Ezekiel 5
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1“You, son of man, take a sharp sword. You shall take it as a barber’s razor to yourself, and shall cause it to pass over your head and over your beard. Then take balances to weigh and divide the hair. 2A third part you shall burn in the fire in the middle of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled. You shall take a third part, and strike with the sword around it. A third part you shall scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them. 3You shall take of it a few in number, and bind them in the folds of your robe. 4Of these again you shall take, and cast them into the middle of the fire, and burn them in the fire. From it a fire will come out into all the house of Israel. 5“Thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘This is Jerusalem. I have set her in the middle of the nations, and countries are around her. 6She has rebelled against my ordinances in doing wickedness more than the nations, and against my statutes more than the countries that are around her; for they have rejected my ordinances, and as for my statutes, they have not walked in them.’ 7“Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Because you are more turbulent than the nations that are around you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my ordinances, neither have followed the ordinances of the nations that are around you; 8therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Behold, I, even I, am against you; and I will execute judgments among you in the sight of the nations. 9I will do in you that which I have not done, and which I will not do anything like it any more, because of all your abominations. 10Therefore the fathers will eat the sons within you, and the sons will eat their fathers. I will execute judgments on you; and I will scatter the whole remnant of you to all the winds. 11Therefore as I live,’ says the Lord Yahweh, ‘surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things, and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish you. My eye won’t spare, and I will have no pity. 12A third part of you will die with the pestilence, and they will be consumed with famine within you. A third part will fall by the sword around you. A third part I will scatter to all the winds, and will draw out a sword after them. 13“‘Thus my anger will be accomplished, and I will cause my wrath toward them to rest, and I will be comforted. They will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken in my zeal, when I have accomplished my wrath on them. 14“‘Moreover I will make you a desolation and a reproach among the nations that are around you, in the sight of all that pass by. 15So it will be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment, to the nations that are around you, when I execute judgments on you in anger and in wrath, and in wrathful rebukes—I, Yahweh, have spoken it— 16when I send on them the evil arrows of famine that are for destruction, which I will send to destroy you. I will increase the famine on you, and will break your staff of bread. 17I will send on you famine and evil animals, and they will bereave you. Pestilence and blood will pass through you. I will bring the sword on you. I, Yahweh, have spoken it.’”
World English Bible (public domain)
“"A third of you shall die of pestilence and be consumed with famine in your midst; a third shall fall by the sword all around you; and a third I will scatter to all the winds and will unsheathe the sword after them."”
Ezekiel 5:12
Summary
In Ezekiel chapter 5, God commands Ezekiel to perform a symbolic act to represent the judgment that will befall Jerusalem. He is instructed to shave his head and beard, dividing the hair into three parts, each representing the fate of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. One-third will die of pestilence and famine, one-third will fall by the sword, and the last third will be scattered by the wind. This dramatic act symbolizes the severity and completeness of the judgment due to the people's rebellion and idolatry. The chapter underscores the theme of divine justice, as God's wrath is revealed against a city that has sinned grievously against Him. God’s instructions highlight the inevitable consequences of disobedience while His promise to judge and scatter serves as a warning and call to repentance. It also serves as a reinforcement of God's faithfulness to His promises, as His chastisement is meant to correct and ultimately restore.
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Chapter outline
How Ezekiel 5 unfolds
Ezekiel 5:1–4 Symbolic Shaving of Hair
Ezekiel is commanded to shave his head and beard, dividing the hair into three parts, each representing a different fate for Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 5:5–7 Jerusalem's Rebellion
God declares Jerusalem's position among the nations and highlights her rebellion, emphasizing her greater wickedness compared to surrounding nations.
Ezekiel 5:8–10 Judgment Declared
The Lord announces His opposition to Jerusalem, declaring severe judgments that will lead to extreme consequences, including cannibalism.
Ezekiel 5:11–13 Consequences of Defilement
God expresses His wrath against Jerusalem for defiling the sanctuary, promising to diminish her and execute His anger.
Ezekiel 5:14–15 Reproach Among Nations
Jerusalem will become a desolation and reproach to surrounding nations, illustrating the severity of God's judgment.
Ezekiel 5:16–17 Final Warnings of Destruction
God warns of famine, evil beasts, and pestilence, emphasizing the totality of impending destruction as a consequence of sin.
Key verses
Ezekiel 5:12Ezekiel 5:12 encapsulates the comprehensive nature of the judgments facing Jerusalem, underscoring God's severe consequences for rebellion.
Main themes in Ezekiel 5
Judgment
Judgment is a central theme as God declares His intent to punish Jerusalem for its sins, particularly in verses 8-10. The chapter develops this theme through vivid imagery of destruction and severe consequences for rebellion. Within the larger movement, it reveals God's commitment to justice and the seriousness of sin against His holiness.
Symbolism
Symbolism is vividly employed when Ezekiel shaves his head, representing the fate of Jerusalem's inhabitants in verses 1-4. The division of hair into three parts illustrates the completeness of judgment and the different outcomes for the people. This symbolism deepens the understanding of God's impending judgment as both a literal and figurative act of consequence.
Divine Justice
Divine justice is portrayed as God holds Jerusalem accountable for its greater wickedness than surrounding nations, particularly in verses 6-7. The chapter complicates this theme by illustrating the extreme nature of God's wrath, emphasizing that justice is not merely punitive but also corrective. This serves to remind readers of God's sovereignty and righteousness in executing judgment.
Repentance
The theme of repentance is implicit as God warns of dire consequences for disobedience throughout the chapter, especially in verses 12-13. The seriousness of judgment serves as a call for the people to turn back to God and reconsider their ways. This highlights the need for genuine repentance in light of God's faithfulness and desire for restoration.
Explore repentance in the Bible →Cross-references
Passages that echo Ezekiel 5
- Leviticus 26Leviticus outlines consequences for disobedience, echoing the judgments declared in Ezekiel against Jerusalem.
- Ezekiel 14Ezekiel 14 connects by emphasizing individual accountability and the reality of judgment amidst rebellion.
- Ezekiel 7Ezekiel 7 develops themes of impending disaster and divine retribution, paralleling the judgments in this chapter.
- Ezekiel 16Ezekiel 16 reflects on Jerusalem's infidelity, connecting the city's sins with the judgments described in Ezekiel 5.
- Ezekiel 6Ezekiel 6 connects through its themes of judgment and the call to recognize God's authority over His people.
- Lamentations 2Lamentations 2 develops the aftermath of judgment, illustrating the consequences of sin experienced by Jerusalem.
Study questions
Questions for studying Ezekiel 5
- What does the act of shaving signify for Ezekiel and Jerusalem?
- How does God describe Jerusalem's rebellion against Him?
- What are the three fates that await the people of Jerusalem?
- In what ways does God's judgment reflect His divine justice?
- How does this chapter connect to earlier themes in Ezekiel?
- What does Ezekiel's symbolic action ask of the people regarding repentance?
- How does this chapter illustrate the consequences of disobedience?
Ezekiel 5: frequently asked questions
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