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Ezekiel 4

Ezekiel 4:15

The Defiled Bread · Ezekiel 4:9–17
Read Ezekiel 4

Translations

Modern
“Look,” He replied, “I will let you use cow dung instead of human excrement, and you may bake your bread over that.”
Traditional
Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow’s dung for man’s dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.
Literal
And He said to me: “See, I am giving to you dung of a cow instead of dung of human, and you shall make your bread over it.”
Latin
Et dixit ad me: Ecce dedi tibi fimum boum pro stercoribus humanis, et facies panem tuum in eo.

Original

Hebrew
English
“Look,” He replied, “I will let you use cow dung instead of human excrement, and you may bake your bread over that.”

Notes

Ezekiel 4:14–15

The prophet said he had never eaten anything unclean. The Lord agreed, letting Ezekiel cook his food over cow dung. He also followed the law for disposing of human waste (see Deuteronomy 23:12–14).

Ezekiel 4:9–17

The near-starvation diet of eight ounces of food and a jar of water each day represents siege rations. This reflects a desperate situation where there was not enough of any one type of grain to make a whole loaf.

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).

Theme notes and profiles

Prophetic Sign Acts The Gift of Prophecy

Events

Glossary

Cattle Ezekiel, Book of Prophet, Prophetess Son of Man

Topics

Bread: How Prepared: On Coals of Dung Instruction by Object Lessons: Eating Bread Mixed with Dung Prayer: Answered: Ezekiel, to Have the Baking of his Bread of Affliction Changed Symbols and Similitudes: Ceremonially Unclean Food Symbols and Similitudes: Cooking