Keraia
Ezekiel 4

Ezekiel 4:3

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

Translations

Modern
Then take an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between yourself and the city. Turn your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel.
Traditional
Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.
Literal
And you, take for yourself a plate of iron and set it up as a wall of iron between you and between the city, and set firm your face against it; and it shall come to be under siege, and you shall lay siege against it. This is a sign for the house of Israel.
Latin
Et tu sume tibi sartaginem ferream, et pones eam in murum ferreum inter te et inter civitatem: et obfirmabis faciem tuam ad eam, et erit in obsidionem, et circumdabis eam: signum est domui Israël.

Original

Hebrew
English
Then take an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between yourself and the city. Turn your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel.

Notes

Ezekiel 4:3

The prophet was to take on the role of God in this dramatic scene. The iron griddle set up between him and the city showed that Jerusalem had separated itself from God.

Meanwhile, the prophet was to face the city with determination, showing that God was still focused and firmly resolved to destroy Jerusalem in the upcoming siege.

Ezekiel 4:1–24:27

The prophet Ezekiel used words and actions to show that judgment on Jerusalem was certain. God's people broke the covenant made at Mount Sinai. Now, they faced the promised curses of death and destruction. Only after these curses happened could there be hope for the future.

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

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Glossary

Bread Ezekiel (Person) Ezekiel, Book of Minerals and Metals Prophet, Prophetess Sign Son of Man Warfare

Topics

Instruction by Object Lessons: Illustrations on a Tile Iron: First Recorded Use of Pans Pantomime by Ezekiel Prophets: Frequently in Their Actions Were Made Signs to the People Symbols and Similitudes: A Siege Walls of Cities were Battered by Besieging Armies Walls were Probably often Strengthened with Plates of Iron or Brass