Ezekiel 4 16

Ezekiel 4:16 kjv

Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment:

Ezekiel 4:16 nkjv

Moreover He said to me, "Son of man, surely I will cut off the supply of bread in Jerusalem; they shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and shall drink water by measure and with dread,

Ezekiel 4:16 niv

He then said to me: "Son of man, I am about to cut off the food supply in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair,

Ezekiel 4:16 esv

Moreover, he said to me, "Son of man, behold, I will break the supply of bread in Jerusalem. They shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and they shall drink water by measure and in dismay.

Ezekiel 4:16 nlt

Then he told me, "Son of man, I will make food very scarce in Jerusalem. It will be weighed out with great care and eaten fearfully. The water will be rationed out drop by drop, and the people will drink it with dismay.

Ezekiel 4 verses

Ezekiel 4 16 meaning

Ezekiel 4:16 pronounces a severe judgment from God upon Jerusalem, signifying a future siege marked by extreme famine. God declares He will "break the staff of bread," a vivid metaphor for destroying the very means of sustenance. Consequently, the inhabitants will be reduced to eating bread and drinking water in meticulously measured, meager portions, indicative of desperate rationing. This act of consumption will be accompanied by profound anxiety and fear ("with care") regarding the future, and utter horror or bewilderment ("with astonishment") at the overwhelming catastrophe, underscoring both physical privation and intense psychological distress.

Ezekiel 4 16 Context

Ezekiel 4:16 is a direct divine pronouncement given to Ezekiel during his symbolic actions concerning the siege of Jerusalem (Eze 4:1-17). The verses immediately preceding this (Eze 4:9-15) detail the specific, bizarre, and defiling diet Ezekiel was commanded to eat—a meager ration of mixed grains, baked over fire. Verse 16 serves to explain and amplify the reason for such a diet for Jerusalem's inhabitants: it is not a symbolic act for them, but a grim reality imposed by divine judgment.

Historically, this prophecy points to the final siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian army, which began around 588 BC and culminated in the city's destruction in 586 BC. Sieges were notoriously brutal, with famine often proving to be a more effective weapon than the sword. Jerusalem, a walled city, would experience the devastating effects of being cut off from external supplies, leading to the precise conditions described in this verse.

Ezekiel 4 16 Word analysis

• Moreover he said unto me: Signifies a new, direct pronouncement from God to Ezekiel, framing the subsequent statement as divine truth and command.
• Son of man: (Hebrew: ben-'adam, בֶּן־אָדָם) - Ezekiel's customary address from God, emphasizing his humanity and his role as God's representative.
• behold: An attention-demanding interjection, underscoring the gravity and certainty of the following revelation.
• I will break: (Hebrew: 'eshabber, אֲשַׁבֵּר) - God Himself declares direct, active involvement in bringing about this judgment. This is not just a prediction but an active declaration of divine intent.
• the staff of bread: (Hebrew: matteh-leḥem, מַטֵּה־לֶחֶם) -
  • matteh: "staff" or "rod," implies support, stability, and vital assistance.
  • leḥem: "bread," refers to staple food, sustenance, or livelihood.
  • Significance: An idiom signifying the total removal or destruction of life's fundamental sustenance. Just as a staff supports a person, bread supports life; its removal causes a complete collapse. This judgment removes the very basis of existence, demonstrating profound divine displeasure.
• in Jerusalem: Specifically names the target of this dire judgment, underscoring that this prophecy is uniquely directed at the holy city, once God's dwelling place, now under His judgment.
• and they shall eat bread by weight: (Hebrew: ye'eklu leḥem bəmišqal, יאכלו לחם במשקל) -
  • by weight: (Hebrew: bəmišqal, בְּמִשְׁקָל) - Denotes extreme scarcity and precise rationing. Normal communal eating is replaced by individual, carefully controlled portions, signifying desperation. It is a reversal of God's earlier abundant provision.
• and with care: (Hebrew: uvide'agah, וּבִדְאָגָה) - "Care" here implies deep anxiety, dread, and apprehension about their survival and future food supply. The act of eating, normally a pleasure, becomes burdened with fear.
• and they shall drink water by measure: (Hebrew: yištu mayim bimśurah, יִשְׁתּ֣וּ מַיִם בִּמְשׂוּרָה) -
  • by measure: (Hebrew: bimśurah, בִּמְשׂוּרָה) - Similar to "by weight" for bread, it emphasizes strict rationing and extreme scarcity of water, which is even more critical for survival than food.
• and with astonishment: (Hebrew: uvishimamon, וּבְשִׁמָּמוֹן) - Signifies horror, desolation, bewilderment, or stupefaction. The people will be utterly shocked and overwhelmed by the severity of their condition, recognizing the absolute destruction and the divine wrath behind it.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "I will break the staff of bread": This phrase is a common biblical idiom (e.g., Lev 26:26, Ps 105:16, Isa 3:1) indicating a severe, divinely orchestrated famine that removes the fundamental means of livelihood. It speaks to God's sovereign control over even the most basic necessities of life, and His power to withdraw them as judgment.
• "eat bread by weight, and with care": These clauses illustrate not just the physical deprivation but also the profound psychological and emotional distress. Eating is no longer an act of sustenance alone but one riddled with anxiety over its insufficiency and the future's uncertainty.
• "drink water by measure, and with astonishment": This reinforces the absolute extremity of the famine, extending beyond food to vital water, often scarce during sieges. "Astonishment" highlights the deep shock and horror experienced by a people witnessing such a complete collapse of normal existence, brought about by their own actions and God's resultant judgment.

Ezekiel 4 16 Bonus section

The divine judgment in Eze 4:16 speaks directly against the common ancient belief in national gods that provided prosperity and security. By directly withholding bread and water, the universal staples, God demonstrates His exclusive control over the blessings of life. This also subtly links back to Israel's foundational reliance on manna in the wilderness—divine, measured provision—which the present generation has forgotten in their idolatrous pursuit of other gods. The "breaking of the staff" represents not just the loss of physical food but also the shattering of their false hopes and the realization that God, the true sustainer, has withdrawn His favor due to their unfaithfulness.

Ezekiel 4 16 Commentary

Ezekiel 4:16 moves from symbolic action to prophetic declaration, explicitly articulating the nature of Jerusalem's impending judgment. It underscores that God is the direct agent ("I will break") in bringing about this famine, a fulfillment of the covenant curses outlined in passages like Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28. "Breaking the staff of bread" is an iconic biblical phrase denoting the removal of foundational sustenance. The rationing of bread "by weight" and water "by measure" signifies the extreme scarcity, where every morsel and drop becomes a source of preoccupation. The accompanying psychological states—"care" (anxiety) and "astonishment" (horror)—reveal the depth of suffering that goes beyond physical hunger to touch the very core of human hope and stability. This verse vividly portrays God's ultimate power to control life's essentials and inflict the consequences of persistent disobedience, forcing the people into a desperate state of profound existential insecurity and dread.

Examples:

• A besieged city during ancient times, where desperate parents hide small amounts of food from their starving children, consumed by dread.
• A modern nation suffering severe economic collapse and hyperinflation, where daily essentials are purchased at exorbitant costs in tiny quantities, leading to widespread public anxiety and despair.
• A period of severe drought leading to crop failures, where water resources are rationed by the government, creating widespread fear for future survival.