Ezekiel 4

Text

Textual witnesses

The Siege of Jerusalem (4:1–8)

Verse 1

• "Clay tablet" : or "brick", laterem in Pagninus' translation and in the Latin Vulgate edition.
• "Portray on it": to draw the city of Jerusalem.

  Verse 5

• "390 days" signifies the 390 years of pre-siege punishment for Israel in the land. The Greek text has "190 years".

  Verse 6

• "40 days" signifies the 40 years of post-siege punishment for Judah in exile.

  Famine (4:9–17)

Verse 9

• "Millet and spelt": considered inferior kinds of wheat. These and other mentioned materials were commonly gathered for food in the area where Ezekiel was exiled.

  Verse 10

• "Twenty shekels": about, is the ration of bread per person per day, showing the great scarcity. "Shekel" is the standard for weighing in the ancient Near East; generally represents 11.5 grams.

  Verse 11

• "The sixth part of a hin": about ⅔ quart ; a daily water ration showing restricted access to water source.

  Verse 12

Jewish

• Christian