Ezekiel 4:2

And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set [battering] rams against it round about.

And lay {H5414} siege {H4692} against it, and build {H1129} a fort {H1785} against it, and cast {H8210} a mount {H5550} against it; set {H5414} the camp {H4264} also against it, and set {H7760} battering rams {H3733} against it round about {H5439}.

Show it under siege - build towers against it, raise earthworks against it, set up camps against it, and surround it with battering rams.

Then lay siege against it: Construct a siege wall, build a ramp to it, set up camps against it, and place battering rams around it on all sides.

and lay siege against it, and build forts against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it round about.

Ezekiel 4:2 is a vivid and dramatic command given by God to the prophet Ezekiel, instructing him to perform a symbolic act that would graphically portray the impending siege of Jerusalem. This verse details the specific elements of ancient siege warfare that Ezekiel was to represent in miniature.

Context

This verse is part of a larger prophetic sign act, beginning with the command to draw a depiction of Jerusalem on a clay tablet. Ezekiel, who was among the exiles in Babylon, was called by God to convey messages of judgment and hope to his people. His actions in chapter 4 were not mere theatrical displays but divinely ordained prophecies, designed to make the abstract reality of the coming war tangible and undeniable for those who had ignored previous warnings. The detailed instruction here highlights the historical reality of Jerusalem's eventual siege and destruction by the Babylonian army under Nebuchadnezzar, which occurred years after this prophecy.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment: The primary theme is God's determined and severe judgment against Jerusalem for its persistent idolatry and disobedience. The elaborate nature of the symbolic siege underscores the certainty and thoroughness of this impending punishment.
  • Prophetic Symbolism: Ezekiel's actions serve as a powerful visual aid, making the abstract concept of war and divine wrath concrete for the exiles. It’s a message that transcends mere words.
  • God's Foreknowledge: The prophecy demonstrates God's perfect knowledge of future events and His sovereign control over nations and their destinies, even when using pagan empires as instruments of His will.

Linguistic Insights

The terms used in this verse describe standard ancient siege weaponry and tactics, emphasizing the devastating nature of the coming attack:

  • "Lay siege against it": The overarching command to surround and isolate the city.
  • "Build a fort against it": Refers to a siege tower or a fortified position built close to the city walls for attacking.
  • "Cast a mount against it": Describes a siege ramp, an earthen embankment built up to the level of the city walls, allowing attackers to ascend and breach defenses.
  • "Set the camp also against it": Indicates the establishment of the besieging army's encampment, signifying a long and sustained assault.
  • "Set [battering] rams against it round about": Heavy, often iron-tipped, timbers used to smash gates and weaken walls. The phrase "round about" suggests a comprehensive and relentless assault from all sides.

These terms collectively paint a picture of total military commitment and inevitable destruction, leaving no doubt about the fate of Jerusalem.

Practical Application

Ezekiel's dramatic demonstration serves as a timeless reminder of several truths:

  • The Seriousness of God's Warnings: God does not issue warnings lightly. When His people persist in sin, divine judgment is a certain consequence. This imagery underscores God's unwavering resolve to execute judgment against persistent rebellion.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: The fall of Jerusalem stands as a stark historical example that disobedience to God's covenant has severe consequences, both individually and nationally.
  • God's Communication: God uses various means to communicate His will and warnings, sometimes through powerful, even uncomfortable, visual metaphors. We are called to pay attention to His voice in all its forms.
  • Call to Repentance: While this passage emphasizes judgment, the ultimate purpose of such prophecies is often to spur repentance and avert the full force of divine wrath.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ezekiel 21:22

    At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint [battering] rams against the gates, to cast a mount, [and] to build a fort.

  • Jeremiah 6:6

    For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this [is] the city to be visited; she [is] wholly oppression in the midst of her.

  • Jeremiah 52:4

    And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth [day] of the month, [that] Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about.

  • Luke 19:42

    Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things [which belong] unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

  • Luke 19:44

    And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

  • Jeremiah 39:1

    ¶ In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.

  • Jeremiah 39:2

    [And] in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the ninth [day] of the month, the city was broken up.

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