Ezekiel 5:2

Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, [and] smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.

Thou shalt burn {H1197} with fire {H217} a third part {H7992} in the midst {H8432} of the city {H5892}, when the days {H3117} of the siege {H4692} are fulfilled {H4390}: and thou shalt take {H3947} a third part {H7992}, and smite {H5221} about {H5439} it with a knife {H2719}: and a third part {H7992} thou shalt scatter {H2219} in the wind {H7307}; and I will draw out {H7324} a sword {H2719} after {H310} them.

A third of it you are to burn in the city when the days of the siege are over. Take another third, and hit it with your sword all around the city. Scatter the last third to the wind, and I will pursue them with drawn sword.

When the days of the siege have ended, you are to burn up a third of the hair inside the city; you are also to take a third and slash it with the sword all around the city; and you are to scatter a third to the wind. For I will unleash a sword behind them.

A third part shalt thou burn in the fire in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled; and thou shalt take a third part, and smite with the sword round about it; and a third part thou shalt scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them.

Ezekiel 5:2 is a powerful and graphic verse detailing a symbolic action commanded by God to the prophet Ezekiel, illustrating the severe judgment awaiting the inhabitants of Jerusalem. This verse describes the fate of the city's population, divided into three parts, each facing a distinct form of destruction.

Context

This verse is part of a larger prophetic drama in Ezekiel chapters 4 and 5, where God instructs Ezekiel to perform various symbolic acts to convey the impending siege and destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian empire. In Ezekiel 5:1, God commands Ezekiel to shave his hair and beard, dividing it into three parts. The hair represents the people of Jerusalem, and this verse (Ezekiel 5:2) explains what will happen to each third of that hair, thus symbolizing the various fates of the city's inhabitants.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment: The verse vividly portrays God's righteous and severe judgment against Jerusalem for its persistent idolatry, rebellion, and breaking of the covenant. It underscores the consequences of defying God's laws.
  • Proportionate Punishment: The division of the people into three distinct groups signifies that God's judgment is precise, deliberate, and tailored to the sins of the nation, rather than arbitrary.
  • Modes of Destruction:
    • Fire: "Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city." This symbolizes death by famine, plague, or the literal burning of Jerusalem by the invading forces, as recorded in historical accounts like Jeremiah 52:13.
    • Sword: "and thou shalt take a third part, [and] smite about it with a knife." This represents death by warfare, execution, or violent means within the city. The "knife" symbolizes the sword of the enemy.
    • Scattering: "and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them." This signifies exile and dispersion among foreign nations. The phrase "I will draw out a sword after them" emphasizes that even in exile, God's judgment would pursue them, highlighting the severity of their disobedience and fulfilling prophecies of scattering for covenant disobedience found in Deuteronomy.
  • God's Sovereignty: Even amidst such devastating judgment, God is depicted as being in ultimate control, orchestrating the events and ensuring His word is fulfilled.

Linguistic Insights

The "knife" (Hebrew: ta'ar) mentioned here is the same razor used to shave Ezekiel's head in the preceding verse (Ezekiel 5:1). This continuity reinforces the idea that the very instrument used to prepare the symbolic hair for its fate is also used to enact judgment on a portion of it. The cutting motion vividly portrays the deliberate and precise nature of the violence and death that would befall the inhabitants.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 5:2 serves as a stark reminder of the seriousness of sin and the consequences of persistent rebellion against God. It underscores God's holiness and justice, demonstrating that His warnings are not to be taken lightly. For believers today, it highlights the importance of obedience, repentance, and living in accordance with God's will. While God is merciful, He is also just, and His character demands that sin be addressed. The verse also implicitly points to God's faithfulness in fulfilling His word, both in judgment and in the promise of future restoration.

Reflection

The imagery in this verse is designed to shock and impress upon Ezekiel's audience the dire reality of their situation. It's a powerful visual sermon, conveying the comprehensive and unavoidable nature of the judgment that awaited Jerusalem. The division into thirds ensures that no one is exempt from the consequences of the nation's actions, though their specific fate might differ.

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 5:12

    A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

  • Leviticus 26:33

    And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.

  • Ezekiel 4:1

    ¶ Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, [even] Jerusalem:

  • Ezekiel 4:8

    And, behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege.

  • Jeremiah 15:2

    And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as [are] for death, to death; and such as [are] for the sword, to the sword; and such as [are] for the famine, to the famine; and such as [are] for the captivity, to the captivity.

  • Ezekiel 12:14

    And I will scatter toward every wind all that [are] about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.

  • Jeremiah 9:16

    I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them.

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