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Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Ezekiel 4:9–17. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The best exposition of this part of Ezekiel's prediction of Jerusalem's desolation is Jeremiah's lamentation of it, Lam 4:3, Lam 4:4, etc., and Lam 4:10, where he pathetically describes the terrible famine that was in Jerusalem during the siege and the sad effects of it.
I.The prophet here, to affect the people with the foresight of it, must confine himself for 390 days to coarse fare and short commons, and that ill-dressed, for they should want both food and fuel.
1.His meat, for the quality of it, was to be of the worst bread, made of but little wheat and barley, and the rest of beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, such as we feed horses or fatted hogs with, and this mixed, as mill corn, or as that in the beggar's bag, that has a dish full of one sort of corn at one house and of another at another house; of such corn as this must the prophet's bread be made while he underwent the fatigue of lying on his side, and needed something better to support him, Eze 4:9. Note, It is our wisdom not to be too fond of dainties and pleasant bread, because we know not what hard meat we may be tied to, nay, and may be glad of, before we die. The meanest sort of food is better than we deserve, and therefore must not be despised nor wasted, nor must those that use it be looked upon with disdain, because we know not what may be our own lot.
2.For the quantity of it, it was to be of the least that a man could be kept alive with, to signify that the besieged should be reduced to short allowance and should hold out till all the bread in the city was spent, Jer 37:21. The prophet must eat but twenty shekels' weight of bread a day (Eze 4:10), that was about ten ounces; and he must drink but the sixth part of a hin of water, that was half a pint, about eight ounces, Eze 4:11. The stint of the Lessian diet is fourteen ounces of meat and sixteen of drink. The prophet in Babylon had bread enough and to spare, and was by the river side, where there was plenty of water; and yet, that he might confirm his own prediction and be a sign to the children of Israel, God obliges him to live thus sparingly, and he submits to it. Note, God's servants must learn to endure hardness, and to deny themselves the use of lawful delights, when they may thereby serve the glory of God, evidence the sincerity of their faith, and express their sympathy with their brethren in affliction. The body must be kept under and brought into subjection. Nature is content with a little, grace with less, but lust with nothing. It is good to stint ourselves of choice, that we may the better bear it if ever we should come to be stinted by necessity. And in times of public distress and calamity it ill becomes us to make much of ourselves, as those that drank wine in bowls and were not grieved for the affliction of Joseph, Amo 6:4-6.
3.For the dressing of it, he must bake it with a man's dung (Eze 4:12); that must be dried, and serve for fuel to heat his oven with. The thought of it would almost turn one's stomach; yet the coarse bread, thus baked, he must eat as barley-cakes, as freely as if it were the same bread he had been used to. This nauseous piece of cookery he must exercise publicly in their sight, that they might be the more affected with the calamity approaching, which was signified by it, that in the extremity of the famine they should not only have nothing that was dainty, but nothing that was cleanly, about them; they must take up with what they could get. To the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. This circumstance of the sign, the baking of his bread with man's dung, the prophet with submission humbly desired might be dispensed with (Eze 4:14); it seemed to have in it something of a ceremonial pollution, for there was a law that man's dung should be covered with earth, that God might see no unclean thing in their camp, Deu 23:13, Deu 23:14. And must he go and gather a thing so offensive, and use it in the dressing of his meat in the sight of the people? "Ah! Lord God," says he, "behold, my soul has not been polluted, and I am afraid lest by this it be polluted." Note, The pollution of the soul by sin is what good people dread more than any thing; and yet sometimes tender consciences fear it without cause, and perplex themselves with scruples about lawful things, as the prophet here, who had not yet learned that it is not that which goes into the mouth that defiles the man, Mat 15:11. But observe he does not plead, "Lord, from my youth I have been brought up delicately and have never been used to any thing but what was clean and nice" (and there were those who were so brought up, who in the siege of Jerusalem did embrace dunghills, Lam 4:5), but that he had been brought up conscientiously, and had never eaten any thing that was forbidden by the law, that died of itself or was torn in pieces; and therefore, "Lord, do not put this upon me now." Thus Peter pleaded (Act 10:14), Lord, I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. Note, it will be comfortable to us, when we are reduced to hardships, if our hearts can witness for us that we have always been careful to abstain from sin, even from little sins, and the appearances of evil. Whatever God commands us, we may be sure, is good; but, if we be put upon any thing that we apprehend to be evil, we should argue against it, from this consideration, that hitherto we have preserved our purity - and shall we lose it now? Now, because Ezekiel with a manifest tenderness of conscience made this scruple, God dispensed with him in this matter. Note, Those who have power in their hands should not be rigorous in pressing their commands upon those that are dissatisfied concerning them, yea, though their dissatisfactions be groundless or arising from education and long usage, but should recede from them rather than grieve or offend the weak, or put a stumbling-block before them, in conformity to the example of God's condescension to Ezekiel, though we are sure his authority is incontestable and all his commands are wise and good. God allowed Ezekiel to use cow's dung instead of man's dung, Eze 4:15. This is a tacit reflection upon man, as intimating that he being polluted with sin his filthiness is more nauseous and odious than that of any other creature. How much more abominable and filthy is man! Job 15:16.
II.Now this sign is particularly explained here; it signified,
1.That those who remained in Jerusalem should be brought to extreme misery for want of necessary food. All supplies being cut off by the besiegers, the city would soon find the want of the country, for the king himself is served of the field; and thus the staff of bread would be broken in Jerusalem, Eze 4:16. God would not only take away from the bread its power to nourish, so that they should eat and not be satisfied (Lev 26:26), but would take away the bread itself (Isa 3:1), so that what little remained should be eaten by weight, so much a day, so much a head, that they might have an equal share and might make it last as long as possible. But to what purpose, when they could not make it last always, and the besieged must be tired out before the besiegers? They should eat and drink with care, to make it go as far as might be, and with astonishment, when they saw it almost spent and knew not which way to look for a recruit. They should be astonished one with another; whereas it is ordinarily some alleviation of a calamity to have others share with us in it (Solamen miseris socios habuisse doloris), and some ease to the spirit to complain of the burden, it should be an aggravation of the misery that it was universal, and their complaining to one another should but make them all the more uneasy and increase the astonishment. And the event shall be as bad as their fears; they cannot make it worse than it is, for they shall consume away for their iniquity; multitudes of them shall die of famine, a lingering death, worse than that by the sword (Lam 4:9); they shall dies so as to feel themselves die. And it is sin that brings all this misery upon them: They shall consume away in their iniquity (so it may be read); they shall continue hardened and impenitent, and shall die in their sins, which is more miserable than to die on a dunghill. Now,
(1.)Let us see here what woeful work sin makes with a people, and acknowledge the righteousness of God herein. Time was when Jerusalem was filled with the finest of the wheat (Psa 147:14); but now it would be glad of the coarsest, and cannot have it. Fulness of bread, as it was one of Jerusalem's mercies, so it had become one of her sins, Eze 16:49. The plenty was abused to luxury and excess, which were therefore thus justly punished with famine. It is a righteous thing with God to deprive us of those enjoyments which we have made the food and fuel of our lusts.
(2.)Let us see what reason we have to bless God for plenty, not only for the fruits of the earth, but for the freedom of commerce, that the husbandman can have money for his bread and the tradesman bread for his money, that there is abundance not only in the field, but in the market, that those who live in cities and great towns, though they sow not, neither do they reap, are yet fed from day to day with food convenient.
2.It signified that those who were carried into captivity should be forced to eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles (Eze 4:13), to eat meat made up by Gentile hands otherwise than according to the law of the Jewish church, which they were always taught to call defiled, and which they would have as great an aversion to as a man would have to bread prepared with dung, that is (as perhaps it may be understood) kneaded and moulded with dung. Daniel and his fellows confined themselves to pulse and water, rather than they would eat the portion of the king's meat assigned them, because they apprehended it would defile them, Dan 1:8. Or they should be forced to eat putrid meat, such as their oppressors would allow them in their slavery, and such as formerly they would have scorned to touch. Because they served not God with cheerfulness in the abundance of all things, God will make them serve their enemies in the want of all things.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
(Verse 16, 17.) And he said to me: Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and they shall drink water by measure and with dismay; so that when bread and water are lacking, each one shall stumble to his brother, and they shall waste away in their iniquities. The Hebrew word Mate () is interpreted as staff in the first edition of Aquila, and as firmament in the second edition and by Symmachus and Theodotion. But what he had shown through his work, he also demonstrates through his speech, and the silence of both the left and right sides, and the ash bread mixed with the six varieties of spices, signifying the evils of the world, he points to the fact that a famine of food and an incredible shortage of water will occur in Jerusalem, so that everyone will fall to their brother, hoping for help from another, which they do not foresee in themselves. For it is the nature of humans, when pressed by evils and the weight of distress, to have more confidence in what is close at hand than in themselves: and they waste away in their iniquities, while suffering everything because of their iniquities. And I fear lest this breaking of bread may also be found in our Jerusalem, in which the vision of peace is seen, which the Lord crushes when he is angry, and judges us unworthy of his bread. And if only we could at least merit to receive him with weight and solicitude, and wet the dry tongue with excessive dryness, like the last finger of Lazarus (Luke 16). But with the Church lacking in bread and water, a man will fall against his brother, and everywhere there is discord, as our Christ's tunic is torn apart by those who even the soldiers in the Savior's passion dared not tear apart (John 19); and as we waste away in our iniquities, for we do not possess the justice of God. It is written in Jeremiah that the little ones, that is, the common people of the Church, sought bread, and there was no one to break it for them (Lamentations 4:4). But Paul, truly a man of the Church, knew that Christ had broken the legal bread and given it to the disciples to distribute. He confidently speaks: The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the Body of Christ? (I Cor. X, 16.) And those who are weak and in need of the milk of infancy cannot eat the staff or the strength of bread, nor can they receive solid food. And nothing strengthens the mind of the one who eats like the bread of life, of which it is written: And the bread strengthens the heart of man (Psal. CLXXXIII, 15).
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Summary
Ezekiel 4:16 delivers a stark prophetic declaration from God to Ezekiel, vividly portraying the severe famine that would grip Jerusalem during its impending siege by Babylon. This verse underscores the desperate and humiliating conditions the inhabitants would endure, forced to ration their most basic provisions—bread and water—with meticulous precision, anxiety, and profound despair, all as a direct consequence of their persistent rebellion against the Lord.
Context
Literary Context
Ezekiel 4:16 is embedded within a highly symbolic and performative section of the book, specifically Ezekiel chapters 4-5. In these chapters, God commands Ezekiel to enact a series of dramatic prophecies that illustrate the coming siege, suffering, and destruction of Jerusalem. Prior to verse 16, Ezekiel has been instructed to lie on his side for an extended period, symbolizing the years of Israel's iniquity, and to prepare a meager, defiled ration of food cooked over dung, further emphasizing the impurity and scarcity of provisions. Verse 16 serves as a verbal explanation of the physical hardships Ezekiel's actions prefigure, specifically detailing the famine aspect. It moves from the prophet's personal experience to the broader experience of the entire city, culminating in the horrific descriptions of cannibalism in Ezekiel 5:10.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecy in Ezekiel 4:16 is set against the backdrop of the impending Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, which would ultimately lead to the city's destruction in 586 BC. At this time, Judah was a vassal state of Babylon, but persistent rebellion and reliance on alliances with Egypt provoked Nebuchadnezzar's wrath. Sieges in the ancient Near East were brutal affairs, designed to starve out the inhabitants. Cities relied on stored provisions and access to water sources, but prolonged encirclement would inevitably lead to extreme scarcity. The cultural understanding of "bread" was not merely a food item but the very "staff of life," representing sustenance and well-being. To "break the staff of bread" was a profound curse, signifying the utter collapse of societal and individual provision. The meticulous weighing and measuring of food and water were not common practices but extreme measures reserved for times of dire famine, highlighting the unprecedented severity of the coming judgment.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Ezekiel and the broader prophetic literature. Foremost is the theme of Divine Judgment and Consequences of Disobedience. God, through Ezekiel, makes it clear that the impending suffering is a direct, just punishment for Jerusalem's idolatry, moral corruption, and covenant unfaithfulness (Ezekiel 5:6-9). The breaking of the "staff of bread" signifies God's sovereign control over even the most basic necessities of life, demonstrating His ability to withdraw His sustaining hand. Another key theme is Famine as a Covenant Curse, a recurring motif in the Old Testament where agricultural blight and scarcity are promised consequences for disobedience, as seen in Leviticus 26:26 and Deuteronomy 28:53-57. The psychological toll of "care" and "astonishment" also introduces the theme of Despair and Humiliation, emphasizing not just physical suffering but the profound emotional and spiritual breakdown under divine wrath.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word (H4294) primarily refers to a "rod" or "staff," something used for support, guidance, or authority. In the context of "staff of bread," it functions metaphorically to signify the very support system or foundation of life. To "break the staff of bread" means to remove the essential means of sustenance, indicating a complete and devastating collapse of the food supply, rendering life unsustainable.
Derived from a root meaning "to be anxious," this term (H1674) denotes deep anxiety, worry, fear, heaviness, or sorrow. In Ezekiel 4:16, it vividly describes the constant, gnawing apprehension that would plague the inhabitants of Jerusalem as they consumed their meager rations, perpetually concerned about their survival and the availability of the next morsel. It speaks to the psychological torment of famine.
This word (H8078) signifies stupefaction, desolation, or utter amazement, often in a negative sense of shock or horror. It conveys the profound dismay and bewilderment that would overcome the people as they faced the unprecedented and extreme severity of the famine. It points to a state of utter despair, where the reality of their suffering was almost incomprehensible.
Verse Breakdown
"Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem:"
This opening clause establishes the divine origin of the prophecy, emphasizing that God Himself is the active agent of judgment. Addressing Ezekiel as "Son of man" (a common address in the book), God declares His intention to "break the staff of bread," a powerful metaphor signifying the removal of the very foundation of sustenance and life for the city of Jerusalem. This is a direct, sovereign act of God, not merely a natural disaster, demonstrating His control over the most basic human needs.
"and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care;"
This segment describes the immediate consequence of the "broken staff of bread." The phrase "by weight" indicates extreme rationing, where every morsel of bread would be meticulously measured out, leaving no room for abundance or even sufficiency. The addition "and with care" highlights the psychological burden accompanying this scarcity—a constant state of anxiety, worry, and fear over whether there would be enough to survive, and how long the meager supplies would last.
"and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment:"
Parallel to the rationing of bread, water—another essential for life—would also be rationed "by measure." This signifies an equally severe shortage of water, forcing inhabitants to consume only minimal, precisely allotted amounts. The phrase "and with astonishment" captures the profound shock, despair, and bewilderment of the people as they faced such dire and unprecedented conditions, a state of utter desolation caused by the severity of the famine and siege.
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 4:16 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of impending judgment and suffering. Metaphor is central to the verse, particularly in the phrase "break the staff of bread." "Staff" is a metaphor for support and sustenance, so its "breaking" vividly represents the complete collapse of the food supply and the means of life. The phrase itself is a powerful image of divine withdrawal of provision. Parallelism is evident in the symmetrical structure describing the rationing of both bread and water: "eat bread by weight, and with care" is mirrored by "drink water by measure, and with astonishment." This repetition emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the deprivation. The terms "by weight" and "by measure" are examples of Merism, where two contrasting or complementary parts are used to represent a whole, underscoring the absolute precision and scarcity of provisions. Finally, the words "care" and "astonishment" serve as powerful Emotional Descriptors, highlighting the psychological and emotional toll of the famine, moving beyond mere physical suffering to capture the deep anxiety and profound despair of the besieged inhabitants.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Ezekiel 4:16 profoundly illustrates God's unyielding justice and His sovereign control over all aspects of creation, including the very sustenance of life. The prophecy serves as a stark reminder that persistent rebellion against God's covenant commands inevitably leads to severe consequences, often manifested in the withdrawal of divine blessing and the experience of hardship. This judgment is not arbitrary but a righteous response to Jerusalem's deep-seated idolatry and moral corruption, demonstrating that God holds His people accountable for their faithfulness. The "breaking of the staff of bread" is a powerful theological statement about God's ability to humble the proud and bring about repentance through severe discipline, ultimately aiming for a restoration of relationship, though through painful means.
Reflection and Application
Ezekiel 4:16, though describing a historical judgment, carries timeless truths for believers today. It compels us to recognize God's absolute sovereignty, not just over grand cosmic events, but over the most mundane aspects of our daily lives, including our provisions. This should cultivate a profound sense of gratitude for the abundance we often take for granted, prompting us to thank God for every meal and every drink of water. Furthermore, the verse serves as a sober warning about the consequences of spiritual apathy and rebellion. Just as Jerusalem's physical famine was a result of their spiritual famine, our own neglect of God's Word and persistent sin can lead to a spiritual barrenness and a sense of "care" and "astonishment" in our souls. It calls us to examine our hearts for any idols, any areas where we have broken covenant with God, and to respond with sincere repentance and a renewed commitment to walk in obedience. Ultimately, it reminds us that true security and sustenance come not from earthly provisions, but from a right relationship with the Giver of all good things.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "break the staff of bread" mean metaphorically?
The phrase "break the staff of bread" is a powerful metaphor for the complete removal or destruction of the means of sustenance and life. In ancient cultures, bread was not just a food item but the fundamental support of life itself, often referred to as the "staff of life." Therefore, when God declares He will "break the staff of bread," it signifies that He will bring about a severe famine so extreme that the very foundation of human survival—the regular availability of food—will be utterly shattered. This is a direct act of divine judgment, demonstrating God's sovereign control over the earth's provisions and His ability to withhold them as a consequence of disobedience, as also seen in Leviticus 26:26.
Why would God cause such suffering as described in Ezekiel 4:16?
The suffering described in Ezekiel 4:16, including extreme famine and rationing, is presented as a direct, just consequence of Jerusalem's persistent and severe rebellion against God's covenant. Throughout the book of Ezekiel, God repeatedly highlights the city's idolatry, moral corruption, and rejection of His prophets' warnings (e.g., Ezekiel 5:6-9). God, as a righteous and holy judge, allows these dire circumstances to befall His people not out of arbitrary cruelty, but as a form of divine discipline intended to bring them to repentance and acknowledge His sovereignty. It underscores the serious nature of sin and the unwavering justice of God, who will not allow His covenant to be continually violated without consequence.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Ezekiel 4:16 vividly portrays the physical famine and judgment upon Jerusalem, it also points forward to a deeper spiritual reality fulfilled in Christ. The "breaking of the staff of bread" highlights humanity's utter dependence on God for sustenance, both physical and spiritual. In the New Testament, Jesus declares Himself to be the true "Bread of Life" (e.g., John 6:35), offering eternal sustenance that transcends any physical famine. While Israel experienced a literal breaking of their physical staff of bread due to their unfaithfulness, humanity's greatest famine is spiritual—a starvation for truth, righteousness, and eternal life, brought about by sin. Jesus came to satisfy this deepest hunger, offering Himself as the living bread "that a person may eat of it and not die" (John 6:50). Furthermore, the "care" and "astonishment" of the besieged Israelites reflect the anxieties and despair of a world separated from God, searching for meaning and peace in vain. Christ, however, offers a peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7) and promises that those who drink of the water He gives will never thirst again (John 4:14). Thus, Ezekiel 4:16, in its depiction of desperate scarcity and divine judgment, ultimately magnifies the abundant provision and spiritual fulfillment found uniquely in Jesus Christ, who satisfies our deepest needs and delivers us from the ultimate spiritual famine.