Ezekiel 5:2

Three classes are described. The sword was to destroy one third of the people; famine and plague another third ("fire" in Eze 5:2 being explained in Eze 5:12 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 (Eze 5:3; Jer 40:6; Jer 52:16). Even of these some were to be thrown into the fiery ordeal again (Eze 5:4; Jer 41:1-2, &c.; Jer 44:14, &c.). The "skirts" being able to contain but few express that extreme limit to which God's goodness can reach.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Eze 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.

Ver. 2. Thou shalt burn with fire a third part,] i.e., With famine, pestilence, and other mischiefs, during the siege of Jerusalem. Pythagoras gave this precept among others, Unguium, criniumque praesegmina ne contemnito. But God findeth so little worth in wicked people that he regardeth them not, but casteth them as excrements to the dunghill, yea, to hell. {Psa 9:17}

And smite about it with a knife.] They shall be slain with that sharp knife or sword, {Eze 5:1} after that the city is taken.

Thou shalt scatter in the wind.] Sundry of them shall flee for their lives; but in running from death they shall but run to it. {Amo 9:1-4; Amo 2:13-16}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze 5:2-4. Thou shall burn a third part in the midst of the city — In the midst of that portraiture of the city, which the prophet was commanded to make, chap. Eze 4:1. This signified the destruction of the inhabitants within the city by famine and pestilence; for both famine and pestilence may be said to burn, as they make great havoc, and consume as fast as fire. Thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife — To show that a third part of the inhabitants should be slain with the sword; either in the sallies they made out of the city against the enemy, or when the city was taken by assault. A third part thou shalt scatter in the wind — This signified that a part of them should be dispersed into various countries, as the chaff is dispersed by the wind; I will draw out a sword after them — My vengeance shall pursue them in their dispersions, and they shall be everywhere exposed to suffer violence and injury. Also take a few and bind them in thy skirts — The Hebrew is, in thy wings. This signified that a small part of them should be preserved in the land; and accordingly we find that Nebuzar-adan, captain-general of the king of Babylon, left a few of them in the land under Gedaliah, as we read Jer 40:5-6. Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire — This expressed the calamity and destruction which should arise from this small remnant differing among themselves: some espousing the part of Gedaliah, who had been set over them by the Babylonians, and was a good man; and others joining themselves to Ishmael, one of the blood of David, but a wicked man; who formed a conspiracy against Gedaliah, and treacherously slew him, which was the occasion of the utter ruin of that poor remainder of the Jews, which were left in their native country. For thereupon some of them went down into Egypt, where they were all consumed according to Jeremiah’s prophecy against them, Jer 44:11, &c., and the rest who remained in the land were entirely carried away captive by Nebuzar- adan, Jer 52:30.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5:2 Ezekiel was to burn one third of the hair to represent those who would die of famine during the siege. He was to chop another third of the hair with a sword to represent those who would die violent deaths. He was to scatter the final third to the wind to represent those who would be sent into exile.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

To wit, of that city which he had portrayed upon the brick, Ezek. 4:1. By the fire and pestilence he meaneth the famine, wherewith one part perished during the siege of Nebuchadnezzar. By the sword, those that were slain whom 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.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 2. See Clarke on Eze 5:1.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(2) Burn with fire a third art in the midst of the city.—It is better to suppose this done only in description than to imagine that the prophet carried it out in act upon the tile on which the city (Jerusalem) was portrayed. The meaning of this verse is explained in Eze_5:12, and is made plainer by translating the same word uniformly “sword,” instead of changing to “knife.” The third, which is scattered, plainly signifies the small part of the people who, escaping destruction, shall be scattered among the heathen. A similar prophecy, referring however to a later time, may be found in Zec_13:8-9. The expression, “when the days of the siege are fulfilled,” of course refers to the symbolic siege of the prophet. The words, “I will draw out a sword after them,” are taken from Lev_26:33, and are repeated in Eze_5:12, and again in Eze_12:14. The suffering from the Divine judgments should still follow them in their exile. Plain prophecy is here mixed with the symbolism.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. third part in the midst of the city] If we could suppose that the prophet were strict in his symbolism the “city” here would be that graven upon the brick (ch. Eze_4:1). There is no reason to suppose that he has this in his mind.

smite about it with a knife] Rather: and smite it with the sword round about it, i.e. around the city (Eze_5:12). This is the fate of many of those who seek to escape before and after the capture of the city.

draw out a sword] Comp. Jer_9:16, “I will scatter them among the heathen … and will send the sword after them.” Lam_1:3, “Judah dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest; all her pursuers overtook her between the straits.” The phrase again Lev_26:33.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thou, shall burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city,.... Of Jerusalem, as portrayed upon the tile, Eze 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 Lam 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, Jer 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 by the Chaldean army, and cut off by the sword, Jer 52:7;

and a third part thou shall scatter in the wind; which intends those that fled, and were dispersed into several countries, as Moab, Ammon, and especially Egypt, whither many went along with Johanan the son of Kareah, Jer 43:5;

and I will draw out a sword after them; and destroy them; which, as it was threatened, Jer 42:16; so it was accomplished when Egypt was subdued by Nebuchadnezzar. The Septuagint and Arabic versions, in every clause, read a "fourth part", instead of a "third"; but wrongly.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

“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.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Third. Septuagint and Theodotion read "a fourth," as also [in] ver. 12., (Calmet) thus assigning half to be burnt by death (pestilence) and famine. The other half of the people falls a prey to the sword and to captivity. The pestilence, famine, and the sword, were the three usual scourges left to David’s choice, (2 Kings xxiv.) which here destroy each a fourth part, while the rest become captives. Yet even of this third or fourth part, many engage in civil broils, and perish. St. Jerome hints that the Septuagint is interpolated from Theodotion, ver. 12, and that their version only comprised the pentateuch. But the other books went at least under the same title; and there must be some mistake in the words asterisked, since they occur in the Hebrew, Vulgate, &c., third being only substituted for fourth: "And a fourth part of thee shall fall by the sword." The Hebrew is rather less degrading to the Jews, as there would be thus at most one-third preserved, instead of a part only of one-fourth. See Deuteronomy xxvii. 4., and Jeremias lii. 28. --- Take. Septuagint add here, "a fourth part; and shalt burn it in the midst of it; and a fourth thou shalt cut," &c. (Haydock) --- He was thus to deal with a part of the hair during 390 days, (Menochius) or at the end of them. (R. Salom.) --- Round, in the cities near Jerusalem, (Worthington) or round the picture of it, chap. iv. 1.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

This verse tells you into how many parts the hair was to be divided, and how to be disposed of, and so plain it needs little explication.

With fire; so either pestilence, or famine, with the displeasure of God, and the burning of the city and of the citizens, is noted.

The city, described on the tile, Eze 4:1, a type of what should be done in Jerusalem.

When the days of the siege are fulfilled; when the three hundred and ninety days of thy lying against the portrayed city shall be ended; for when Jerusalem shall be taken at the end of the siege, the city shall be burnt; and who can say that none of the inhabitants were burnt, as the two false prophets Ahab and Zedekiah? Jer 29:22. To be sure many that hid themselves under ground, in vaults and cellars, were burnt with the burning of the city.

A third part; it is not necessary this part should be equal to the former, if it be proportional it is enough; perhaps it might be somewhat less then the first third.

Smite about it with a knife; for these were such as fell, in either defending the walls, or sallying out during the siege, or were found in arms when the city was taken, or were overtaken in their flight with their most unhappy king or by law martial were adjudged to die by the conqueror. These many, yet weak ones, women and children, which died in the siege by famine and pestilence, might be a greater third.

A third part; those that fell to the Chaldeans, or fled to Egypt, or other countries, though they escape somewhat longer, yet carrying like sins are at last overtaken with like evils.

Thou shalt scatter; though these disposed of themselves, yet there was God’s hand also in it; he scattered those that of their own accord did flee.

In the wind; violent, uncertain, and troublesome should their enemies prove to them.

I will draw out; God will pursue them.

A sword; figuratively it is wasting punishment, literally it was fulfilled, Jer 42:16,17,22; 43:10,11; 44:27. Thereof, i.e. of the last third which were to be dispersed. A few, or small quantity. In number; or, by number, as it may be read; tell out a small parcel of the hair. Bind them in thy skirts; as men tie up in a handkerchief, or in the skirt of their garment, what they would not lose. So some few shall be kept, God will not cut off the whole house of Israel, but reserves a remnant.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. Burn… when the days of the siege are fulfilled — This would indicate that, although so closely following the command to lie upon his side (Eze_4:4, etc.), the acting out of this symbolic picture must be delayed until his one hundred and ninety days of silent and motionless watching of the besieged city are finished. The hair will then be burned on the tile in the midst of the besieged city (Eze_4:1).

Smite about it with a knife — “It” refers to the city, as is seen from Eze_5:12. The prophet must throw the second lot of hair “about the city” and smite it as it falls. The meaning is that those who escape from the famine and pestilence within the city will fall by the sword outside the gates.

I will draw out a sword — Those who do not fall in the city or its suburbs, but fly to distant places, will not escape. Jehovah’s sword — in the hand of the heathen — will still follow them (Jer_9:16).

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thou shalt burn with fire, etc. The symbolism receives its interpretation in ver. 12. A third part of the people (we need not expect numerical exactness) was to perish in the city of pestilence and famine, another to fall by the sword in their attempts to escape, yet another third was to be scattered to the far off land of their exile, and even there the sword was to follow them. The words, in the midst of the city, and the days of the siege, find their most natural explanation in Eze_4:1, Eze_4:5, Eze_4:6.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

A third part - Described on the tile, chap. iv, 1, a type of what should be done in Jerusalem. The days - When the three hundred and ninety days of thy lying against the portrayed city shall be ended. With a knife - To signify them that fall by the sword. Scatter - To typify them that fell to the Chaldeans, or fled to Egypt, or other countries.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

in the midst of the city that you inscribed on the brick, as the completion of the days of the siege. This is a sign that a third of them will perish in the heat of hunger in its midst, which is like fire, in the same way that it says (Lam. 5:10): “Our skin is parched as by a furnace because of the heat of hunger.”

and strike it.

with a sword all around it Around that brick, symbolizing those who flee from the city, whom the Chaldeans will overtake and slay in the environs of Jerusalem.

and a third you shall scatter to the wind symbolizing the exiles who will go to Egypt, viz. Johanan son of Kareach and his associates, and there I shall unsheathe a sword [in pursuit] after them, for Nebuchadnezzar went and destroyed Egypt, and there they were slain.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.