Tag: famine

The Siege of Jerusalem: Contextual Background

Ezekiel chapter 4:1-5:4 is a continuation of the spirit’s speech to Ezekiel which commenced in 3:24. In it he receives instructions concerning his first messages to his fellow exiles in Babylon. He is to enact four dramatic performances which together represent YHWH’s judgement that is soon to come upon Judah. The drama relates to its capital city Jerusalem and the consequences of the forthcoming siege of the city by Nebuchadnezzar II.

At that time, of course, Ezekiel’s fellow exiles did not expect anything like that to happen. These prophecies are delivered by Ezekiel early in the period commencing with his call to the prophetic ministry (c. 593 BCE) and ending with the fall of Jerusalem (586 BCE). In 597 BCE Nebuchadnezzar had deposed Jehoiachin of Judah and exiled him along with ten thousand of his subjects (2 Kgs 24:8-16), including Ezekiel (1:1-3). He then installed Jehoiachin’s uncle Zedekiah as a puppet king. With this relatively stable government in Judah the exiles were doubtless looking forward to a soon return to their homeland. They could not have known then that Zedekiah (2 Kgs 24-25; 2 Chron 36; Jer 3) would cast off his allegiance to the Babylonians; provoking a violent response by Nebuchadnezzar. In order to quell the revolt by his Judaean vassal Nebuchadnezzar marched to Riblah in Syria where he established campaign headquarters (2 Kgs 25:6, 20; Jer 39:5; 52:9, 26). From that base his army invaded Judah and destroyed its fortified towns (Jer 44:2) before besieging Jerusalem in the ninth year of Zedekiah. Eventually, after a two and a half year siege, the city fell to the Babylonians in 586 BCE. Zedekiah’s family and the nobles of Jerusalem were executed, after which Zedekiah himself was blinded and transported to Babylon as a prisoner of war (2 Kgs 25:6-7).

Ezekiel’s dramatic performances feature:

4:1-3 A model of a siege – representing the siege of Jerusalem.

4:4-8 A number of days spent lying on his left and right sides – representing the duration of judgement .

4:9-17 Consumption of small amounts of bread and water – representing a famine in Jerusalem.

5:1-4 A haircut and shave – representing the fate of Israel.

Some scholars are of the opinion that because Ezekiel does not explicitly state ‘I did this’ for each drama he may have just described the details of his vision to the people without physically acting out these scenarios. However, I take that Ezekiel literally carried out YHWH’s instructions since 4:12 makes it clear that the bread was to be baked in the sight of the people. In addition, impressive symbolic actions by Israel’s prophets were not unusual in that era (1 Kgs 11:30, 22:11; 2 Kgs 13:17; Isa 20:2-4; Jer 13:1-11, 19:1-10).

4:1-3 A MODEL OF A SIEGE

Ezekiel, once again addressed as ‘thou, son of man,’ is instructed to get a (clay) brick, set it before him, and inscribe a diagram of Jerusalem on it. He is then to impersonate the Babylonians by enacting a siege of the city. In practice, Ezekiel may have depicted siege warfare by drawing but the verbs (lay, build, cast, set, take) suggest it is more likely that he made little models and moved them towards his clay brick. These models were of:

a fort – siege works or a tower, manned by archers and slingers (2 Kgs 25:1).

a mount – mounds or ramps constructed of debris (earth, wood, stone) which were built against the walls of a besieged city. Siege towers and battering rams could be pushed up these ramps and from them attack troops could scale the walls using siege ladders. They would then fight their way to the city gates and open them.

a camp – living quarters of an army contingent. As well as fighting men this would have included sappers (who tunnelled under the walls to collapse them) and siege engineers.

battering rams – these wheeled vehicles had a heavy ram suspended from the roof by ropes, one of its ends being a large metal blade. The operators repeatedly slammed this into city gates and walls in order to breach them. These prefabricated machines were generally transported flat pack and assembled on site.

From the details in these three verses one can easily imagine the noise, mayhem and devastation of ancient siege warfare. Men shouting, rams battering, slingers and archers from both sides raining down stones and arrows at one another, the defenders throwing down flaming torches to set the attacking war engines and troops alight. Ezekiel’s enactment of such a siege that would soon be experienced by Jerusalem must have shocked his fellow countrymen.

Ezekiel was also to set up a flat iron pan or griddle between him and his model of the city and glare (‘direct your face forward’) at it. This obstruction probably represented the barrier between YHWH and the house of Israel and the stare represented God’s angry intentions towards Jerusalem. The visual demonstration of a siege serves as a prophetic ‘sign’ to the house of Israel of the impending destruction of Jerusalem.

4:4-8 A NUMBER OF DAYS SPENT LYING ON HIS LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES

Ezekiel is then commanded to lie on his left and right sides for a specific number of days, symbolically bearing the sin of the people of Israel. Each day probably represents a year of punishment for Israel’s iniquity. This act serves as a vivid illustration of the consequences of Israel’s rebellion against God.

Having impersonated the Babylonians in the first episode Ezekiel now has to play the part of Israel. He is instructed to lie on his left side for 390 days and after that lie on his right side for 40 days. The first period relates to the ‘house of Israel,’ the second to the ‘house of Judah. Ezekiel is told that each day represents one year (vv. 5-6).

Apparently in the Ancient Near East directions were indicated from a position facing east. North (the northern kingdom of Israel) was therefore on the left side and South (the southern kingdom of Judah) on the right. Another example of this in Ezekiel is 16:46: ‘And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.’

Concerning the years, we have no idea what dates are referred to. In fact, even the number of years for the house of Israel is unclear for although the Hebrew Masoretic text reads 390 years the Greek LXX says 190 years. Scholars and commentators have fertile imaginations and many ingenious suggestions have been put forward.

Since 390+40=430 (the period of time spent by the children of Israel in Egypt) some see this as symbolic of years of oppression or wilderness experience for Israel. See also Ex12:40 and Gal 3:17.

There is some disagreement as to whether the days represent years of sin or the years of punishment for sin. The first would look back to years of iniquity, the other point forward to years of judgement. Basing their opinion on v.9b some commentators maintain that the 390 years and the 40 years run concurrently, although v.6 says ‘when thou hast accomplished them (390), lie again (40)…’ which strongly suggests that they are consecutive.

There also seems to be no agreement on a terminus a quo (start date). For the 390 years of iniquity a popular choice is the period from the the division of Israel in 931 BCE to the fall of Babylon in 539 BCE. Others think that the period is 390 years from the construction of Solomon’s temple in the tenth century BCE. A valid point made by several commentators is that the dates in the book of Ezekiel are based on the deportation of Jehoiachin in 597 BCE, on this basis they speculate that the 390 and 40 years of punishment run consecutively from then until the Maccabean Revolt in 167 BCE.

As regards the 40 year period of Judah’s iniquity some say it began during the reign of King Josiah (640 -609 BCE) and ended with the Fall of Jerusalem (586 BCE), others that it commenced during the long (2 Kgs 21:1), evil (2 Kgs 21:10-16; 23:26-27) reign of Manasseh (lived c. 697-642 BCE).

A few of the commentators I have read give the 430 years a future application, maintaining that because the northern tribes would not have received Ezekiel’s prophecy then these days have yet to be fulfilled. They assert that Ezekiel is portraying judgement that will fall on all Israel (5:4). This, in their view, will occur at the end of the age.

It therefore seems that this is to be a long drawn out drama. Ezekiel is to lie first on his left side for 390 days and then on his right for 40 days ‘to bear the iniquity’ of the house of Israel and the house of Judah. This bearing of the nation’s iniquity is not vicarious but rather Ezekiel’s period of suffering and discomfort symbolizes the pain that Israel will endure at the hands of the Babylonians. During this display YHWH will ‘put ropes on’ Ezekiel, perhaps inflicting him with some kind of temporary paralysis, in order to prevent him from turning from one side to the other.

Again (v.7) Ezekiel is instructed to stare/glare at his siege model while he is lying on his side with his arm uncovered (see v.4). This may symbolize an unimpeded warrior ready for battle (cp. Isa 52:10). He is also to prophesy against Jerusalem. Perhaps, however, there is one crumb of hope in Ezekiel’s message in that the judgement is for a set period and will one day come to an end.

Possibly Ezekiel did not lie immobile 24-7 but just lay for several hours per day as the passage represents him carrying out other activities like enacting the siege, baking bread, drinking water, shaving etc.

4:9-17 CONSUMPTION OF SMALL AMOUNTS OF BREAD AND WATER

In these verses Ezekiel is instructed to eat a specific ration of food, prepared from a mixture of grains and legumes. This is limited by weight and represents the scarcity of food that the people of Jerusalem would experience during a siege. This action demonstrates the severity of the impending judgment upon Israel.

He is directed to mix flour from six types of grain in one vessel and prepare enough bread to eat ‘ from time to time’ (v.10, i.e. at a set time each day) during the 390 day period that he would lie on one side or the other. These grains are: wheat, barley, beans (see also 2 Sam 17:28), lentils, millet and fitches (a species of wheat). This unusual mixture of cereals was to be baked in full view of his fellow exiles (v.12), using human excrement as fuel. The amount of Ezekiel’s daily allocation of this disgusting food is 20 (Babylonian) shekels – approximately 8 ounces or 227 grams – and his intake of water is restricted to one sixth of a hin – about 0.6 litres. That the quantities are to be precisely measured out (cp. Lev 26:26) emphasizes that these are starvation rations. Ezekiel’s general state of health will deteriorate on such an unbalanced diet. The main point of this symbolic action is that siege, starvation and famine will soon be the lot of the residents of Jerusalem. There will be a shortage of food and water therefore rationing will apply (vv.16-17). Rationing is described in Isa 30:20 as ‘the bread of adversity and the water of affliction’ (see also 1 Kgs 22:27).

Ezekiel is instructed to eat the bread ‘as barley cakes.’ The idea seems to be that of eating them with enjoyment or enthusiasm thus suggesting that during the siege of Jerusalem people will be delighted to have something to eat, even if it is polluted.

In verse 13 the Lord says ‘thus shall the children of Israel eat defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them’ (for YHWH driving the Israelites out see Jer 8:3; 16:15; 24:9; 27:10,15), Ezekiel’s starvation diet teaches his fellow Israelites a double lesson: it predicts the forthcoming siege of Jerusalem and also the defilement of the exile that would follow it. The may mean that the food they will eat abroad is defiled since it will not be slaughtered, produced, handled and prepared in accordance with the dietary laws in the Torah. It could also mean that they will be defiled by adopting heathen manners and customs during the Exile (cp. Hos 9:3-4 for a similar sentiment).

Even though Ezekiel was receiving these directions while in a prophetic trance his priestly upbringing seems to have automatically triggered an immediate protest at the instructions concerning the bread. That his problem concerns the use of human excrement as fuel is clear from YHWH’s response in v.15: ‘Lo, I have given thee cow’s dung for man’s dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.’ Bread baked over dried cow manure will still be defiled but perhaps to Ezekiel it seems a little less revolting. In any case, it will still sound disgusting and memorably make the point to his audience.

Ezekiel’s request for relief begins with a passionate outburst ‘Ah Lord God!’ and he goes on to explain that thus far his life has not been ‘polluted.’ One would think that Ezekiel’s objection is based on either the regulations concerning unlawful mixing (Lev 19:19; Deut 22:9) or on the strict rules about the disposal of human waste (Deut 23:12-14). However, he mentions neither of these but gives as his reason (‘for’ v.14) the fact that he had never done the following things:

• Eaten an animal that died of itself (Lev 11:39; 17:15; 22:8; Deut 14:21, cp. Ezek 44:31).

• Eaten an animal that was torn in pieces (Ex 22:31; Lev 22:8).

• Eaten abominable flesh – this was meat left over from peace offerings and not eaten by the third day (Lev19:7).

These things bear no relation to baking bread over human excrement but Ezekiel seems to be asserting that he has kept all the dietary regulations since his youth, and cites these three cases in point. It is commendable that Ezekiel lived a blameless life before his prophetic call and that during his ministry his conscience was so sensitive that he instinctively wanted to live his life in obedience to God’s requirements. What a great lesson and example for us today!

After granting Ezekiel a concession on the fuel YHWH further declares: ‘Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment: That they may want bread and water, and be astonished one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.’ Ezekiel 4:16-17

‘staff of bread’ – means supply of bread, that which human beings depend on for survival. See also Lev 26:26; Psa 105:16; Isa 3:1; Ezek 5:16; 14:13. The siege of Jerusalem will result in the rationing of food and water. Bread will be doled out by weight and water by measure. The people will partake of their daily rations ‘with astonishment’ (extreme fear and apprehension) and will ‘consume away for their iniquity,’ i.e. they will waste away. Ezekiel uses this same expression three times when prophesying YHWH’s judgement (4:17; 24:23; 33:10).

This drama symbolizes and emphasizes the severity of the judgement that will befall Jerusalem. The scarcity of food and water will lead to desperation and despair among the people. This judgment is portrayed as a consequence of the people’s sin and disobedience.

5:1-4 A HAIRCUT AND SHAVE

Again addressing him as ‘Mortal’ YHWH reveals to Ezekiel details of the fourth drama that he must enact. He is to take a sharp knife and shave his head and beard. Using a knife as a razor is a powerful depiction of the judgement that will come upon the people of Jerusalem. The shaving of the head and beard was a sign of mourning (Isa 22:12; Jer 16:6) or disgrace (2 Sam 10:4; Mic 1:16) in ancient Near Eastern cultures and Israelites were forbidden by the law (Lev 19:27; 21:5; Deut 14:1) to practise this custom.

Using balances Ezekiel is to weigh and divide the hair that he has shaved off. This intimates that God is supervising the judgements (see 5:12; 6:12). Unlike the previous three dramas (chapter 4), in this case Ezekiel is to perform the symbolic actions AFTER the set number of days he has to lie on one side or the other (‘when the days of the (mock) siege are fulfilled,’ 5:2).

• He is to burn one third of the hair ‘in the midst of the city,’ i.e. on his brick representing Jerusalem. This symbolizes the destruction of Jerusalem by fire and of its inhabitants by famine and pestilence (5:12).

• He is to strike another third of the hair with a sword symbolizing that many people will suffer a violent death in battle.

• He is to throw the remaining third to the winds, symbolizing the dispersion of the people of Judah.

• He is to take a small number of the scattered hairs and bind them in the hem of his garment. He then has to take some of these and burn them in the fire. This indicates that even a remnant (symbolizing either those who survive the Babylonian invasion and siege or those who remain faithful to YHWH) will not be spared from God’s judgement but will find themselves in desperate circumstances. This action emphasizes the severity of the consequences of disobedience.

We now move into the next section which begins with an oracle against Jerusalem (5:5-17) in which YHWH explains the symbolism of the haircut and shave in 5:1-4.

EZEKIEL 1:1-3 – INTRODUCTION AND SUPERSCRIPTION

EZEKIEL’S VISION OF THE GLORY OF YAHWEH (1:4-28)

AND HE SAID TO ME’ – EZEKIEL’S CALL TO BE A PROPHET – 2:1-3:15

EZEKIEL’S WATCHMAN ROLE: A PROPHETIC CALL TO RESPONSIBILITY- 3:16-27