Ezekiel 4:10
Ezekiel 4:10 in Multiple Translations
You are to weigh out twenty shekels of food to eat each day, and you are to eat it at set times.
And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.
And thy food which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.
And you are to take your food by weight, twenty shekels a day: you are to take it at regular times.
You are allowed to eat twenty shekels weight of food each day, and you are to eat it at regular times.
And the meate, whereof thou shalt eate, shalbe by weight, euen twenty shekels a day: and from time to time shalt thou eate thereof.
And thy food that thou dost eat [is] by weight, twenty shekels daily; from time to time thou dost eat it.
Your food which you shall eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day. From time to time you shall eat it.
And thy food which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.
And thy meat that thou shalt eat, shall be in weight twenty staters a day: from time to time thou shalt eat it.
You will eat ◄8 ounces/a small loaf► of bread each day.
Berean Amplified Bible — Ezekiel 4:10
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Ezekiel 4:10 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וּ/מַאֲכָֽלְ/ךָ֙
אֲשֶׁ֣ר
תֹּאכֲלֶ֔/נּוּ
בְּ/מִשְׁק֕וֹל
עֶשְׂרִ֥ים
שֶׁ֖קֶל
לַ/יּ֑וֹם
מֵ/עֵ֥ת
עַד
עֵ֖ת
תֹּאכֲלֶֽ/נּוּ
וּ/מַאֲכָֽלְ/ךָ֙
maʼăkâl
H3978
food
Conj | N-ms | Suff
אֲשֶׁ֣ר
ʼăsher
H834
which
Rel
תֹּאכֲלֶ֔/נּוּ
ʼâkal
H398
to eat
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff
בְּ/מִשְׁק֕וֹל
mishqôwl
H4946
weight
Prep | N-ms
עֶשְׂרִ֥ים
ʻesrîym
H6242
twenty
Adj
שֶׁ֖קֶל
sheqel
H8255
shekel
N-ms
לַ/יּ֑וֹם
yôwm
H3117
day
Prep | N-ms
מֵ/עֵ֥ת
ʻêth
H6256
time
Prep | N-cs
עַד
ʻad
H5704
till
Prep
עֵ֖ת
ʻêth
H6256
time
N-cs
תֹּאכֲלֶֽ/נּוּ
ʼâkal
H398
to eat
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Ezekiel 4:10
וּ/מַאֲכָֽלְ/ךָ֙
maʼăkâl
H3978
"food"
Conj | N-ms | Suff
This word means food or something to eat, like fruit or meat, as seen in the story of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit in Genesis. It's about nourishment and survival.
Definition: food, fruit, meat
Usage: Occurs in 29 OT verses. KJV: food, fruit, (bake-)meat(-s), victual. See also: Genesis 2:9; Job 33:20; Psalms 44:12.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר
ʼăsher
H834
"which"
Rel
This Hebrew word is a conjunction that connects ideas and events in the Bible, like in the book of Genesis, where it's used to describe the relationship between God and His creation.
Definition: A: 1) (relative part.) 1a) which, who 1b) that which 2) (conj) 2a) that (in obj clause) 2b) when 2c) since 2d) as 2e) conditional if B: Beth+ 1) in (that) which 2) (adv) 2a) where 3) (conj) 3a) in that, inasmuch as 3b) on account of C: Mem+ 1) from (or than) that which 2) from (the place) where 3) from (the fact) that, since D: Kaph+ 1) (conj.), according as, as, when 1a) according to that which, according as, as 1b) with a causal force: in so far as, since 1c) with a temporal force: when
Usage: Occurs in 4440 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever, when, where ([phrase] -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, [phrase] whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 20:9; Genesis 31:16.
תֹּאכֲלֶ֔/נּוּ
ʼâkal
H398
"to eat"
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Definition: 1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to eat (human subject) 1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds) 1a3) to devour, consume (of fire) 1a4) to devour, slay (of sword) 1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought) 1a6) to devour (of oppression) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be eaten (by men) 1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire) 1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh) 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to cause to eat, feed with 1c2) to cause to devour 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to feed 1d2) to cause to eat 1e) (Piel) 1e1) consume Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)
Usage: Occurs in 703 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite. See also: Genesis 2:16; Leviticus 6:9; Numbers 24:8.
בְּ/מִשְׁק֕וֹל
mishqôwl
H4946
"weight"
Prep | N-ms
This word simply means weight or heaviness, often used in the Bible to describe physical weight or burden. It appears in books like Leviticus and Proverbs, where it's used to describe the weight of objects or responsibilities.
Definition: heaviness, weight
Usage: Occurs in 1 OT verses. KJV: weight. See also: Ezekiel 4:10.
עֶשְׂרִ֥ים
ʻesrîym
H6242
"twenty"
Adj
This word means twenty, and is also used as an ordinal number, like twentieth, as seen in Genesis 31:38. It can refer to a specific age or quantity.
Definition: twenty, twentieth Aramaic equivalent: es.rin (עֶשְׂרִין "twenty" H6243)
Usage: Occurs in 281 OT verses. KJV: (six-) score, twenty(-ieth). See also: Genesis 6:3; 1 Kings 9:14; Ezra 2:19.
שֶׁ֖קֶל
sheqel
H8255
"shekel"
N-ms
A shekel was a unit of weight or money in ancient Israel, like a coin or a measure of gold, silver, or copper. It was used for trade and commerce, as seen in the book of Exodus. The value varied depending on the material.
Definition: 1) shekel 1a) the chief unit of weight or measure 1a1) gold-1/10000 of a talent and equal to 220 grains 1a2) silver-1/3000 of a talent and equal to 132 grains 1a3) copper-1/1500 of a talent and equal to 528 grains Aramaic equivalent: te.qel (תְּקֵל "shekel" H8625B)
Usage: Occurs in 54 OT verses. KJV: shekel. See also: Genesis 23:15; Numbers 7:55; Jeremiah 32:9.
לַ/יּ֑וֹם
yôwm
H3117
"day"
Prep | N-ms
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Definition: : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow
Usage: Occurs in 1930 OT verses. KJV: age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger. See also: Genesis 1:5; Genesis 33:13; Exodus 23:15.
מֵ/עֵ֥ת
ʻêth
H6256
"time"
Prep | N-cs
Eth means time, especially now or when, and can refer to an event, experience, or occasion. It is often used to describe a specific moment or period.
Definition: 1) time 1a) time (of an event) 1b) time (usual) 1c) experiences, fortunes 1d) occurrence, occasion
Usage: Occurs in 258 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phrase] continually, [phrase] evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-) tide, (meal-), what) time, when. See also: Genesis 8:11; 2 Chronicles 35:17; Psalms 1:3.
עַד
ʻad
H5704
"till"
Prep
This Hebrew word means until or as far as, describing a point in time or space. It's used in the Bible to set boundaries or limits, like in Exodus when describing the Israelites' journey.
Definition: prep 1) as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as 1a) of space 1a1) as far as, up to, even to 1b) in combination 1b1) from...as far as, both...and (with 'min' -from) 1c) of time 1c1) even to, until, unto, till, during, end 1d) of degree 1d1) even to, to the degree of, even like conj 2) until, while, to the point that, so that even Aramaic equivalent: ad (עַד "till" H5705)
Usage: Occurs in 1128 OT verses. KJV: against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, [phrase] how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, ([phrase] as) yet. See also: Genesis 3:19; Exodus 32:20; Numbers 23:24.
עֵ֖ת
ʻêth
H6256
"time"
N-cs
Eth means time, especially now or when, and can refer to an event, experience, or occasion. It is often used to describe a specific moment or period.
Definition: 1) time 1a) time (of an event) 1b) time (usual) 1c) experiences, fortunes 1d) occurrence, occasion
Usage: Occurs in 258 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] after, (al-) ways, [idiom] certain, [phrase] continually, [phrase] evening, long, (due) season, so (long) as, (even-, evening-, noon-) tide, (meal-), what) time, when. See also: Genesis 8:11; 2 Chronicles 35:17; Psalms 1:3.
תֹּאכֲלֶֽ/נּוּ
ʼâkal
H398
"to eat"
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms | Suff
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Definition: 1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to eat (human subject) 1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds) 1a3) to devour, consume (of fire) 1a4) to devour, slay (of sword) 1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought) 1a6) to devour (of oppression) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be eaten (by men) 1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire) 1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh) 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to cause to eat, feed with 1c2) to cause to devour 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to feed 1d2) to cause to eat 1e) (Piel) 1e1) consume Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)
Usage: Occurs in 703 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite. See also: Genesis 2:16; Leviticus 6:9; Numbers 24:8.
Study Notes — Ezekiel 4:10
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Ezekiel 4:10 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 4:10
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 4:10
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 4:10
- Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 4:10
- Ellicott's Commentary on Ezekiel 4:10
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ezekiel 4:10
- Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 4:10
- Barnes' Notes on Ezekiel 4:10
- Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 4:10
- Sermons on Ezekiel 4:10
Context — The Defiled Bread
8Now behold, I will tie you up with ropes so you cannot turn from side to side until you have finished the days of your siege.
9But take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; put them in a single container and make them into bread for yourself. This is what you are to eat during the 390 days you lie on your side.
10You are to weigh out twenty shekels of food to eat each day, and you are to eat it at set times.
11You are also to measure out a sixth of a hin of water to drink, and you are to drink it at set times. 12And you shall eat the food as you would a barley cake, after you bake it over dried human excrement in the sight of the people.”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leviticus 26:26 | When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will bake your bread in a single oven and dole out your bread by weight, so that you will eat but not be satisfied. |
| 2 | Ezekiel 45:12 | The shekel will consist of twenty gerahs. Twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels will equal one mina. |
| 3 | Deuteronomy 28:51–68 | They will eat the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain or new wine or oil, no calves of your herds or lambs of your flocks, until they have caused you to perish. They will besiege all the cities throughout your land, until the high and fortified walls in which you trust have fallen. They will besiege all your cities throughout the land that the LORD your God has given you. Then you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters whom the LORD your God has given you, in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you. The most gentle and refined man among you will begrudge his brother, the wife he embraces, and the rest of his children who have survived, refusing to share with any of them the flesh of his children he will eat because he has nothing left in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within all your gates. The most gentle and refined woman among you, so gentle and refined she would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground, will begrudge the husband she embraces and her son and daughter the afterbirth that comes from between her legs and the children she bears, because she will secretly eat them for lack of anything else in the siege and distress that your enemy will inflict on you within your gates. If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name—the LORD your God— He will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary disasters, severe and lasting plagues, and terrible and chronic sicknesses. He will afflict you again with all the diseases you dreaded in Egypt, and they will cling to you. The LORD will also bring upon you every sickness and plague not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left few in number, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God. Just as it pleased the LORD to make you prosper and multiply, so also it will please Him to annihilate you and destroy you. And you will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess. Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known. Among those nations you will find no repose, not even a resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despairing soul. So your life will hang in doubt before you, and you will be afraid night and day, never certain of survival. In the morning you will say, ‘If only it were evening!’ and in the evening you will say, ‘If only it were morning!’—because of the dread in your hearts of the terrifying sights you will see. The LORD will return you to Egypt in ships by a route that I said you should never see again. There you will sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.” |
| 4 | Ezekiel 14:13 | “Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast, |
| 5 | Isaiah 3:1 | For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: the whole supply of food and water, |
| 6 | Ezekiel 4:16 | Then He told me, “Son of man, I am going to cut off the supply of food in Jerusalem. They will anxiously eat bread rationed by weight, and in despair they will drink water by measure. |
Ezekiel 4:10 Summary
In Ezekiel 4:10, God instructs Ezekiel to eat a small amount of food each day, at set times, to symbolize the hardships that the people of Israel would face. This reminds us that, as believers, we are called to trust in God's provision and live a life of discipline and obedience, just like Daniel did in Daniel 1:8. By surrendering to God's will and living a structured life, we can grow in our faith and point others to God's love, as seen in Matthew 6:11. This verse encourages us to trust in God's care for us, even in difficult times, and to use our daily routines to seek spiritual nourishment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of eating twenty shekels of food each day in Ezekiel 4:10?
The twenty shekels of food represent a meager ration, symbolizing the scarcity and hardship that the people of Israel would face during their siege, as also seen in Leviticus 26:26 and Deuteronomy 28:53.
Why was Ezekiel instructed to eat at set times?
Eating at set times emphasizes the discipline and structure that Ezekiel was to maintain during his prophetic siege, much like the disciplined life of a believer described in Daniel 1:8 and Acts 3:1.
How does this verse relate to our spiritual lives today?
This verse reminds us that, as believers, we are called to trust in God's provision and live a life of discipline and obedience, as seen in Matthew 6:11 and 1 Timothy 4:8.
What can we learn from Ezekiel's obedience to God's instructions in this verse?
Ezekiel's obedience teaches us the importance of surrendering to God's will, even when it is difficult or unclear, as also seen in Genesis 22:1-14 and Hebrews 11:8.
Reflection Questions
- How can I apply the principle of disciplined living to my own spiritual journey, and what areas of my life need more structure and intentionality?
- What are some ways that I can trust in God's provision and care for me, even in times of uncertainty or hardship?
- How can I use my daily routines, such as eating and drinking, to remind myself of my dependence on God and my need for spiritual nourishment?
- In what ways can I, like Ezekiel, use my own experiences and struggles to point others to God's love and faithfulness?
Gill's Exposition on Ezekiel 4:10
And thy meat which thou shall eat [shall be] by weight, twenty shekels a day,.... To eat bread by weight was a sign of a grievous famine; see Leviticus 26:26; a shekel, according to Josephus (i),
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Ezekiel 4:10
And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Ezekiel 4:10
Thy meat; the mean and coarse bread which thou must eat and be content with. By weight; not full, as once; not as much as you will, but a small pittance delivered by weight to all; which bespeaks the extreme penury the city should be brought to. Twenty shekels; some say five ounces, others say ten ounces, the greater of the two scarce enough to maintain life, and yet, it is probable enough, it was but five ounces of bread which was his allowance. A hard case, when the law of the twelve tables allowed a pound of bread to prisoners daily for their diet. But here the prophet hath but half that allowance, if the twenty shekels were shekels of the sanctuary; and he hath but a quarter of that allowance, if they were common shekels by which his allowance was weighed. From time to time; at set hours this was weighed out, and no more could be had at any other time, whether morning or evening; once in four and twenty hours, or once in twelve hours, still at the appointed hour; and possibly there might be different hours appointed to different persons, and every one must observe his own time.
Trapp's Commentary on Ezekiel 4:10
Ezekiel 4:10 And thy meat which thou shalt eat [shall be] by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.Ver. 10. Twenty shekels a day.] Five ounces, or ten at most; not prisoners’ pittance, qua proinde per diem trahitur magis anima quam sustentatur. See this complained of, Lamentations 1:11; Lamentations 1:19; Lamentations 2:11-12; Lamentations 2:19-20; Lamentations 4:4; Lamentations 4:9-10; Lamentations 5:6; Lamentations 5:9-10. They had sinned in excess, and now they are punished with cleanness of teeth. The famine of the word is far worse.
Ellicott's Commentary on Ezekiel 4:10
(10) By weight, twenty shekels a day.—The weight of the shekel is somewhat differently estimated by different authorities. The best computations fix it at about 220 grains, and this would make the allowance of twenty shekels equal to something less than eleven ounces, scarcely enough to sustain life. “Meat” is here used, as often in Scripture, of any kind of food. The extreme scarcity of food is also denoted by its being weighed rather than measured. “From time to time” means at set intervals of time (see 1 Chronicles 9:25), here doubtless once a day. Only the longer period of 390 days is here mentioned, but the same command doubtless applied to both periods.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Ezekiel 4:10
Verse 10. Twenty shekels a day] The whole of the above grain, being ground, was to be formed into one mass, out of which he was to make three hundred and ninety loaves; one loaf for each day; and this loaf was to be of twenty shekels in weight. Now a shekel, being in weight about half an ounce, this would be ten ounces of bread for each day; and with this water to the amount of one sixth part of a hin, which is about a pint and a half of our measure. All this shows that so reduced should provisions be during the siege, that they should be obliged to eat the meanest sort of aliment, and that by weight, and their water by measure; each man's allowance being scarcely a pint and a half, and ten ounces, a little more than half a pound of bread, for each day's support.
Cambridge Bible on Ezekiel 4:10
10. twenty shekels a day] Twenty shekels might be eight or nine ounces. In this country two pounds of bread is held an ordinary allowance.
Barnes' Notes on Ezekiel 4:10
meat - A general term for food, which in this case consists of grain. Instead of measuring, it was necessary in extreme scarcity to weigh it Leviticus 26:26; Revelation 6:6.
Whedon's Commentary on Ezekiel 4:10
10. Thy meat… thou shalt eat… by weight, twenty shekels a day — This is about half the ordinary prison fare in England and America. It was to be weighed out carefully — not measured — because of the extreme scarcity of provisions.
Sermons on Ezekiel 4:10
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
Removing the Stumbling Blocks by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of removing stumbling blocks from our hearts and from the church. He warns that if we do not heed God's call to be honest and |
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(Genesis) - Part 10 by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the continuity of natural phenomena such as cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night for the past 4,000 years. He highlights that |
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A Cry for Repentance and Revival by Edgar Reich | This sermon by Edgar Reich is a powerful cry for repentance and revival, emphasizing the need for humbling ourselves, praying, seeking God's face, and turning from wicked ways. The |
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Marriage and the Gospel by Paul Washer | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of living a holistic life that encompasses the intellect, soul, and body. He encourages listeners to use their God-given abili |
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(The Word for Today) Isaiah 3:1 - Part 1 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, Pastor Chuck Smith discusses the decline of the nation of Judah during the time of Isaiah's prophecies. He emphasizes the importance of righteousness and moral valu |
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24. Where Are the Men by Denny Kenaston | This sermon emphasizes the importance of men rising up to lead their families and churches with spiritual authority and wisdom. It calls for men to command their households after t |
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(Isaiah) Sin’s Judgment and God’s Restoration by David Guzik | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the issue of economic injustice and unfair treatment of the poor. He emphasizes the importance of being fair and treating others justly, as th |