—Ezekiel, in the person of God,
represents the wall of separation between him and the people as one
of iron: and the Chaldean investing army. His instrument of
separating them from him, as one impossible to burst through.
**set . . . face against
it**—inexorably ([Psalms 34:16](../../../kjv/psalms/34/16)).
The exiles envied their brethren remaining in Jerusalem, but exile is
better than the straitness of a siege.

**4.** Another symbolical act
performed at the same time as the former, in vision, not in external
action, wherein it would have been only puerile: narrated as a thing
ideally done, it would make a vivid impression. The second action is
supplementary to the first, to bring out more fully the same
prophetic idea.
**left side**—referring to
the *position* of the ten tribes, the *northern* kingdom,
as Judah, the *southern,* answers to "the right side"
([Ezekiel 4:6](../../../kjv/ezekiel/4/6)). The Orientals facing
the east in their mode, had the north on their *left,* and the
south on their *right* ([Ezekiel 4:6](../../../kjv/ezekiel/4/6)). Also the right was more honorable than the left: so Judah
as being the seat of the temple, was more so than Israel.
**bear the iniquity**—iniquity
being regarded as a *burden;* so it means, "bear the
*punishment* of their iniquity" ([Ezekiel 4:6](../../../kjv/ezekiel/4/6)). A type of Him who was the great *sin-bearer,* not in
mimic show as Ezekiel, but in reality ([Isaiah 53:4](../../../kjv/isaiah/53/4);
[Isaiah 53:6](../../../kjv/isaiah/53/6); [Isaiah 53:12](../../../kjv/isaiah/53/12)).

**5. three hundred and ninety days**—The
three hundred ninety years of punishment appointed for Israel, and
forty for Judah, cannot refer to the siege of Jerusalem. That siege
is referred to in [Ezekiel 4:1-3](../../../kjv/ezekiel/4/1-3),
and in a sense restricted to the literal siege, but comprehending the
*whole* train of punishment to be inflicted for their sin;
therefore we read here merely of its sore pressure, not of its
result. The sum of three hundred ninety and forty years is four
hundred thirty, a period famous in the history of the
covenant-people, being that of their sojourn in Egypt ([Exodus 12:40](../../../kjv/exodus/12/40);
[Exodus 12:41](../../../kjv/exodus/12/41); [Galatians 3:17](../../../kjv/galatians/3/17)).
The forty alludes to the forty years in the wilderness. Elsewhere
([Deuteronomy 28:68](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/28/68); [Hosea 9:3](../../../kjv/hosea/9/3)),
God threatened to bring them back to Egypt, which must mean, not
Egypt literally, but a bondage as bad as that one in Egypt. So now
God will reduce them to a kind of new Egyptian bondage to the world:
Israel, the greater transgressor, for a longer period than Judah
(compare [Ezekiel 20:35-38](../../../kjv/ezekiel/20/35-38)).
Not the whole of the four hundred thirty years of the Egypt state is
appointed to Israel; but this shortened by the forty years of the
wilderness sojourn, to imply, that a way is open to their return to
life by their having the Egypt state merged into that of the
wilderness; that is, by ceasing from idolatry and seeking in their
sifting and sore troubles, through God's covenant, a restoration to
righteousness and peace [FAIRBAIRN].
The three hundred ninety, in reference to the *sin* of Israel,
was also literally true, being the years from the setting up of the
calves by Jeroboam ([Ezekiel 20:35-26](../../../kjv/ezekiel/20/35-26)), that is, from 975 to 583 B.C.:
*about* the year of the Babylonians captivity; and perhaps the
forty of Judah refers to that part of Manasseh's fifty-five years'
reign in which he had not repented, and which, we are expressly told,
was the cause of God's removal of Judah, notwithstanding Josiah's
reformation ([1 Kings 21:10-16](../../../kjv/1-kings/21/10-16);
[2 Kings 23:26](../../../kjv/2-kings/23/26); [2 Kings 23:27](../../../kjv/2-kings/23/27)).

**6. each day for a year**—literally,
"a day for a year, a day for a year." Twice repeated, to
mark more distinctly the reference to . The picturing of the future under the image of the past,
wherein the meaning was far from lying on the surface, was intended
to arouse to a less superficial mode of thinking, just as the partial
veiling of truth in Jesus' parables was designed to stimulate
inquiry; also to remind men that God's dealings in the past are a key
to the future, for He moves on the same everlasting *principles,*
the *forms* alone being transitory.

**7. arm . . . uncovered**—to be
ready for action, which the long Oriental garment usually covering it
would prevent ([Isaiah 52:10](../../../kjv/isaiah/52/10)).
**thou shalt prophesy against
it**—This gesture of thine will be a tacit prophecy against it.

**8. bands**— ().
**not turn from . . . side**—to
imply the impossibility of their being able to shake off the
punishment.

**9. wheat . . . barley,**
c.—Instead of simple flour used for delicate cakes (), the Jews should have a coarse mixture of six different
kinds of grain, such as the poorest alone would eat.
**fitches**—spelt or
*dhourra.*
**three hundred and ninety**—The
forty days are omitted, since these latter typify the *wilderness
period* when Israel stood *separate from the Gentiles and their
pollution,* though partially chastened by stint of bread and water
([Ezekiel 4:16](../../../kjv/ezekiel/4/16)), whereas the eating
of the polluted bread in the three hundred ninety days implies a
forced residence "*among the Gentiles*" who were
polluted with idolatry ([Ezekiel 4:13](../../../kjv/ezekiel/4/13)).
This last is said of "Israel" primarily, as being the most
debased ([Ezekiel 4:9-15](../../../kjv/ezekiel/4/9-15))
they had *spiritually* sunk to a level with the heathen,
therefore God will make their condition *outwardly* to
correspond. Judah and Jerusalem fare less severely, being less
guilty: they are to "eat bread by weight and with care,"
that is, have a stinted supply and be chastened with the milder
discipline of the wilderness period. But Judah also is secondarily
referred to in the three hundred ninety days, as having fallen, like
Israel, into Gentile defilements; if, then, the Jews are to escape
from the exile *among Gentiles,* which is their just punishment,
they must submit again to the wilderness probation ([Ezekiel 4:9-26](../../../kjv/ezekiel/4/9-26)).

**10. twenty shekels**—that is,
little more than ten ounces; a scant measure to sustain life (). But it applies not only to the siege, but to their whole
subsequent state.

**11. sixth . . . of . . . hin**—about
a pint and a half.

**12. dung**—as fuel; so the Arabs
use beasts' dung, wood fuel being scarce. But to use human dung so
implies the most cruel necessity. It was in violation of the law
([Deuteronomy 14:3](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/14/3); [Deuteronomy 23:12-14](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/23/12-14));
it must therefore have been done only *in vision.*

**13.** Implying that Israel's
peculiar distinction was to be abolished and that they were to be
outwardly blended with the idolatrous heathen ([Deuteronomy 28:68](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/28/68);
[Hosea 9:3](../../../kjv/hosea/9/3)).

**14.** Ezekiel, as a priest, had
been accustomed to the strictest abstinence from everything legally
impure. Peter felt the same scruple at a similar command (; compare [Isaiah 65:4](../../../kjv/isaiah/65/4)).
*Positive precepts,* being dependent on a particular command can
be set aside at the will of the divine ruler; but *moral precepts*
are everlasting in their obligation because God cannot be
inconsistent with His unchanging moral nature.
**abominable flesh**—literally,
"flesh that stank from putridity." Flesh of animals three
days killed was prohibited ([Leviticus 7:17](../../../kjv/leviticus/7/17);
[Leviticus 7:18](../../../kjv/leviticus/7/18); [Leviticus 19:6](../../../kjv/leviticus/19/6);
[Leviticus 19:7](../../../kjv/leviticus/19/7)).

**15. cow's dung**—a mitigation of
the former order ([Ezekiel 4:12](../../../kjv/ezekiel/4/12)); no
longer "the dung of man"; still the bread so baked is
"defiled," to imply that, whatever partial abatement there
might be for the prophet's sake, the main decree of God, as to the
pollution of Israel by exile among Gentiles, is unalterable.

**16. staff of bread**—bread by
which life is supported, as a man's weight is by the staff he leans
on ([Leviticus 26:26](../../../kjv/leviticus/26/26); [Psalms 105:16](../../../kjv/psalms/105/16);
[Isaiah 3:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/3/1)).
**by weight, and with care**—in
scant measure ([Ezekiel 4:10](../../../kjv/ezekiel/4/10)).

**17. astonied one with
another**—mutually regard one another with astonishment: the
stupefied look of despairing want.

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