Ezekiel 5 – “Symbolic Actions – Part II; God Condemns Jerusalem”

12 - Ezekiel

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
God orders Ezekiel to destroy his hair and condemns Jerusalem to a list of horrendous punishments.

II. Photo
God tells Ezekiel to cut his hair: “And you, O mortal, take a sharp knife; use it as a barber’s razor and pass it over your head and beard.” (v. 1)

III. Important Verses
1-2: “And you, O mortal, take a sharp knife; use it as a barber’s razor and pass it over your head and beard. Then take scales and divide the hair. When the days of siege are completed, destroy a third part in fire in the city, take a third and strike it with the sword all around the city, and scatter a third to the wind and unsheathe a sword after them.”
7-8: Assuredly, thus said the Lord GOD: Because you have outdone the nations that are round about you — you have not obeyed My laws or followed My rules, nor have you observed the rules of the nations round about you — assuredly, thus said the Lord GOD: I, in turn, am going to deal with you, and I will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations.
9-10: On account of all your abominations, I will do among you what I have never done, and the like of which I will never do again. Assuredly, parents shall eat their children in your midst, and children shall eat their parents. I will execute judgments against you, and I will scatter all your survivors in every direction.
14: I will make you a ruin and a mockery among the nations roundabout you, in the sight of every passerby.

IV. Outline

1-4. Symbolic action: Ezekiel is to destroy his hair in three ways
5-17. God condemns Jerusalem
    5-9. Jerusalem’s guilt and impending doom
    10. Family members will eat each other
    11-12. The people will face pestilence, war, and dispersion
    13-15. God will make Jerusalem an example for other nations
    16-17. God will bring famine to the people

V. Comment
No comment today. Stay tuned.

VI. Works Used
(see “Commentaries” page)
Allen, Leslie C. “Ezekiel 1-19” Word Biblical Commentary vol. 28 (Waco, Texas: Wordbook, 1994).
Collins, John J. “Introduction to the Hebrew Bible,” (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2004).
Hals, Ronald M. “Ezekiel” The forms of the Old Testament Literature vol. 19 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1989)
Photo taken from

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