5:1 And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a
barber's razor, and cause [it] a to pass upon thy head and
upon thy beard: then take to thee balances to weigh, and
divide the [hair].
(a) To shave your head and your beard.
5:2 Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the
b city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou
shalt take a third part, [and] smite about it with a sword:
and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will
draw out a sword after them.
(b) That is, of that city which he had portrayed on the
brick, (Eze 4:1). By the fire and pestilence he
means the famine, with which one part perished during
the siege of Nebuchadnezzar. By the sword, those that
were slain when Zedekiah fled and those that were
carried away captive and by the scattering into the
wind, those that fled into Egypt, and into other parts
after the city was taken.
5:3 Thou shalt also take of them a few in number, and bind them
in thy c skirts.
(c) Meaning, that a very few would be left, which the Lord
would preserve among all these storms, but not without
troubles and trial.
5:4 Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the
fire, and burn them in the fire; d from which a fire shall
come forth into all the house of Israel.
(d) Out of the fire which you kindled will come a fire which
will signify the destruction of Israel.
5:6 And she hath changed my e judgments into wickedness more
than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries
that [are] around her: for they have refused my judgments
and my statutes, they have not walked in them.
(e) My word and law into idolatry and superstitions.
5:7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye f multiplied
more than the nations that [are] around you, [and] have not
walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments,
neither have done according to the judgments of the nations
that [are] around you;
(f) Because your idols are in greater number, and your
superstitions more than among the professed idolaters,
read (Isa 65:11) or he condemns their ingratitude in
respect to his benefits.
5:13 Thus shall my anger be accomplished, and I will cause my
fury to rest upon them, and I will be g comforted: and
they shall know that I the LORD have spoken [it] in my
zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.
(g) That is, I will not be pacified till I am avenged,
(Isa 1:24).
5:16 When I shall send upon them the evil h arrows of famine,
which shall be for [their] destruction, [and] which I will
send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon
you, and will break your staff of bread:
(h) Which were the grasshoppers, mildew and whatever were
opportunities for famine.
