Ezekiel 5:3

Ezekiel was to tie a small amount of hair in his robe to show that a few people would be safe. However, even some of them would die during the exile. Only a few would survive the many disasters about to happen to God's people.

The prophet had to perform two more sign acts (symbolic actions that showed God’s message).

First, he took a sharp sword and used it like a razor. He shaved his head and his beard. This action showed the coming destruction described in Ezekiel 4 (compare Isaiah 7:20). In that culture, shaving off a man’s hair showed the loss of honor and strength. It was a public sign of shame (see 2 Samuel 10:4–5).

Second, Ezekiel weighed the hair he had shaved. He divided it into three equal parts. This action showed that God’s judgment would come in three different ways. It also showed that God’s judgment was measured and purposeful.

These chapters discuss words and actions that warned of disaster for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 4–5) and the land of Judah (Ezekiel 6–7).