Ezekiel 4:3

Then take an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between yourself and the city. Turn your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Lord addresses Ezekiel immediately after commanding him to construct a siege ramp and position camps around the city.

The words — The text commands Ezekiel to take a `מַחֲבַת (ma.cha.Vat) = baking tray` and `בַּרְזֶל (bar.Zel) = iron` to forge an unyielding barrier.

The thread — This enacted warning aligns with other covenant signs where God uses physical gestures to communicate judgment, as recorded in Isaiah 8:18, Isaiah 20:3, and Ezekiel 12:6.

Why it lands — The passage requires obedient participation in a visible symbol of siege, demanding that the audience recognize impending judgment through deliberate, enacted warning.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאַתָּ֤הve./'a.Tahand/ you קַח־kach-takeלְךָ֙le./Kha<for>/ yourselfמַחֲבַ֣תma.cha.Vata baking tray of בַּרְזֶ֔לbar.Zeliron וְנָתַתָּ֤הve./na.ta.Tahand/ you will make אוֹתָהּ֙'o.Ta/h<obj.>/ it קִ֣ירkira wall of בַּרְזֶ֔לbar.Zeliron בֵּינְךָ֖bei.ne./Khabetween/ you וּבֵ֣יןu./Veinand/ between הָעִ֑ירha./'Irthe/ city וַהֲכִינֹתָה֩va./ha.khi.no.Tahand/ you will direct אֶת־'et-<obj.>פָּנֶ֨יךָpa.Nei./khaface/ your אֵלֶ֜יהָ'e.Lei./hato/ it וְהָיְתָ֤הve./ha.ye.Tahand/ it will be בַמָּצוֹר֙va./ma.tzOrin <the>/ state of siege וְצַרְתָּ֣ve./tzar.Taand/ you will lay siege עָלֶ֔יהָ'a.Lei./haon/ it א֥וֹת'ot[will be] a sign הִ֖יאhi'it לְבֵ֥יתle./Veitfor/ [the] house of יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ סYis.ra.'ElIsrael

King James Version

Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.

Cross-references

Isaiah 8:18 Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me as signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.
Isaiah 20:3 Then the LORD said, “Just as My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush,
Ezekiel 12:6 And as they watch, lift your bags to your shoulder and take them out at dusk; cover your face so that you cannot see the land. For I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.”
Ezekiel 12:11 You are to say, ‘I am a sign to you.’ Just as it happened here, so will it be done to them; they will go into exile as captives.
Ezekiel 24:24 ‘Thus Ezekiel will be a sign for you; you will do everything that he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’
Leviticus 2:5 If your offering is a grain offering prepared on a griddle, it must be unleavened bread made of fine flour mixed with oil.
Jeremiah 39:1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army and laid siege to the city.
Luke 2:34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
Hebrews 2:4 and was affirmed by God through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.