New International Version He then said to me: “Son of man, I am about to cut off the food supply in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair, New Living Translation Then he told me, “Son of man, I will make food very scarce in Jerusalem. It will be weighed out with great care and eaten fearfully. The water will be rationed out drop by drop, and the people will drink it with dismay. English Standard Version Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, behold, I will break the supply of bread in Jerusalem. They shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and they shall drink water by measure and in dismay. Berean Standard Bible Then He told me, “Son of man, I am going to cut off the supply of food in Jerusalem. They will anxiously eat bread rationed by weight, and in despair they will drink water by measure. Berean Literal Bible And He said to me: “Son of man, behold, I am going to cut off the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and they will drink water by measure and with dread, King James Bible Moreover he said unto me, 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: New King James Version Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, surely I will cut off the supply of bread in Jerusalem; they shall eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and shall drink water by measure and with dread, New American Standard Bible Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, behold, I am going to break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and drink water by measure and in horror, NASB 1995 Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, behold, I am going to break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and drink water by measure and in horror, NASB 1977 Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, behold, I am going to break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and drink water by measure and in horror, Legacy Standard Bible Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, behold, I am going to break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and they will drink water by measure and in desolation Amplified Bible Moreover, He said to me, “Son of man, behold (listen carefully), I am going to break the staff of bread [that supports life] in Jerusalem; and they shall eat bread [rationed] by weight and [eat it] with anxiety and fear, and drink water by measure and [drink it] in horror [of the impending starvation], Berean Annotated Bible Then He told me, “Son of man, I am going to cut off the supply \staff/ of food in Jerusalem (city of peace). They will anxiously eat bread rationed by weight, and in despair they will drink water by measure. Christian Standard Bible He said to me, “Son of man, I am going to cut off the supply of bread in Jerusalem. They will anxiously eat food they have weighed out and in dread drink rationed water Holman Christian Standard Bible Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am going to cut off the supply of bread in Jerusalem. They will anxiously eat bread rationed by weight and in dread drink water by measure. American Standard Version Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with fearfulness; and they shall drink water by measure, and in dismay: Contemporary English Version Ezekiel, the people of Jerusalem will starve. They will have so little food and water that they will be afraid and hopeless. English Revised Version Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with carefulness; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment: GOD'S WORD® Translation He also said to me, "Son of man, I am going to cut off the bread supply in Jerusalem. People will anxiously eat rationed bread and fearfully drink rationed water. Good News Translation And he added, "Mortal man, I am going to cut off the supply of bread for Jerusalem. The people there will be distressed and anxious as they measure out the food they eat and the water they drink. International Standard Version He also told me, "Son of Man, look! I'm about to disrupt the source of bread in Jerusalem. As a result, they'll ration bread by weight while their terror continues to grow and they'll ration drinking water while their horror continues to mount! NET Bible Then he said to me, "Son of man, I am about to remove the bread supply in Jerusalem. They will eat their bread ration anxiously, and they will drink their water ration in terror New Heart English Bible Moreover he said to me, "Son of man, look, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with fearfulness; and they shall drink water by measure, and in dismay: Webster's Bible Translation Moreover he said to me, 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen He told me, “Son of man, I am going to cut off the supply of food in Jerusalem. They will anxiously eat bread rationed by weight, and in despair they will drink water by measure. World English Bible Moreover he said to me, “Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem. They will eat bread by weight, and with fearfulness. They will drink water by measure, and in dismay; Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd He says to me, “Son of man, behold, I am breaking the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they have eaten bread by weight and with fear; and water by measure and with astonishment, they drink; Berean Literal Bible And He said to me: “Son of man, behold, I am going to cut off the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety, and they will drink water by measure and with dread, Young's Literal Translation And He saith unto me, 'Son of man, lo, I am breaking the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they have eaten bread by weight and with fear; and water by measure and with astonishment, they do drink; Smith's Literal Translation And he will say to me, Son of man, behold me breaking the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they ate bread by weight and with fear; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd he said to me: Son of man: Behold, I will break in pieces the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care: and they shall drink water by measure, and in distress. Catholic Public Domain Version And he said to me: “Son of man, behold: I will crush the staff of bread in Jerusalem. And they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety. And they will drink water by measure and with anguish. New American Bible Then he said to me: Son of man, I am about to break the staff of bread in Jerusalem so they shall eat bread which they have weighed out anxiously and drink water which they have measured out fearfully. New Revised Standard Version Then he said to me, Mortal, I am going to break the staff of bread in Jerusalem; they shall eat bread by weight and with fearfulness; and they shall drink water by measure and in dismay. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleMoreover, he said to me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem; and they shall eat bread by weight; and when thirsty, they shall drink water by measure; Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And he said to me: “Son of man, behold, I break the staff of grain in Jerusalem and they shall eat bread by the shekel, and they shall drink water in thirst by measure OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Moreover He said unto me: 'Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they shall eat bread by weight, and with anxiety; and they shall drink water by measure, and in appalment; Brenton Septuagint Translation And he said to me, Son of man, behold, I break the support of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight and in want; and shall drink water by measure, and in a state of ruin: Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context The Defiled Bread…15“Look,” He replied, “I will let you use cow dung instead of human excrement, and you may bake your bread over that.” 16Then He told me, “Son of man, I am going to cut off the supply of food in Jerusalem. They will anxiously eat bread rationed by weight, and in despair they will drink water by measure. 17So they will lack food and water; they will be appalled at the sight of one another wasting away in their iniquity.… Cross References Then He told me, Numbers 12:6 He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will reveal Myself to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream. Jeremiah 1:7 But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For to everyone I send you, you must go, and all that I command you, you must speak. “Son of man, Ezekiel 2:1 “Son of man,” He said to me, “stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” Ezekiel 3:1 “Son of man,” He said to me, “eat what you find here. Eat this scroll, then go and speak to the house of Israel.” Daniel 8:17 As he came near to where I stood, I was terrified and fell facedown. “Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.” I am going to cut off the supply of food in Jerusalem. Isaiah 3:1 For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: the whole supply of food and water, Ezekiel 5:16 When I shower you with the deadly arrows of famine and destruction that I will send to destroy you, I will intensify the famine against you and cut off your supply of food. 2 Kings 25:3 By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food. They will anxiously eat bread rationed by weight, Leviticus 26:26 When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women will bake your bread in a single oven and dole out your bread by weight, so that you will eat but not be satisfied. Jeremiah 52:6 By the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine in the city was so severe that the people of the land had no food. 2 Kings 6:25 So there was a great famine in Samaria. Indeed, they besieged the city so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter cab of dove’s dung sold for five shekels of silver. and in despair they will drink water by measure. Ezekiel 12:18-19 “Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with quivering and anxiety. / Then tell the people of the land that this is what the Lord GOD says about those living in Jerusalem and in the land of Israel: ‘They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in dread, for their land will be stripped of everything in it because of the violence of all who dwell in it. Jeremiah 14:3 The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns, but find no water; their jars return empty. They are ashamed and humiliated; they cover their heads. Lamentations 5:4 We must buy the water we drink; our wood comes at a price. Jeremiah 14:1-4 This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: / “Judah mourns and her gates languish. Her people wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem. / The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns, but find no water; their jars return empty. They are ashamed and humiliated; they cover their heads. … Lamentations 4:4-10 The nursing infant’s tongue clings in thirst to the roof of his mouth. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them any. / Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps. / The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand turned to help her. … Treasury of Scripture Moreover he said to me, 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: I will Ezekiel 5:16 When I shall send upon them the evil 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: Ezekiel 14:13 Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it: Leviticus 26:26 And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied. eat Ezekiel 4:10,11 And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it… Ezekiel 12:18,19 Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness; … Psalm 60:3 Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment. Jump to Previous Anxiety Appalment Astonishment Bread Break Care Cut Dismay Drink Drinking-Water Eat Fear Fearfulness Food Horror Jerusalem Measure Measuring Moreover Necessary Rationed Staff Supply Water Weight WonderJump to Next Anxiety Appalment Astonishment Bread Break Care Cut Dismay Drink Drinking-Water Eat Fear Fearfulness Food Horror Jerusalem Measure Measuring Moreover Necessary Rationed Staff Supply Water Weight WonderEzekiel 4 1. Under type of a siege is shown the time from the defection of Jeroboam to captivity9. By the provision of the siege, is shown the hardness of the famine Then He told me, God gave Ezekiel a direct warning of the judgment soon to fall on Jerusalem. Num 12:6 He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you… “Son of man, Addressing Ezekiel by his human title reminded him that he stood before God as His appointed messenger to the people. Ezk 2:1 “Son of man,” He said to me, “stand up on your feet”… I am going to cut off the supply of food in Jerusalem. Jerusalem would face famine during the Babylonian siege as God removed the provision the people had taken for granted. Isa 3:1 For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts is about to remove… They will anxiously eat bread rationed by weight, Food would become so scarce that each portion had to be carefully measured, producing fear and uncertainty throughout the city. Lev 26:26 When I cut off your supply of bread, ten women… and in despair they will drink water by measure. Even water would be limited, leaving the inhabitants distressed and helpless under the severity of the siege. Ezk 12:18-19 “Son of man, eat your bread with trembling,… Persons / Places / Events 1. EzekielA prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the Israelites during their exile in Babylon. Known for his symbolic actions and visions. 2. Jerusalem The capital city of Judah, significant in Jewish history and faith. At this time, it was under threat due to the people's disobedience to God. 3. God's Judgment The event of God declaring a famine as a consequence of the people's sins, symbolized by the rationing of bread and water. Teaching Points Divine Judgment and MercyGod's judgment is a response to persistent disobedience, yet it serves as a call to repentance and restoration. Symbolism of Bread and Water Bread and water symbolize basic sustenance. Their rationing signifies not only physical deprivation but also spiritual famine due to separation from God. The Role of the Prophet Ezekiel's actions and messages remind us of the importance of heeding God's warnings through His messengers. Spiritual Preparedness Just as physical famine requires preparation, spiritual readiness is crucial to withstand trials and remain faithful. Trust in God's Provision Even in times of scarcity, believers are called to trust in God's ultimate provision and care. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Ezekiel 4:16?2. How does Ezekiel 4:16 illustrate God's judgment through scarcity of bread and water? 3. What lessons on obedience can we learn from Ezekiel's actions in this chapter? 4. How does Ezekiel 4:16 connect with God's warnings in Deuteronomy about disobedience? 5. How can we trust God for provision when facing scarcity in our lives? 6. What modern situations reflect the "rationed bread" and "anxious water" in Ezekiel 4:16? 7. What does Ezekiel 4:16 reveal about God's judgment on Israel's disobedience? 8. How does the scarcity of bread in Ezekiel 4:16 symbolize spiritual famine? 9. Why does God choose bread as a symbol in Ezekiel 4:16? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Ezekiel 4? (16) I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem.--In Ezekiel 4:16-17, the meaning of the foregoing symbolism is declared in plain language. Bread, as the chief article of food is put for all food, the specific for the general. There shall be extreme suffering and distress, as a part of the punishment for their long-continued sins.Verse 16. - The staff of bread. The phrase occurs again in Ezekiel 5:16; Ezekiel 14:13, and also in Leviticus 26:26; Psalm 105:16. In Isaiah 3:1 the thought is the same, but the Hebrew word is different. They shall eat bread by weight, etc. The phrase occurs, it may be noted, in Leviticus 26:26, one of the verses above referred to. The care and astonishment, implying that the wonted cheerfulness of meals would have departed, meet us again in Ezekiel 12:19. Ezekiel 4:16 delivers a sober, literal warning: Jerusalem’s rebellion will bring a siege so severe that bread and water—the staples of life—are weighed and measured with fear and despair. God speaks; Ezekiel listens; the people are called to repent. The verse underscores covenant faithfulness on God’s part: blessings for obedience, discipline for sin. Even in judgment, the Lord’s Word offers hope, foreshadowing a future restoration when scarcity and anxiety will be replaced by abundance and peace for those who return to Him. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Then He toldוַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say me, אֵלַ֗י (’ê·lay) Preposition | first person common singular Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to “Son בֶּן־ (ben-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 1121: A son of man, אָדָם֙ (’ā·ḏām) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being I am going to cut off שֹׁבֵ֤ר (šō·ḇêr) Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 7665: To break, break in pieces the supply מַטֵּה־ (maṭ·ṭêh-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 4294: A staff, rod, shaft, branch, a tribe of food לֶ֙חֶם֙ (le·ḥem) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain in Jerusalem. בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם (bî·rū·šā·lim) Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel They will anxiously וּבִדְאָגָ֑ה (ū·ḇiḏ·’ā·ḡāh) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 1674: Anxiety, anxious care eat וְאָכְלוּ־ (wə·’ā·ḵə·lū-) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural Strong's 398: To eat bread לֶ֥חֶם (le·ḥem) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain rationed by weight, בְּמִשְׁקָ֖ל (bə·miš·qāl) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 4948: Weight, weighing and in despair וּבְשִׁמָּמ֖וֹן (ū·ḇə·šim·mā·mō·wn) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 8078: Stupefaction they will drink יִשְׁתּֽוּ׃ (yiš·tū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 8354: To imbibe water וּמַ֕יִם (ū·ma·yim) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen by measure. בִּמְשׂוּרָ֥ה (bim·śū·rāh) Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 4884: A measure Additonal Resources Ezekiel 4:16 Blue Letter BibleEzekiel 4:16 Bible Gateway Ezekiel 4:16 Bible.com Ezekiel 4:16 NIV |
    |