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 WITH FIRE A THIRD PART ... TAKE A THIRD PART, AND SMITE ABOUT IT WITH A KNIFE ... A THIRD PART ... SCATTER IN THE WIND - three classes are described. The sword was to destroy one-third of the people; famine and plague another third, ("fire" in being explained in to mean "pestilence and famine"); that which remained was to be scattered among the nations. A few only of the last portion were to escape, symbolized by the hairs bound in Ezekiel's skirts ...

1-4 The prophet must shave off the hair of his head and beard, which signifies God's utter rejecting and abandoning that people. One part must be burned in the midst of the city, denoting the multitudes that should perish by famine and pestilence. Another part was to be cut in pieces, representing the many who were slain by the sword. Another part was to be scattered in the wind, denoting the carrying away of some into the land of the conqueror, and the flight of others into the neighbouring countries for shelter. A small quantity of the third portion was to be bound in his shirts, as that of which he is very careful. But few were reserved. To whatever refuge sinners flee, the fire and sword of God's wrath will consume them....

Verse Ezekiel 5:2. Ezekiel 5:1....

“The third part burnt in the midst of the city” represents those who perished within the city during the siege; “the third part smitten about it” (the city) “with” the sword, those who were killed about the city during the same period: “the third part scattered to the wind” those who after the siege were dispersed in foreign lands. IN THE MIDST OF THE CITY - The prophet is in exile, and is to do this in the midst of Jerusalem. His action being ideal is fitly assigned to the place which the prophecy concerns. WHEN THE DAYS OF THE SIEGE ARE FULFILLED - i. e., “when the days of the figurative representation of the siege are fulfilled.”...

EXPOSITION EZEKIEL 5:1 TAKE THEE A BARBER'S RAZOR, etc. The series of symbolic acts is carried further. Recollections of Isaiah and Leviticus mingle strangely in the prophet's mind. The former had made the "razor" the symbol of the devastation wrought by an invading army (Isaiah 7:20). The latter had forbidden its use for the head and beard of the priests (Le Leviticus 19:27; Leviticus 21:5). Once again Ezekiel is commanded to do a forbidden thing as a symbolic act. He is, for the moment, the representative of the people of Jerusalem, and there is to be, as of old, a great destructio

THOU, SHALL BURN WITH FIRE A THIRD PART IN THE MIDST OF THE CITY,.... Of Jerusalem, as portrayed upon the tile, Ezekiel 4:1; or the prophet was now in Chaldea. The burning of the third part of the hair with fire denotes such who were destroyed by the pestilence and famine during the siege; see Lamentations 5:10; or it denotes the burning of the city itself, when the siege was over; since it follows: WHEN THE DAYS OF THE SIEGE ARE FULFILLED; for, when it was taken, it was burnt with fire, Jeremiah 52:13; AND THOU SHALL TAKE A THIRD PART, [AND] SMITE ABOUT IT WITH A KNIFE; which designs those that fled out of the city whim it was broken up, and were pursued after, and overtook

Ezekiel 5:1. The sharp knife is the symbol of the king of Babylon. (See Isaiah 7:20 .) He was God's instrument in the execution of His wrath; the people are represented by the hair. The third part of the hair burned with fire pictures the fate of a part of the people during the siege. The pestilence and the famine were also to consume them. Only a few in number, a small remnant, were to be preserved, as indicated when Ezekiel took a few hairs and bound them in his skirt. Ezekiel 5:5. These solemn words should be carefully read. In connection with them there ought to be read Jeremiah's lamentations, for Jeremiah's outburst of sorrow shows the literal fulfillment of this message. (See...

(D) THE FATE OF THE BESIEGED. Yet the last symbol is perhaps the most terrible of all; it suggests the all but irretrievable completeness of the destruction. Ezekiel is commanded to take a sharp sword, and use it, like a razor, upon his head and beard suggesting how clean the city will be swept of its population. The hair removed is to be scrupulously weighed there is a deadly accuracy in the Divine justice and divided into three portions, destined to be burned, smitten, and scattered respectively, symbolic (as we learn from Ezekiel 5:12) of the fate of those within the city (the fire stands for pestilence and famine), of those caught near it, cruelly cut down in their efforts to escape, and of those who will be swept away to exile. Of these last a few, symbolised by a little hair caught in the folds of Ezekiel's garment, shall escape, but even this remnant is to be decimated by further...

IN THE MIDST OF THE CITY. Which he had graven on the brick See the signification in Ezekiel 5:12, FULFILLED. completed. Compare Ezekiel 4:8. A. the. Compare Ezekiel 5:1. IN to. WIND. Hebrew ruach. App-9. DRAW OUT. SWORD, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 26:33). SWORD. Same word as "knife" (vs Ezekiel 5:1). App-92....

Ezekiel 5:1-4. Symbol shewing the fate of the population during the siege and after it, and their dispersion among the nations The prophet is commanded to take a sharp sword and use it as a barber's razor. With this he is to shave off the hair of his head and beard. He is then to take balances in order accurately to weigh the hair into three parts. One third is to be burned in the fire within the city; a second third to be cut to pieces with the sword round about the city; and the last third is to be strewn to all the winds, and pursued by the sword. Of these last a few were to be taken and bound in the skirts of the prophet's garment; though of these again some were to be thrown into the fire and consumed. The sense of the symbol is clear; a third part of the population shall be consumed by pestilence and famine within the city ...