Ezekiel 4:1-4

Ominous Object Lessons

4:1 “And you, son of man, take a brick and set it in front of you. Inscribe a city on it – Jerusalem. 4:2 Lay siege to it! Build siege works against it. Erect a siege ramp against it! Post soldiers outside it and station battering rams around it. 4:3 Then for your part take an iron frying pan and set it up as an iron wall between you and the city. Set your face toward it. It is to be under siege; you are to besiege it. This is a sign for the house of Israel.

4:4 “Also for your part lie on your left side and place the iniquity of the house of Israel on it. For the number of days you lie on your side you will bear their iniquity.


sn Ancient Near Eastern bricks were 10 to 24 inches long and 6 to 13 1/2 inches wide.

tn Or perhaps “draw.”

tn Or “a barricade.”

tn Heb “set camps against it.”

tn Or “a griddle,” that is, some sort of plate for cooking.

tn That is, a symbolic object lesson.

tn Or “punishment” (also in vv. 5, 6).