Ezekiel 4:3 kjv
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.
Ezekiel 4:3 nkjv
Moreover take for yourself an iron plate, and set it as an iron wall between you and the city. Set your face against it, and it shall be besieged, and you shall lay siege against it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel.
Ezekiel 4:3 niv
Then take an iron pan, place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face toward it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign to the people of Israel.
Ezekiel 4:3 esv
And you, take an iron griddle, and place it as an iron wall between you and the city; and set your face toward it, and let it be in a state of siege, and press the siege against it. This is a sign for the house of Israel.
Ezekiel 4:3 nlt
Then take an iron griddle and place it between you and the city. Turn toward the city and demonstrate how harsh the siege will be against Jerusalem. This will be a warning to the people of Israel.
Ezekiel 4 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 8:18 | "Behold, I and the children whom the Lord has given me are signs and wonders in Israel..." | Prophets as living signs |
| Isa 20:2-4 | "...Isaiah walked naked and barefoot... a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush." | Prophet acting out future events |
| Jer 13:1-11 | "Thus says the Lord to me, 'Go and buy a linen waistband and put it around your waist...' " | Symbolic actions with a clear message |
| Jer 21:10 | "For I have set My face against this city for harm and not for good..." | God's determined judgment against Jerusalem |
| Lam 4:10 | "The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children..." | Siege's extreme famine consequences |
| Deut 28:52 | "They shall besiege you in all your towns..." | Prophecy of siege consequences for disobedience |
| Lev 26:25 | "...I will bring a sword upon you, which shall execute vengeance for the covenant..." | Covenant curses including war/siege |
| Ezek 12:6 | "...for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel." | Ezekiel's actions as omens |
| Ezek 12:11 | "Say, 'I am a sign for you. As I have done, so it will be done to them...'" | Ezekiel himself a prophetic sign |
| Zech 3:8 | "Now listen, Joshua the high priest... Behold, I will bring My servant the Branch." | Messiah as a prophetic sign |
| Jer 52:4-5 | "In the ninth year... Nebuchadnezzar... came against Jerusalem, he and all his army, and encamped against it..." | Historical fulfillment of Jerusalem's siege |
| Ezek 5:17 | "...I will send famine and wild beasts against you... pestilence and blood..." | God's various judgments on Jerusalem |
| Ps 34:16 | "The face of the Lord is against those who do evil..." | God's active opposition to sin |
| Dan 9:26 | "...and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary." | Later prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction |
| Matt 24:2 | "Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another..." | Jesus prophesies temple destruction |
| Joel 3:12 | "...there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations." | God's judgment encompassing the nations |
| Isa 59:2 | "But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God..." | Sin as the cause of divine separation |
| 1 Pet 4:17 | "For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God..." | Judgment starting with God's people |
| Heb 12:29 | "For our God is a consuming fire." | God's holy, consuming nature |
| Rev 21:23 | "...for the glory of God gives it light..." | Contrast to cursed, besieged city; new Jerusalem with God's presence |
Ezekiel 4 verses
Ezekiel 4 3 Meaning
Ezekiel 4:3 describes a divinely commanded symbolic act where the prophet Ezekiel places an iron plate between himself and a miniature representation of Jerusalem. He is instructed to turn his face toward the city model, signifying an impending siege. This visual, dramatic portrayal is explicitly stated as a "sign to the house of Israel," indicating God's determined judgment against His people through an unstoppable siege. The iron plate acts as an impassable barrier, symbolizing God's unyielding resolution and the finality of the separation His judgment will bring.
Ezekiel 4 3 Context
Ezekiel chapter 4 introduces a series of symbolic actions God commands Ezekiel to perform, illustrating the coming siege, suffering, and destruction of Jerusalem due to the house of Israel's persistent idolatry and rebellion. This verse (Ezek 4:3) specifically initiates the first, and perhaps most potent, of these actions: the portrayal of the siege itself. The historical context is critical; Ezekiel is prophesying to Jewish exiles in Babylon, likely still clinging to the false hope that Jerusalem and the Temple would not fall. The preceding chapter establishes Ezekiel as God's watchman, tasked with delivering uncomfortable truths. The chapter's primary focus is to shatter these false hopes and prepare the exiles for the inevitable reality of God's righteous judgment against His own people.
Ezekiel 4 3 Word analysis
- Moreover: Signals an additional instruction, building on the previous command for a miniature model of Jerusalem.
- take (לָקַח, laqach): A simple verb, but in the context of divine command, it implies a divinely appointed task.
- an iron plate (מַחֲבַת בַּרְזֶל, maḥăvat barzel):
- Maḥăvat refers to a "griddle" or "frying pan," a common household item, often used for baking bread. Its ordinary nature makes its symbolic use extraordinary, emphasizing that even common things can convey profound divine messages.
- Barzel means "iron," symbolizing hardness, immovability, strength, and an unbreakable barrier. Its coldness suggests severity and an unyielding will.
- and set it as a wall (וְשַׂמְתָּהּ קִיר, v'samta quîr):
- Quîr means "wall." This is not a wall built by the city for defense, but a barrier against it. Its placement between Ezekiel (representing God) and the city signifies divine separation and an unbridgeable divide caused by sin, making escape or defense impossible. It speaks of divine judgment that cannot be turned back.
- between you and the city: This spatial separation vividly portrays the chasm between God's people and His presence due to their rebellion, signifying alienation and abandonment to judgment.
- and set your face toward it (וּפָנֶיךָ עָלֶיהָ, u'phaneika 'aleiha):
- "Set your face" (similar to יְרוּשָׁלַיִם וְהָסַרְתִּי אֶת־פָּנַי, yĕrūshālaim v'hăsartī 'et-pānāy - Jer 21:10; lit. "I will set my face against this city") indicates a firm, determined, unchangeable resolve. Ezekiel's steady gaze represents God's unwavering resolve to execute judgment, implying relentless pressure and active engagement in the siege.
- and it shall be besieged, and you shall lay siege against it: This uses two distinct Hebrew verbs, emphasizing the inevitability and source. The city's fate is "it shall be besieged" (נִצַּב, natzav), signifying an inherent state of siege. Ezekiel's action is "you shall lay siege" (צֻר, tzur), demonstrating his direct involvement as God's agent. This duality emphasizes divine agency behind the human siege.
- This is a sign (אוֹת הִיא, 'oth hî):
- Oth means "sign," "omen," or "token." It highlights the symbolic and prophetic nature of the entire act. It's not just a personal quirk but a divinely ordained message designed to awaken and warn the audience, proving God's active involvement in their history.
- to the house of Israel: While immediately applicable to the exiles and the inhabitants of Judah, "house of Israel" often refers to the entire covenant people, emphasizing that these judgments stem from universal covenant violations, applicable even to the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah, and reinforcing their identity as a single people under God's covenant.
Ezekiel 4 3 Bonus section
The performative nature of Ezekiel's prophecies sets him apart, demanding that he live out the very message he proclaims, becoming a visible embodiment of God's Word. This kind of intense, lived prophecy ensures the message's gravity and immediacy, often provoking a visceral response from the audience. The "iron plate" serving as an unyielding wall reinforces the idea that once God sets His face against a sin, His judgment is firm and cannot be easily bypassed, symbolizing a spiritual "iron curtain" drawn between the people and their source of protection. This symbolic act was crucial in overcoming the deep-seated theological error of believing Jerusalem was impregnable because of God's temple.
Ezekiel 4 3 Commentary
Ezekiel's actions in Ezekiel 4:3 go beyond mere illustration; they are performative prophecies, enacting God's decree. The use of an everyday iron griddle as an impassable barrier underscores God's ability to use the mundane for profound spiritual revelation. This iron plate represents an unbreakable wall of judgment, signifying that God Himself has drawn a line of separation, and the siege is an unyielding, divinely sanctioned event. Ezekiel's fixed gaze symbolizes the unwavering resolve of God's justice. The verse vividly portrays the dual nature of the siege: both an external historical event enacted by Babylon, and an internal spiritual reality orchestrated by God due to Israel's unfaithfulness. It's a stark, undeniable message that shatters false security and announces the end of Jerusalem's immunity to divine wrath. This acts as a severe warning, aiming to lead the exiles to repentance and acknowledge God's sovereignty over historical events, even those that bring immense suffering to His chosen people.