Ezekiel 5

King James Version

Full text for Ezekiel Chapter 5

1¶ And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause [it] to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the [hair].

2Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, [and] smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.

3Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts.

4Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; [for] thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.

5¶ Thus saith the Lord GOD; This [is] Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries [that are] round about her.

6And she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries that [are] round about her: for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked in them.

7Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye multiplied more than the nations that [are] round about you, [and] have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that [are] round about you;

8Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, [am] against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.

9And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations.

10Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.

11Wherefore, [as] I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish [thee]; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.

12A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

13Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken [it] in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.

14Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that [are] round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.

15So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that [are] round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken [it].

16When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for [their] destruction, [and] which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:

17So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken [it].

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Ezekiel is commanded to perform a symbolic act involving shaving his hair, dividing it, and subjecting it to fire, sword, and scattering, representing God's impending judgment on Jerusalem. The Lord declares that Jerusalem, having rebelled against His laws more than the surrounding nations, will face severe and unprecedented punishments. These judgments include death by pestilence, famine, and sword, with a remnant scattered among the nations. Ultimately, Jerusalem will become a reproach and astonishment to the surrounding peoples.

Medium Summary

The chapter begins with a prophetic action where Ezekiel shaves his head and beard, dividing the hair into three parts. One-third is burned in the city, symbolizing those dying by pestilence and famine during the siege. Another third is smitten with a knife, representing those falling by the sword. The final third is scattered to the wind, with a sword pursuing them, signifying exile and continued judgment. A small portion is bound in his garment, but even some of these are cast into fire, indicating that judgment will extend to all Israel. God then declares that Jerusalem, despite being set in the midst of nations, has surpassed them in wickedness by rejecting His judgments and statutes. Consequently, the Lord promises to execute unique and severe judgments upon Jerusalem, including cannibalism, pestilence, famine, and the sword. The city will become a desolate reproach among the nations, and its inhabitants will be scattered, fulfilling God's zealous anger.

Long Summary

Ezekiel chapter five opens with the Lord instructing the prophet to perform a vivid symbolic act of judgment against Jerusalem. Ezekiel is commanded to take a barber's razor, shave his head and beard, and then weigh and divide the hair into three equal portions. One-third of the hair is to be burned in the midst of the city, signifying the inhabitants who will perish by pestilence and famine during the siege. Another third is to be smitten with a knife around the city, representing those who will fall by the sword. The final third is to be scattered to the wind, with God drawing out a sword after them, illustrating the exile and continued pursuit of the scattered remnant. A small number of hairs are to be bound in Ezekiel's garment, but even from these, some are to be cast into the fire, indicating that a pervasive judgment will emanate throughout the house of Israel. The Lord God then interprets this symbolic act, declaring that Jerusalem, which He had placed in the midst of the nations, has rebelled against His judgments and statutes more grievously than any surrounding country. Because Jerusalem has multiplied its wickedness and refused to walk in God's ways, the Lord proclaims Himself to be against the city, promising to execute judgments in the sight of the nations that are unprecedented in their severity. These dire consequences include fathers and sons resorting to cannibalism due to extreme famine, the defilement of God's sanctuary leading to a lack of divine pity, and the further division of the population. One-third will die by pestilence and famine, another third by the sword, and the final third will be scattered to all winds, pursued by a sword. God states that His anger and fury will be accomplished, bringing Him comfort, and that Jerusalem will become a waste, a reproach, a taunt, an instruction, and an astonishment among the surrounding nations, as He sends famine, evil beasts, pestilence, and the sword to utterly destroy them.

Core Concepts

  • Symbolic ProphecyEzekiel performs a visual prophecy by shaving and dividing his hair, each action representing a distinct aspect of God's impending judgment on Jerusalem.
  • Jerusalem's RebellionDespite being uniquely positioned by God, Jerusalem is condemned for surpassing surrounding nations in wickedness by rejecting divine judgments and statutes.
  • Divine JudgmentGod declares His direct opposition to Jerusalem, promising to execute severe and unprecedented judgments due to the city's abominations and defilement of His sanctuary.
  • Threefold DestructionThe judgment is explicitly divided into three parts: death by pestilence and famine, death by the sword, and scattering into exile with continued divine pursuit.
  • Cannibalism and FamineAs a consequence of extreme famine, the people of Jerusalem will resort to the horrific act of cannibalism, with fathers eating sons and sons eating fathers.
  • Reproach Among NationsJerusalem will be made a desolate waste, becoming a reproach, a taunt, and an astonishment to the surrounding nations, serving as a stark example of God's furious rebukes.
  • God's Unrelenting FuryThe chapter emphasizes that God's anger and fury will be fully accomplished upon Jerusalem, demonstrating His zeal and bringing Him a sense of comfort in the execution of justice.