Keraia
Ezekiel 4

Ezekiel 4:7

A Sign of Jerusalem’s Siege · Ezekiel 4:1–8
Read Ezekiel 4

Translations

Modern
You must turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem with your arm bared, and prophesy against it.
Traditional
Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it.
Literal
And toward the siege of Jerusalem you shall set firm your face, and with your arm uncovered, and you shall prophesy against it.
Latin
Et ad obsidionem Jerusalem convertes faciem tuam, et brachium tuum erit extentum: et prophetabis adversus eam.

Original

Hebrew
English
You must turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem with your arm bared, and prophesy against it.

Notes

Ezekiel 4:7

Ezekiel continued to represent God in this acted message. He showed what God was doing and saying.

With his arm bared (uncovered as a sign of strength and readiness to act), he looked steadily at the city under attack. He fixed his eyes on the siege of Jerusalem. As he did this, he announced that the city would be destroyed.

Ezekiel 4:4–8

The prophet’s second sign act was connected to the first. This time, he acted out the roles of both God and the people suffering during the siege.

As someone suffering in the siege, he was tied with ropes (Ezekiel 4:8). He had to lie in one position. He may not have stayed like this all the time during the 14 months. Instead, he may have performed this sign each day.

When Ezekiel represented Israel, he symbolically bore Israel’s sins. This means he acted out the weight of their guilt by lying on one side. However, he did not bring atonement (the removal of sin) or forgiveness to Israel.

Ezekiel 4:1–7:27

These chapters discuss words and actions that warned of disaster for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 4–5) and the land of Judah (Ezekiel 6–7).

Events

Places

Jerusalem: The capital of Israel, a holy city for three religions

Glossary

Ezekiel (Person) Ezekiel, Book of Prophet, Prophetess Son of Man

Topics

Instruction by Object Lessons: Lying on One Side in Public View for a Long Period Pantomime by Ezekiel Prophets: Frequently in Their Actions Were Made Signs to the People Symbols and Similitudes: Posture