Ezekiel 4 14

Ezekiel 4:14 kjv

Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.

Ezekiel 4:14 nkjv

So I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Indeed I have never defiled myself from my youth till now; I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has abominable flesh ever come into my mouth."

Ezekiel 4:14 niv

Then I said, "Not so, Sovereign LORD! I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead or torn by wild animals. No impure meat has ever entered my mouth."

Ezekiel 4:14 esv

Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I have never defiled myself. From my youth up till now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has tainted meat come into my mouth."

Ezekiel 4:14 nlt

Then I said, "O Sovereign LORD, must I be defiled by using human dung? For I have never been defiled before. From the time I was a child until now I have never eaten any animal that died of sickness or was killed by other animals. I have never eaten any meat forbidden by the law."

Ezekiel 4 verses

Ezekiel 4 14 Meaning

The verse signifies God's aversion to a dietary compromise under unlawful circumstances, labeling it as "unclean" and thereby demonstrating His commitment to holiness even in a state of exile. It speaks to the believer's need to maintain spiritual purity despite adverse situations.

Ezekiel 4 14 Context

Ezekiel is in Babylon, exiled for the sins of Judah. God instructs him to perform symbolic acts that represent the siege and suffering to come upon Jerusalem. This specific verse follows God's command for Ezekiel to eat barley cakes baked with human excrement, symbolizing the defilement and distress that will occur. Ezekiel's plea stems from his upbringing and his adherence to Mosaic Law concerning ceremonial uncleanness.

Ezekiel 4 14 Word Analysis

• Then (vayo’mer): A conjunction introducing the prophet's response.
• I (’ani): First-person pronoun, Ezekiel himself speaking.
• said (va-yo’mer): Past tense verb indicating speech.
• Ah (’āh): An exclamation of distress or strong emotion.
• Sovereign (’ădōnāy): A title for God, conveying lordship and authority.
• LORD (YHVH): The personal covenantal name of God, emphasizing His relationship with His people.
• I have (lo-’ěkhál): Literally "I have not eaten."
• never (mê‘ôlām): Indicates from all time, emphasizing a consistent past practice.
• defiled (ni-qədaš-tî): Reflexive verb meaning to make oneself holy or to profane; here it refers to contracting uncleanness. Ezekiel perceives eating the instructed food as self-defilement.
• myself (ni-qədaš-tî): Refers back to the subject "I."
• from (mî): Preposition indicating origin or separation.
• my (mî): Possessive pronoun.
• youth (bəḥûrî): Refers to his boyhood or adolescent years.
• upward (mî-mə‘olay): Literally "from upon me," or "from my upper parts." This implies an inherited or inherent state of cleanness, not necessarily a sinless life but an avoidance of permitted uncleanneness.
• until (ʿad): A preposition indicating the extent of time or boundary.
• this (haz-zeh): Demonstrative pronoun pointing to the current situation.
• day (hadd-yôm): The present time.

Word Groups Analysis

• "Ah, Sovereign LORD": This cry to God shows a recognition of His ultimate authority even when faced with an abhorrent command. It's not outright rebellion but a desperate questioning from a place of respect for God’s character and His laws.
• "I have never defiled myself from my youth upward until this day": This phrase highlights Ezekiel's earnest desire to maintain purity according to the Law. His reference to his youth suggests a life committed to avoiding what God had declared unclean under normal circumstances, and he views this new command as a breach of that commitment.

Ezekiel 4 14 Bonus Section

Ezekiel's plea isn't a sign of pride but of deep conviction in God's standards of holiness. His question sets up God's discourse on how even normal laws of purity are suspended during severe judgment and exile. This emphasizes the drastic consequences of Israel's sin, so profound that God Himself overrides the normal requirements for ceremonial cleanness in His symbolic judgment. This foreshadows Christ's ultimate cleansing, as mentioned in Hebrews 13:12, where He suffered outside the city to make His people clean from sin.

Ezekiel 4 14 Commentary

Ezekiel’s strong protest in this verse reveals his deep respect for God's Law concerning purity. He equates eating food prepared with human excrement to a profound act of self-defilement, something he has actively avoided since his youth. This highlights that even in symbolic prophetic acts, God’s commands are absolute, and human understanding of purity must be subservient to His directives. God's subsequent response clarifies that the impurity of the nation necessitated a symbolic representation of defilement, a severe consequence for their sin. Ezekiel’s obedience, though preceded by protest, ultimately shows submission to God’s will, even when the action seems to contradict his personal sense of holiness. The core message is that obedience to God's commands, however difficult, takes precedence.