Ezekiel 4

Ezekiel 4:1

TAke thee] it is likely that all this was inspired too, and done by the Prophet whilst he was in extasie.

Ezekiel 4:2

And lay] draw a design of a very strait siege Battering rams] namely, to batter the walls, according to the ancient manner.

Ezekiel 4:3

An iron an] the Italian, an iron plate; to shew that all endeavours and resistance that they of Ierusalem could make against the besiegng Caldeans, shuld be t no purpose, and that it should be impossible for any relief to come and deliver them Ly siee] thou shalt in rapture of spirit act the part of a chief Commander of an Army, which doth straitly bsiege a place.A signe] namely, of the siege and taking of Ierusalem, which the Iews that were already in captivity in Babylon with Ezekiel, would not be perswaded that could come to passe.

Ezekiel 4:4

Lie thou] this also hapned and was done in his extasie as it is likely that the Prophet doing these things, did speak such words withall as did declare these dayes, and other circumstances. Now this Vision was a figure of Gods long patience in suffering the sins of his people, though they were great and intolerable: as it would be very troublesome for a man to lie long upon one side without turning himself, especially if he had any great waight lying upon him Vpon it] namely, upon the conuaty side, the other bearing the waight Thou shalt bear] this was also spkn by the Prophet in extasie, doing as a man that did take up some burthen.

Ezekiel 4:5

The yeers] that is to say, Thou shalt tell them, that I will have thee lie thus for such a number of dayes, a day signifying a yeer of my patience afer the revolt of the ten tribes, accompanied with publike idolatry, 1 King. 12. 27, 28. and after Iudohs going a stray, 1 King. 14 22. untll the last captivity by Nebuzaradn, Ier. 52. 30. which time doth just contain the three hundred and ninety yeers, during which the Lord endured the sins of the whole nation, namely, of the ten tribes and Iudah.

Ezekiel 4:6

Of the house] of the tribe of Iudah, whose sins having been as it were confused and mixed with the sins of the other ten tribes for the former number of yeers, are now reckoned severally, from the time that the covenant was renewed by Iosiah, 2 King. 22 3. and 23 2, 7. untill the last captivity, which was fourty yeers, during which time Iudah did run out into idolatries, and other manner of sinnes.

Ezekiel 4:7

Set] the Italian, six; do the actions of a Commander that were very busie about some siege Prophesie] by these signes, with words and expressions joyned thereunto.

Ezekiel 4:8

I will lay] this also was in vision, Ezek. 3 26. for a ligne, that as God had born with the people three hundred and ninety yeers: so Ierusa¦lem should bear her punishment in the last siege three hundred and ninety dayes, vers. 9. now though the siege lasted eighteen moneths, Ier. 52. 4, 5, 6. yet there was an intermission by the means of the Egyptians coming, Jeremiah 37:5. which intermission might last for the space of some five moneths, which are left out in this account.

Ezekiel 4:9

Vnto thee] a figure of the extreme dearth in Ierusalem during the siege, signified by the course bread made of divers sorts of grain, then by the small weight, and lastly, by the times appointed to eat.

Ezekiel 4:10

Twenty] which was about ten ounces.

Ezekiel 4:11

Water] whereof there was also great scarcity during the siege, the springs without the city being possessed by the enemies, and Ierusalem having no river, see Lamentations 5:4

Ezekiel 4:12

The dung] this signe doth also shew the great scarcity of wood to bake their bread with, Lamentations 5:4. ad it signifieth besides, that the Lord holding his people for prophane and unclean, would make them in their exile and captivity, unable to observe that ceremoniall purity in their meats which God had commanded, see Hosea 9:3.

Ezekiel 4:15

Cows dung] used by some Nations for to dresse their meat, and was not altogether so abomi ble as mans dung: And this was a signe of the mi tigation of this threatning towards the elect.

Ezekiel 4:16

Break] an Hebrew phrase, Levit. 26. 26. Isaiah 3:1. that is to say, I will send an extreme pēnury of bread, and of all things needfull for the sustenance of mans life.