You also, son of man, take you a tile, and lay it before you, and trace upon it a city, even Jerusalem;
verse value 4119
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 51 letters. The shortest word is "city" (עִ֖יר, 3 letters) and the longest is "Jerusalem" (אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 412: and·you, it. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "poplar" (לְבֵנָ֔ה), "and·you·will·cut·out" (וְחַקּוֹתָ֥). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "on" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "and·you·will·give" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "to·your·face" (root פנים, 150x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root עיר ("city") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·your·face', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: וְאַתָּ֤ה [and·you] (412) + בֶן־אָדָם֙ [son·of·man] (97) + קַח־לְךָ֣ [take·for·yourself] (158) + לְבֵנָ֔ה [poplar] (87) + וְנָתַתָּ֥ה [and·you·will·give] (861) + אוֹתָ֖הּ [it] (412) + לְפָנֶ֑יךָ [to·your·face] (190) + וְחַקּוֹתָ֥ [and·you·will·cut·out] (520) + עָלֶ֛יהָ [on] (115) + עִ֖יר [city] (280) + אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם [Jerusalem] (987) = 4119.
Rashi
Brick. In the vernacular it is called "tuile," and some of them are large:
Radak
"And you, son of man, take for yourself a brick." Why did He command him to take a brick, rather than telling him to inscribe the entire matter on a slate? This is because cities are built with bricks or with stones; thus, the brick serves as an allusion to this. Moreover, a brick is softer and easier to engrave than stone. And Jonathan rendered "brick" as "stone" in the Targum.
Metzudat David
"And you shall place it." Set it up before your face, and engrave upon it the form of a city; and then it goes on to explain that it is Jerusalem.
Metzudat Zion
"Bricks." They are made of clay and dried in the sun, or they are burned in fire; similarly, "let us make bricks" (Genesis 11:3).
"And you shall engrave it." From the language of engraving:
Malbim
“Take for yourself a brick” teaches that Jerusalem’s existence and very being are solely by means of God’s providence and will. For in itself, apart from Him, it is merely raw, unformed brick, devoid of any shape. Only when you place it before you—which alludes to the fact that God placed it before Himself and set His eyes of providence upon it—does it become, thereby, “and engrave upon it a city built upon its height, upon it a city of dwelling,” so that it becomes Jerusalem, the city of the Great King.
and lay siege against it, and build forts against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.
verse value 5350
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 68 letters. Verse gematria: 5350 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "bulwark" (דָּיֵ֔ק, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·set·against·it" (וְשִׂים־עָלֶ֥יהָ, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 861: and·you·will·give, and·you·will·give. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "siege" (מָצ֗וֹר), "and·you·shall·build" (וּבָנִ֤יתָ), "encampment" (מַחֲנ֛וֹת). The root על appears 4 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "on" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "and·you·will·give" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "round·about" (root סביב, 112x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root מצור ("siege") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root בנה ("and·you·shall·build") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'mound', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 6 words.
Rashi
A sling. From the Old French term "mangonel," which in the vernacular refers to a device used to hurl stones into a city.
Sullah: One pours out earth, builds up a ramp, and compacts it with poles, making a high mound to stand upon, to see into the city, and to shoot arrows.
Sullah. In French, "bastion":
“And place upon it couches.” The Targum translates this as “aparronin,” which are outposts that his soldiers establish and occupy in the tents at the four winds of the city, so that no person may go out or come in. And the meaning of “couches” is officers appointed over the army: this one guards this direction, and that one guards that direction.
Radak
"And you shall give, and you shall build upon it" – a wooden tower, which they construct opposite the city to conquer it.
“And you shall cast up a mound against it.” As its Targum renders: “And you shall fortify against it a mound.” This refers to pouring earth into the trenches surrounding the city in order to fill them and to form from the earth a high mound, so as to ascend with it to the wall or to fight.
“And you shall place cushions around it.” The leaders, the commanders of the armies, and my master and father, of blessed memory, explained that “cushions” refers to rams, like the phrase “with the fat of rams” and similar expressions. This refers to iron rams used to batter down the wall.
Metzudat David
“And you shall place upon it a siege.” This means: You shall depict upon that city, which is itself engraved, the form of a siege, as though the enemies are besieging it.
"And you shall build..." means: You shall depict upon it something resembling a rampart, etc., and all of these are matters pertaining to the siege.
Metzudat Zion
"Metzor." The enemies surrounding the city to capture it are called a "metzor" because they besiege them.
A "dik" is a tower built to besiege a city, as it is stated: "And they built a dik against it" (Jeremiah 52:4).
Sullah. It is the mound of earth that is poured out in front of the city, upon which one ascends to wage war against the city; and similarly, “and he shall pour out a mound” (Daniel 11:15).
Camps: armies of the people.
Kirim. These are iron rams, made to butt against a wall to bring it down, as mentioned in Yosippon.
Malbim
And you shall lay siege upon her; afterward, you shall depict that through her sin, the Lord brought upon her enemies who would besiege her to destroy her, in such a way that the Lord who built her is engaged in destroying her. And it recounts all the matters of the siege: "You built upon her" — a siege-wall, so that none would go out from the city; "You cast up a ramp against her" — from there they would fight against the city; "You set up camps against her" — the camps of the warriors; and "You placed battering rams against her" — to overthrow the wall.
And take you to you an iron griddle, and set it for a wall of iron between you and the city; and set your face toward it, and it shall be besieged, and you shall lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.
verse value 7600
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 94 letters. Verse gematria: 7600 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "wall" (קִ֣יר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·you·shall·set" (וַהֲכִינֹתָה֩, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 412: and·you, it. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "flat plate" (מַחֲבַ֣ת), "wall" (קִ֣יר), "between" (בֵּינְךָ֖). The root ברזל appears 2 times in this verse. 20 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·shall·be" (root היה, 335x in Ezekiel); "on" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "and·you·will·give" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root ברזל ("iron") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root קיר ("wall") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·city', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 11 words.
Rashi
An iron wall. This is an analogy for the wall of the city, which separates the army from the city.
This is a sign. For thus will Jerusalem come under siege:
Radak
And you, an iron frying pan. The term “frying pan” has no connotation of receptacle, but rather that it is flatter than a pot or other iron vessels, to liken it to a wall. And the meaning of “iron wall” is for two things: one, to strengthen the iron, for the heart of Israel is strong like iron; and the second, the blackness, for the blackness of iron, as a parable for their sins, which are black and dark, as He compared them to black figs, and they are far from becoming white. And they separate between them and God, like a wall that separates between house and house. And the meaning of “and you shall set your face against it” is “for the face of the Lord is toward them,” if they return to Him. Or the meaning of “preparing the face” is like “and I will set My face against that man.” And what he said, “and you shall besiege it,” after he said, “and it shall be in siege,” means to say: and you shall besiege it until its walls fall down.
This is a sign. For thus will the enemies besiege Jerusalem until they breach it:
Metzudat David
"And you shall set her up." You shall establish her to be like an iron wall, separating between you and the inscribed city. And this is analogous to the city wall that separates between it and those who besiege it.
"and you shall prepare it." You shall prepare your face toward it, as if you were fighting for it.
"And she shall be besieged." This means: Even though she is in a siege, in which you have depicted upon her the form of a siege, nevertheless, you too shall besiege her and fight against her. And she shall be a sign to the children of Israel, that besides the enemy who fights against them, I too shall fight against them.
Metzudat Zion
"Hot plate." The name of some vessel.
Kir: A wall.
And you shall prepare it. The word is from the root of "preparation."
Ot. Sign:
To the house of Israel. Regarding the children of Judah it says:
Malbim
And you, after you have depicted the matter of the enemies besieging her by the decree of the Lord, shall take an iron griddle, and this shall be a sign that an iron wall was placed between the prophet, the angel of the Lord, and the city, alluding to the fact that their sins were separating like an iron wall between the Lord and His agents of providence and the city. And despite all this, “and you shall set your face toward it,” to hint that through this very wall the Lord prepared His countenance toward her through His prophets, whom He sent to them morning and evening, early and late. From this perspective, she is under a double siege: 1. A spiritual siege, through the prophets who besiege her day by day to turn them back to the good path; 2. The siege of the enemies. And this is what it says: “and because of the iron wall, she shall be under siege by the enemies,” because Divine providence had withdrawn from them; and because He prepared His countenance toward the city, therefore, “you shall besiege her,” to turn them to the good, in such a way that if the prophet overcomes the city, the enemies will not overcome them; but if he does not overcome them, only the iron wall will remain between Him and them, and then the enemies will overcome her. And this is the sign for the House of Israel.
Moreover lie you upon your left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it; according to the number of the days that you shall lie upon it, you shall bear their iniquity.
verse value 6768
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 68 letters. Verse gematria: 6768 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "lie·down" (שְׁכַב֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "house·of·Israel" (בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 116: upon·it, upon·it. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "lie·down" (שְׁכַב֙), "the·left·hand" (הַשְּׂמָאלִ֔י), "their·iniquity" (אֶת־עֲוֺנָֽם). The root על appears 3 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "upon·your·side" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "house·of·Israel" (root בית, 159x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root שכב ("lie·down") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root מספר ("number") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·it', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 7 words.
Rashi
“On your left side.” To bear pain and afflictions for a number of days equal to the number of years in which, as it were, My spirit was distressed because they angered Me before Me; and you shall atone for their iniquity, since the punishment that I mean to bring upon them is grievous in your eyes.
Radak
"And you, lie down." He further commanded that he make another sign for them:
Lie on your left side. Since most people sleep on their left side, therefore He commanded him to lie on it for the sin of the House of Israel, who are the majority, and He commanded him to lie on it for three hundred and ninety days, for thus were the years of their sin. And Rashi of blessed memory explained: Since Samaria was to the left of the Land of Judah, as it is written, “Your elder sister is Samaria, who sits to your left,” therefore He commanded him to lie on his left side to bear the sin of the House of Israel. And the meaning of “you shall bear their iniquity” is that you shall endure their iniquity, for lying on one side for a long time without turning to the other side is extremely difficult. And this was a sign for them: just as the years during which they did not serve the Lord, they served the nations and endured their harsh servitude, so too this entire lying down, even though the days were prolonged, all occurred in a prophetic vision.
Metzudat David
Lie on your left side. This corresponds to Samaria, the capital of the Kingdom of Ephraim, which was to the left of the Land of Judah, as it is stated: “And your elder sister Samaria... who dwells on your left” (Ezekiel 16:46).
"And you shall place..." – Upon Him, upon this suffering, you shall place the iniquity of Israel; that is to say, through this suffering the iniquity of Israel will be atoned for, so that they will not be completely destroyed by their sins without hope of restoration.
The number of days. According to the calculation of the number of days that you will lie on your left side, according to this calculation you will atone for their sins: if many, then many; if few, then few.
Metzudat Zion
Tisa. The matter of atonement and forgiveness, as in “For You will pardon iniquity” (Hosea 14:3):
Malbim
“And you shall lie on your left side and place the iniquity of the House of Israel upon it,” to allude to the fact that the cause of all the iniquity of the House of Israel, namely the Ten Tribes, was the left side. For the right hand of God signifies supernatural providence, in which “the right hand of God does valiantly,” whereas the left signifies natural providence. Since He governed the Ten Tribes according to the natural order, and did not lavish upon them His signs and wonders, nor did He continually send His prophets to admonish them, they therefore sinned with idolatry. And by this, He vindicates the House of Israel.
For I have appointed the years of their iniquity to be to you a number of days, even three hundred and ninety days; so shall you bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.
verse value 6209
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 60 letters. The shortest word is "to·you" (לְךָ֙, 2 letters) and the longest is "house·of·Israel" (בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "number" (לְמִסְפַּ֣ר). The root עון appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "I·gave" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "and·I" (root אני, 166x in Ezekiel); "house·of·Israel" (root בית, 159x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root לך ("to·you") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root שלוש ("three·hundred") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'day', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַאֲנִ֗י [and·I] (67) + נָתַ֤תִּֽי [I·gave] (860) + לְךָ֙ [to·you] (50) + אֶת־שְׁנֵ֣י [the·years·of] (761) + עֲוֺנָ֔ם [their·iniquity] (166) + לְמִסְפַּ֣ר [number] (410) + יָמִ֔ים [days] (100) + שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת [three·hundred] (1077) + וְתִשְׁעִ֖ים [and·ninety] (826) + י֑וֹם [day] (56) + וְנָשָׂ֖אתָ [and·you·will·lift] (757) + עֲוֺ֥ן [perversity] (126) + בֵּֽית־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל [house·of·Israel] (953) = 6209.
Rashi
"I have given you the years of their iniquity..." I have lightened your burden by accepting the pain that I endured for the number of years they sinned, and I have converted them for you into a number of days. (Another interpretation: "Two seasons" is like "two years," and so did Jonathan translate: "And I have given you for one, two, in their debt." Another text: "And I have given you for one, two, in their debt.")
Three hundred and ninety days. We learned in Seder Olam: This teaches that Israel sinned for three hundred and ninety years, from the time they entered the Land until the ten tribes were exiled from it. And you find that two hundred and forty-three of these years are explicitly stated, from the time of King Jeroboam until Hoshea son of Elah was exiled. In the days of the Judges, there were one hundred and eleven years, and the remainder are unspecified. These are the three hundred and ninety years that I found in the responsa of Rabbi Yosef, head of the academy: The ten tribes sinned from the days of Joshua until Sennacherib exiled Samaria. Count: eight years under Cushan-rishathaim, eighteen years under Eglon, twenty years under Sisera, seven years under Midian, eighteen years under the children of Ammon, forty years under the Philistines—this makes one hundred and eleven years. From the time of Micah until the Ark was taken captive in the days of Eli, there were forty years—this makes one hundred and fifty-one years. Count for Jeroboam son of Nebat twenty-two years, his son Nadab two years, Baasha twenty-four years, his son Elah two years, Omri twelve years, Ahab twenty-two years, his son Ahaziah two years, and his brother Jehoram twelve years, and Jehu twenty-eight years, Jehoahaz sixteen years, his son Joash sixteen years, and his son Jeroboam forty-one years—this makes three hundred and fifty years. And Menachem son of Gadi ten years, his son Pekahiah two years, and Pekah son of Remaliah twenty years, and Hoshea son of Elah nine years—this makes three hundred and ninety-one years. And the last year of Hoshea is not included in the count, because in the ninth year of Hoshea Samaria was captured, and the reign of Hoshea was counted as only eight years. This makes three hundred and ninety years. And the forty years that the kings of Judah sinned after the exile of Sennacherib, until this passage was spoken to Ezekiel, are explicitly stated below, and I did not need to explain them (Seder Olam Rabbah).
Radak
"And I have given you the years of their iniquity as a number of days, three hundred and ninety days." This means that He gave him days in number corresponding to the years of their sin, one day for one year, one day for one year, and the years of their iniquity amounted to three hundred and ninety years. The majority of these we find explained explicitly: during the days of subjugation between one judge and another, when they did evil in the eyes of the Lord, they were subjugated to the nations. From Joshua until Samson, you will find in the calculation one hundred and eleven years. And during the days of the kings of Israel, who did evil in the eyes of the Lord and were under the subjugation of the kings of the nations, from Jeroboam until Hoshea, you will find in the calculation two hundred and forty-one years. This makes three hundred and fifty-two years; there are missing thirty-eight. Add to them the twenty years of Samson, during which the Philistines ruled over them, because they were doing evil in the eyes of the Lord, as it is written, "Do you not know that the Philistines rule over us?" Even though Samson saved them, it was not a complete salvation, because their hearts were not whole with the Lord. There are still missing eighteen years. These are the eighteen years between the days of Shamgar, about which it is not explained that his salvation was anything but slight, and so it is written, "In the days of Shamgar son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways ceased." And [these include] the days between Samson and Eli, as it is said, "In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes." And then the idol of Micah was made, as we explained in its place. And it is astonishing that the Targum translates "their two iniquities" as "for two of their debts."
Metzudat David
"And I will give to you." By this, I have lightened your burden, so that you may reckon the years of sin as a number of days; namely, each year shall be counted as a single day, and by lying down for that day, you shall atone for the sin of an entire year.
"Three, etc." This means that they amount to three hundred and ninety days, for this is the number of years of their sins from the time they entered the land until they were exiled in the days of Hoshea son of Elah. For they did not sin throughout all their years, but only during these specific number of years. So it is in Seder Olam. (And even though until the days of Jeroboam the House of Judah was under one kingdom together with Ephraim, nevertheless the count is attributed to the kingdom of Ephraim, because they were the majority in comparison to Judah.)
“And you shall bear, etc.” This implies: Since it is so, you will be able to atone for them through the suffering of lying on your side for all the years of their iniquities, so that they will not be consumed by their iniquity, because you will be able to lie down for the entire number of days. This is not the case if it were day for day and year for year, for then you would not have been able to lie down against all the years of their iniquities to atone for them all, but only according to the number [of days] that you could lie on your side.
Metzudat Zion
Sheni. The word is from the root of shanah:
And you shall carry. It shall make atonement:
Malbim
“And I” – this means that consequently, the years in which they sinned will be counted as days (for the day and the year share a similarity: in each, the sun completes its circuit; in the day it moves from east to west, and in the year from west to east). This is what is stated: “And I have given you the years of their iniquity according to the number of days.” Because of this merit, that during all these times they were subject to nature and the cosmic order, such that their changes were not recognized except by years when the four seasons changed, therefore the years were not counted as years but only as days. And according to the calculation of Abarbanel in Kings, from the days of Jeroboam, when the ten tribes began to sin, until the destruction of the Temple, there were three hundred and ninety years, as is elucidated from the calculation of the years of the kings of Judah according to his method. Therefore, He commanded him to lie on his side for three hundred and ninety days.
And again, when you have accomplished these, you shall lie on your right side, and shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah; forty days, each day for a year, have I appointed it to you.
verse value 6748
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 83 letters. The shortest word is "to·you" (לָֽךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "house·of·Judah" (בֵּית־יְהוּדָ֑ה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 385: for·a·year, for·a·year. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·you·shall·complete" (וְכִלִּיתָ֣), "these" (אֶת־אֵ֗לֶּה), "and·you·shall·lie·down" (וְשָׁ֨כַבְתָּ֜). The root יום appears 3 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·your·side" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "I·gave·it" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel); "house·of·Judah" (root בית, 159x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root כלה ("and·you·shall·complete") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root אלה ("these") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'house·of·Judah', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 8 words.
Rashi
“The iniquity of the House of Judah is forty days.” This teaches us that the sin of the House of Judah, from the time the Ten Tribes were exiled until Jerusalem was destroyed, amounted to forty years: twenty-two years of Manasseh, about whom it is written, “according to all that Ahab did” (II Kings 21:2); Ahab reigned for twenty-two years; two years of Amon; and eleven years of Jehoiakim. This prophecy was spoken to Ezekiel in the fifth year of Zedekiah. Thus, the total of all these is forty. The sum of them all is four hundred and thirty. After this prophecy, they remained for six more years, making eighty jubilees and thirty-six years. In eight jubilees, there are eight weeks of Sabbatical years, which amounts to fifty-six Sabbatical years, and eight Jubilee years, making sixty-four. In the thirty-six years, there are five Sabbatical years, making sixty-nine Sabbatical years. The last Jubilee year was counted as their iniquity, for in their iniquity they were exiled from it. Thus, there are seventy years of Sabbatical sanctities that Israel did not observe. Therefore, they were exiled for seventy years to fulfill the verse, “Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths” (Leviticus 26:34). This is what is written at the end of Chronicles: “to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths; all the days of its desolation it rested, to fulfill seventy years” (II Chronicles 36:21).
“Your left side” refers to Samaria. “Your right side” refers to Judah, because Judah is situated in the south of the Land of Israel, as it is stated: “And your elder sister Samaria, who sits on your left” (below 15:16). And even in the Book of Joshua, the border of the tribe of Judah is defined as the entire southern border.
Radak
“And you shall complete these.” This implies that after the Ten Tribes went into exile, the kings of Judah began to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. For in the sixth year of Hezekiah, they went into exile, and after the death of Hezekiah, they began to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. And even though Ahaz was wicked, the decree regarding the destruction of Jerusalem was not issued until the time of Manasseh, about whom it is stated: “What the Amorites did before them,” and “he caused Judah also to sin with his idols.” And it is stated: “Behold, I am bringing disaster upon Jerusalem,” etc., “and I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish.” Now, Manasseh reigned for fifty-five years; he persisted in his wickedness for twenty-two years, and he repented, according to the words of the author of the Midrash. He bases this on the verse: “And he made an Asherah, as Ahab king of Israel had made.” How many years did Ahab reign? Twenty-two years. And this interpretation is distant, as we have written the reason in the book of Kings. And according to this interpretation, the twenty-two years are counted for Manasseh, and eighteen years from the reigns of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah. And even though they reigned for twenty-two years between them, the last forty years are not counted for Zedekiah, because the land was largely desolate. And in my opinion, the forty years are all counted for Manasseh, because in his sins the land was desolated. For had it not been for the severity of his sins, God would have forgiven the sins of those who came after him. And for Zedekiah and Jehoiakim, [the destruction] is attributed to the sins of Manasseh, as it says regarding Jehoiakim: “But according to the word of the Lord it was in Judah, to remove them from before Him, because of the sins of Manasseh,” and the Lord was not willing to forgive. And similarly, it says regarding Zedekiah: “For the anger of the Lord was upon Jerusalem and Judah, until He cast them out from before Him.” And Manasseh was in his wickedness for forty years, and he was in repentance for fifteen years.
"My right hand." It is written "ha-yemani" (ketiv), and read "ha-yemini" (qere).
Metzudat David
“And you will finish these.” – After you have finished lying on your left side for all these days.
"And you shall lie down": You shall lie on your right side, namely, after him [Judah], and this corresponds to Judah, which is to the right of Shomron.
"And you shall bear." Through the anguish of that lying down, you shall atone for all the sin of the House of Judah, so that they would not be consumed by their sin.
Forty days. This means: You shall lie down for forty days, for I have lightened the burden of the thought of the pain of lying down for one day to atone for a year of their two sins. For the house of Judah sinned for forty years after the exile of Samaria until that day. For in the days of Manasseh they sinned for twenty-two years, as it is said of him, “just as Ahab did” (2 Kings 21:2). And this means: according to the number of years that Ahab made the Asherah. And Ahab reigned for twenty-two years, and throughout all his days he made the Asherah. And two years of Amon, and eleven years of Jehoiakim (for Jehoahaz, who reigned before him, and Jehoiachin, who reigned after him, did not reign together for more than six months and ten days, and there was not a complete year). And that prophecy was spoken in the fifth year of the exile of Jehoiachin. These are forty years.
Metzudat Zion
And you shall complete. The matter of completion:
Malbim
And when you have finished and lain down afterwards, you shall bear the iniquity of Judah for forty days. This corresponds to the forty years from the time Jeremiah began to prophesy concerning the destruction, in the thirteenth year of Josiah, until the destruction, from which time the decree was finalized that the Temple would be destroyed. And Jeremiah warned them day by day throughout the entire duration of this period. And from then on, the Lord revealed His right hand, which is the providence by which He watched over them to send them His prophets day by day. And although those forty years were included within the three hundred and ninety years that preceded them, in the previous sins all of Israel participated, including the Ten Tribes and the exiles from the Land of Israel. But in this sin, that they did not listen to Jeremiah the prophet who was prophesying to them concerning the destruction, only the House of Judah alone was involved. And therefore it says, “And lie on your right side again,” for he had already lain down on behalf of those years. Now lie again on your right side, corresponding to the sin committed from this aspect, that the Lord revealed His right hand to them. And because of this, the years were not counted as days on account of the sinners, for they had no merit of instruction, since the Lord had not admonished them through His prophet. Only now were the days counted as years, meaning that the merit of the prophet was effective, so that every day he lay and suffered affliction would be counted as a year, after the prophets had done their part and admonished them. And this is what it says, “I have assigned to you a day for a year.”
And you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem, with your arm uncovered; and you shall prophesy against it.
verse value 2875
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "you·shall·set" (תָּכִ֣ין, 4 letters) and the longest is "and·to·the·siege·of" (וְאֶל־מְצ֤וֹר, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·to·the·siege·of" (וְאֶל־מְצ֤וֹר), "you·shall·set" (תָּכִ֣ין), "and·your·arm" (וּֽזְרֹעֲךָ֖). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "on" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "your·face" (root פנים, 150x in Ezekiel); "and·you·will·prophesy" (root נבא, 37x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root ירושלם ("Jerusalem") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root זרוע ("and·your·arm") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'bared', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 2 words. Full calculation: וְאֶל־מְצ֤וֹר [and·to·the·siege·of] (373) + יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ [Jerusalem] (586) + תָּכִ֣ין [you·shall·set] (480) + פָּנֶ֔יךָ [your·face] (160) + וּֽזְרֹעֲךָ֖ [and·your·arm] (303) + חֲשׂוּפָ֑ה [bared] (399) + וְנִבֵּאתָ֖ [and·you·will·prophesy] (459) + עָלֶֽיהָ [on] (115) = 2875.
Rashi
"And to the siege of Jerusalem." [The verse teaches:] that you should place your face toward the brick when you lie on your left side, so that the brick is before you; and likewise when you lie on your right side.
“and your arm.” It should be exposed before you, like a person who is fighting. This is an allusion to Nebuchadnezzar, who fought against it.
“Exposed.” Like “revealed.”
Radak
"And to the siege of Jerusalem, prepare your face." He said to him: "When you lie on your side, your face should be opposite the brick, in which Jerusalem and the siege are engraved."
"And your arm shall be exposed." [This means] revealed, for one who wishes to strike and fight with strength exposes his arm from the garment upon it. So too, "the Lord exposed His holy arm," and Jonathan rendered it: "and your arm shall be strengthened."
"And you shall prophesy against her." While you are besieging her, you shall prophesy against her and say to her words of reproof, so that she may be subdued if she does not return.
Metzudat David
"And toward the siege of Jerusalem." Toward the form of Jerusalem engraved on the brick, as if it were under siege. Direct your face toward it, whether you lie on your left side or on your right side.
“And Your arm shall be uncovered.” You shall reveal Your arm, as if You were to fight with it, in the manner of those who fight with a bare arm.
“And you shall prophesy against her.” This means that by this, it is as though you would prophesy against her concerning her destruction, for by this I allude to the fact that besides the enemy who fights against them, I too will fight against them.
Metzudat Zion
"Prepare." The word denotes the meaning of "preparation."
חשופה. Exposed, as in "bare the train" (Isaiah 46).
Malbim
“And toward the siege of Jerusalem you shall set your face.” Behold, the brick was placed to his left side; all the time that he lay on his left side, his face was toward the brick (as it is stated in verse 3: “and you shall set your face toward it”). However, his arm was not uncovered, and he did not prophesy concerning it, for toward the Ten Tribes the Lord did not uncover His holy arm with miracles, nor did He send His prophets to them—for this is the allusion of the left hand. But during the last forty days, when he lay on his right side, the brick was placed to his right side, and he set his face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and his arm was uncovered, and he prophesied concerning it as a sign that the Lord set His face toward them at that time, and He sent His prophet, and His arm was uncovered, and He prophesied concerning it at all times through His prophets.
And, behold, I lay bands upon you, and you shall not turn you from one side to another, till you have accomplished the days of your siege.
verse value 3391
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 49 letters. The shortest word is "day" (יְמֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·not·turn·yourself" (וְלֹֽא־תֵהָפֵ֤ךְ, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·not·turn·yourself" (וְלֹֽא־תֵהָפֵ֤ךְ), "from·your·side" (מִֽצִּדְּךָ֙), "to·your·side" (אֶל־צִדֶּ֔ךָ). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon·you" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "to·your·side" (root איל, 238x in Ezekiel); "I·gave" (root נתן, 207x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root הפך ("and·not·turn·yourself") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'cords', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְהִנֵּ֛ה [and·behold] (66) + נָתַ֥תִּי [I·gave] (860) + עָלֶ֖יךָ [upon·you] (130) + עֲבוֹתִ֑ים [cords] (528) + וְלֹֽא־תֵהָפֵ֤ךְ [and·not·turn·yourself] (542) + מִֽצִּדְּךָ֙ [from·your·side] (154) + אֶל־צִדֶּ֔ךָ [to·your·side] (145) + עַד־כַּלּוֹתְךָ֖ [until·you·complete] (550) + יְמֵ֥י [day] (60) + מְצוּרֶֽךָ [your·siege] (356) = 3391.
Rashi
"I have placed upon you heavy ropes." The decree of My commandments shall be severe upon you, as if you were bound with heavy ropes, so that you shall not turn from one side to another.
"Until you have completed the days of your siege." This is the number of these days that I have decreed upon you.
Radak
"And behold, I have given." It is as though I have given you cords, so that you will not be able to turn from one side to the other until you complete the days of the siege, which are four hundred and thirty. The word "your sieges" (mitzorayikh) is written with a yod, which is the letter of plurality: one siege is that of Samaria, and the other is that of Jerusalem. During these four hundred and thirty years, in which they were wicked, the Sabbatical years and the Jubilees were abolished. You will find in them seventy Sabbatical years. Corresponding to these, they were in Babylon in exile for seventy years, as it says, "Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths." How are these seventy Sabbatical years calculated? In three hundred and fifty years, there are fifty Sabbatical years. There remain from the four hundred and thirty years eighty years. In fifty years, there are seven Sabbatical years. Thus, there are fifty-seven Sabbatical years. There remain thirty years, in which there are four Sabbatical years, and there are two additional years. Thus, you have sixty-one Sabbatical years. In four hundred years, there are eight Jubilees, which are sixty-nine Sabbatical years that were abolished. The one Sabbatical year, to complete the seventy, you should count the two years that remain for us from the thirty-four years that we did not count for Zedekiah. That makes six years, and in the seventh year they went into exile, and they did not have time to observe the release, even if they had desired to do so.
Metzudat David
"And behold, I have given..." This means: Do not turn from side to side, as if I had placed thick ropes upon you to bind you, so that you would not be able to turn.
“Until you have finished.” Until you complete lying on all the days that I said that you will besiege it during your lying, and they are 390 days on the left side and 40 days on the right side.
Malbim
And behold, I have put upon you heavy chains, and as it is stated (3:25), "Behold, they have put upon you heavy chains," so that you shall not go out from your house; and likewise, "You shall not turn from side to side."
Take you also to you wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make you bread thereof; according to the number of the days that you shall lie upon your side, even three hundred and ninety days, shall you eat thereof.
verse value 9243
Insights
Verse structure: 25 words, 115 letters. Notable word values: "one" (אֶחָ֔ד) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). Verse gematria: 9243 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "to·you" (לְךָ֖, 2 letters) and the longest is "three·hundred" (שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֧וֹת, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 447: them, them. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "wheat" (חִטִּ֡ין), "and·beans" (וּפ֨וֹל), "and·lentils" (וַעֲדָשִׁ֜ים). The root יום appears 2 times in this verse. 23 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·you" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "upon·your·side" (root על, 272x in Ezekiel); "and·you·shall·make" (root עשה, 214x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root חטה ("wheat") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root שערה ("and·barley") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·bread', dividing the verse into phrases of 16 and 9 words.
Rashi
"Wheat and barley, etc." And millet and spelt are called "painfelt" in the vernacular, as indicated by the sign of famine, that it should be upon them during the days of the siege, and they would eat mixed bread with disgust.
Radak
“And you shall take for yourself wheat.” The nun is equivalent to the mem, and similarly, “at the end of the days” is like “the days,” and “the voice of the running ones” is like “the runners,” and similar cases. He commanded him to do this as well, as a sign for the Children of Israel, that they would eat these species mixed together due to the famine, so that a person would not separate out the wheat for his food, but rather eat it mixed with the inferior species due to the famine. And “lentils” and “beans” are well-known, and a person would not make bread from them except in times of famine. And “millet” is what they call in the vernacular “miliyu,” and “spelt” with a dagesh in the samekh, which is what they call in the vernacular “shigla.”
"In one vessel." This means that he should mix them all together, and all of this is done through the vision of prophecy.
“Which you lie upon your side.” And it did not say “the left [side],” because regarding the number of days that are mentioned, it is known that it was speaking of the left side; or, it was stated in a general manner to include both sides, and it mentioned the number of days of the left side. And the same law applies to the right side as well: He commanded that he eat it for forty days, because the people of Judah were also under siege and famine.
Metzudat David
“And you shall put them.” You shall put all of them together in one vessel, what is taken from them, to make bread.
"And you shall make them." From all the kinds together you shall make them for you as bread for your food, and it is a sign for the children of Judah that in the days of the siege they will eat these kinds mixed together because of the famine, and they will not separate the wheat for their food, but they will eat in a mixture with those inferior kinds.
“Number.” [This refers to] the number of days that you shall lie on your left side, which are three hundred and ninety days; during these days you shall eat this bread. (And similarly, [this applies to] the number of days that he shall lie on his right side, which are forty days; and in order to be concise, [the verse] relies on the understanding of the reader, for the manner is the same for both.)
Metzudat Zion
"Wheat, etc." – These are the names of various types of grains and legumes:
Malbim
"And you shall take for yourself wheat and barley" – He further commanded him to make an allusion to the food that they would eat during the days of the siege: 1. From the fact that he would take wheat and barley, which is a sign of the preparation of bread for the days of the siege; 2. And he would place them in one vessel, as a sign that they would eat them mixed together with various kinds, due to the lack of pure bread; 3. The number of days for which he would prepare bread corresponds to 390 days, because the King of Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem on the tenth day of the tenth month in the ninth year of Zedekiah, and he captured it in the fourth month of the eleventh year of his reign, on the seventh or ninth of the month, and the days of the siege lasted eighteen months. And it is explained in Jeremiah that in the middle of the days of the siege, the King of Babylon would withdraw from Jerusalem because of the army of Pharaoh (there, chapter 36). And according to what appears (there, verse 17, and chapter 32:1), this was in the tenth year of the reign of Zedekiah. And according to this, it can be said that their return to the siege a second time was at the beginning of Iyar, from which time until the tenth of Tammuz of the year of the destruction was 430 days. And at the time that Nebuchadnezzar withdrew from the city, they prepared for themselves bread for the days of the siege, and they prepared for 390 days, which is a year and a month, because they did not find more. And this is what it says: "According to the number of the days that you lie down, three hundred and ninety days." And after 390 days, famine began in the city, and they suffered famine for forty days, at which time they died from famine, pestilence, and sword within the city, until the city was breached (as it is stated (Jeremiah 21:4)) and in all places. And according to this, in the first 390 days, they ate by weight, and this is what it says: "And your food shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day." And likewise, they drank water by measure, and this would only be in the first 390 days, because afterwards it would be even more restricted, because they would no longer have twenty shekels per day.
And your food which you shall eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day; from time to time shall you eat it.
verse value 4300
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 46 letters. Notable word values: "to·the·day" (לַיּ֑וֹם) = 86, equal to Elohim. Verse gematria: 4300 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·your·food" (וּמַאֲכָֽלְךָ֙, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 507: you·shall·eat·it, you·shall·eat·it. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "and·your·food" (וּמַאֲכָֽלְךָ֙), "by·weight" (בְּמִשְׁק֕וֹל). The root אכל appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel); "to·the·day" (root יום, 112x in Ezekiel); "you·shall·eat·it" (root אכל, 57x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root מאכל ("and·your·food") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root עשרים ("twenty") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·day', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 3 words. Full calculation: וּמַאֲכָֽלְךָ֙ [and·your·food] (117) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [that] (501) + תֹּאכְלֶ֔נּוּ [you·shall·eat·it] (507) + בְּמִשְׁק֕וֹל [by·weight] (478) + עֶשְׂרִ֥ים [twenty] (620) + שֶׁ֖קֶל [shekel] (430) + לַיּ֑וֹם [to·the·day] (86) + מֵעֵ֥ת [from·time] (510) + עַד־עֵ֖ת [until·time] (544) + תֹּאכְלֶֽנּוּ [you·shall·eat·it] (507) = 4300.
Rashi
"In the balance." A sign for the people under siege, who were fearful of famine, and they ate by weight and drank by measure.
Radak
"And your food," [is measured] by weight. [The word] "by weight" is written with a cholam, [as in] "shekel" in the verse "a psalm," and this is a sign for the Children of Israel that they will eat their bread by weight on account of the famine, and they will not eat twice a day, but only once, between day and night, from time to time, due to the shortage of bread.
Metzudat David
And your food. The measure of the food that you will eat it shall be by weight, etc.
“From that time.” This means: not from the day excluding the night, but rather from the time of that day until the same time on the following day. And even this serves as a sign that they will eat during the siege by weight and not to their satisfaction, for they will fear that the bread might run out.
You shall drink also water by measure, the sixth part of a hin; from time to time shall you drink.
verse value 4993
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 33 letters. The shortest word is "from·time" (מֵעֵ֥ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "by·measure" (בִּמְשׂוּרָ֥ה, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 1105: you·will·drink, you·will·drink. The root שתה appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·water" (root מים, 38x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root שתה ("you·will·drink") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root ששי ("sixth") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'hin', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וּמַ֛יִם [and·water] (96) + בִּמְשׂוּרָ֥ה [by·measure] (553) + תִשְׁתֶּ֖ה [you·will·drink] (1105) + שִׁשִּׁ֣ית [sixth] (1010) + הַהִ֑ין [hin] (70) + מֵעֵ֥ת [from·time] (510) + עַד־עֵ֖ת [until·time] (544) + תִּשְׁתֶּֽה [you·will·drink] (1105) = 4993.
Rashi
From one time to another. From day to day, with this measure, you shall drink the sixth of the hin.
Radak
"And you shall drink water by measure." Our Sages of blessed memory said that a "measure" is a small quantity, one-thirtieth of a log. And what He said, "a sixth of a hin," He did not say that the measure is a sixth of a hin; rather, [He meant] that he should not drink from time to time [in large quantities], but only a sixth of a hin, and from that sixth he shall drink by measure, little by little, so that he not become satiated with water in one sitting, but rather drink it little by little. This was a sign for the children of Israel that there would be no water for them, and what they would drink of it would be little in measure, due to a shortage of water in Jerusalem throughout all the days of the siege, from the ninth year of Zedekiah until the eleventh year.
Metzudat David
A sixth of a hin. The measure will be a sixth of a hin, and this [is indicated by the verse]: “You shall drink from this time until that time.” And this too serves as a sign that in the days of the siege they will drink according to a fixed measure, and not as much as they need.
Metzudat Zion
By measure. So is the measure of liquid called, just as in weight and in measure (Leviticus 19):
"Hahin." A noun denoting a measure.
And you shall eat it as barley cakes, and you shall bake it in their sight with dung that comes out of man.’
verse value 2986
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 43 letters. The shortest word is "dung·of" (צֵאַ֣ת, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·their·eyes" (לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "disc·or·cake" (וְעֻגַ֥ת), "shall·you·eat·of·it" (תֹּאכְלֶ֑נָּה), "with·dung·of" (בְּגֶֽלְלֵי֙). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it" (root הוא, 86x in Ezekiel); "dung·of" (root יצא, 75x in Ezekiel); "to·their·eyes" (root עין, 73x in Ezekiel). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'shall·you·eat·of·it', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְעֻגַ֥ת [disc·or·cake] (479) + שְׂעֹרִ֖ים [barley] (620) + תֹּאכְלֶ֑נָּה [shall·you·eat·of·it] (506) + וְהִ֗יא [and·it] (22) + בְּגֶֽלְלֵי֙ [with·dung·of] (75) + צֵאַ֣ת [dung·of] (491) + הָֽאָדָ֔ם [man] (50) + תְּעֻגֶ֖נָה [you·shall·bake·it] (528) + לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם [to·their·eyes] (215) = 2986.
Rashi
"And they shall eat barley cakes." Their arrangement is disgraceful, like the arrangement of barley, and not fitting, like the arrangement of wheat cakes.
“With human dung shall you bake it.” You shall bake it with their coals, which dry and burn them.
Radak
“And they shall eat barley cakes.” The word “like” (ka-) is lacking, similar to [the verse] “A joyful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22), and others [of its kind]. This implies: “Like barley cakes, so shall they eat them,” as if it were barley cakes alone, without mixture, for the mixture of all these types is hard to eat. And it did not say “like wheat cakes,” for it is unlikely that one would eat with appetite the cake mixed [with other grains] like wheat cakes alone.
"And it is in the dung of man." The word "and it" indicates our interpretation, that "a barley cake" refers to the shape. For if he had meant "a barley cake" to refer to the mixed cake, and linked it to barley to indicate that the majority of it was barley, he would have said "in the dung of man," and would not have said "and it." Rather, he said "and it," which refers back to the mixed cake. Also, according to the interpretation that he explained, that "a barley cake" means that its arrangement should be like the arrangement of a barley cake, which is not attractive, he should not have said "they shall eat them," but rather "they shall make them."
“Let them be baked before their eyes.” “Let them be baked” refers to the women. And some say that the nun and the he are in the active form, and the nun should have been dagesh, meaning, “You yourself shall bake it.” And so did Jonathan translate: “Let them be charred,” meaning, let them be baked on the embers, for therefore the cake is called “charred,” and the meaning of “let them be baked” is “let them make the charred [cakes],” and the action of baking is the baking itself. And He said to him that he should bake it in pellets of human dung, and dry dung is called “pellets” because it rolls. And He said to him that he should kindle pellets of human dung and bake the cakes in them, and it is a filthy and detestable thing, and it is a sign for the children of Israel that they will eat their bread in impurity among the nations. And the meaning of “before their eyes” is before the eyes of the children of Israel, so that they may see that it is a sign for them.
Metzudat David
“And they shall eat barley cakes.” The cakes that they shall eat shall be made of barley, and this too is a sign that, due to their hunger, they will eat barley cakes, which is the food of beasts.
And it is that charred piece, which is to be baked into a cake over coals made from human excrement that has been dried and then ignited in fire.
"לעיניהם" – The exiles shall see with their own eyes when it is baked upon the coals of human excrement.
Metzudat Zion
"Ve'ugot" – this is "chererah," which is bread baked upon hot coals; and likewise, "ugah" means a cake not turned (Hosea 7:8).
“Because of my dung.” Thus, excrement is thus called, similar to the verse “He shall be like dung forever” (Job 20:7). And to provide further clarification, it states “the going out of a person.”
"t'aganah." The word is from "ugah," meaning: they shall bake it, to make it a cake.
Malbim
And a barley cake: He commanded him further that upon the completion of the days of the siege, 1. he should eat a barley cake, which is the food of beasts, to allude to the days of their exile that would follow the end of the siege, that their food would be the food of beasts, just as they abandoned their Israelite form and turned back to become like non-speaking animals; 2. that he should bake the cake in human excrement, to indicate that even though their food is the food of beasts, their excrement and impurity are human, which is impure and putrid, because they sinned with regard to their form, which is the speaking soul, which they defiled.
And Hashem said: ‘Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread unclean, among the nations whither I will drive them.’
verse value 2532
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 49 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "there" (שָֽׁם, 2 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Israel" (בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "their·bread" (אֶת־לַחְמָ֖ם), "I·will·drive·them" (אַדִּיחֵ֖ם). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "and·said" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "that" (root אשר, 341x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root טמא ("impure") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root גוי ("among·the·nations") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'impure', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + כָּ֣כָה [like this] (45) + יֹאכְל֧וּ [they·will·eat] (67) + בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל [sons·of·Israel] (603) + אֶת־לַחְמָ֖ם [their·bread] (519) + טָמֵ֑א [impure] (50) + בַּגּוֹיִ֕ם [among·the·nations] (61) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + אַדִּיחֵ֖ם [I·will·drive·them] (63) + שָֽׁם [there] (340) = 2532.
Rashi
Tamei. A term denoting something detestable:
Radak
And the Lord said: "Their bread is defiled." For in their exile among the nations, they are unable to keep their food from impurity, and they are unable to eat in a state of purity.
Metzudat David
Thus. This means that it serves as a sign that the Children of Israel will eat their bread in a disgusting manner in the places where I will exile them, for they will not be able to keep it clean while they are in exile. And just as one eats that dry bread baked on the embers of human excrement, which is a repulsive thing.
Metzudat Zion
Tamei. This means that it is detestable and abhorrent.
“Adichem.” The word is derived from the root meaning to push away.
Malbim
And the Lord said: He explained to him first the last parable, that of the barley cake, which alludes to the days of their exile among the nations, for thus they will eat their bread as the food of beasts, and it will be unclean with the impurity of the nations.
Then said I: ‘Ah Lord Hashem! behold, my soul has not been polluted; for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dies of itself, or is torn of beasts; neither came there abhorred flesh into my mouth.’
verse value 3544
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 73 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·I·ate" (לֹא־אָכַ֙לְתִּי֙, 7 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "defiled" (מְטֻמָּאָ֑ה), "and·carcass" (וּנְבֵלָ֨ה), "not·I·ate" (לֹא־אָכַ֙לְתִּי֙). 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 427x in Ezekiel); "and·I·said" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "my·lord" (root אדון, 222x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root אהה ("alas!") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root נעור ("from·my·youth") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'defiled', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 9 words.
Rashi
“Ah.” A term denoting a sigh:
"My soul is not defiled. I did not entertain impure thoughts during the day, and thus I did not become ritually impure at night."
"I have not eaten nevelah or treifah: [this refers to] meat from a suspect animal, which resembles nevelah and treifah."
“Flesh of a disqualified sacrifice.” This refers to a beast about which a sage ruled [that it was disqualified]. It is not possible to say that it literally means a carcass or a terefah [an animal with a fatal defect], for if so, what is the added scope of the term?
Radak
And it says, “Behold, my soul has not become impure.” This means that neither my soul nor my body has become impure: my soul has not become impure through evil thought, and my body has not become impure through eating ritually impure food. This is what is meant by the statement, “I did not eat carcass or torn flesh,” for the priests are warned against eating carcass and torn flesh more strictly than Israelites are, on account of ritual impurity. And so it is written, “They shall not eat any carcass or torn flesh, lest they become impure through it.”
From my youth. Even from my youth I guarded myself against impurity, and likewise, no flesh of a leftover sacrifice, regarding which the priests are warned, entered my mouth. And how can you tell me to make my bread with something impure and detestable? Our Sages of blessed memory explained: “Behold, my soul is not from impurity” — meaning that I did not entertain thoughts [of impurity] during the day and thereby come to impurity at night. “And carcass and torn animal I did not eat” — meaning that I never ate from flesh that was “kos kos.” The term “kos kos” refers to a beast in danger [of dying], about which they say, “Slaughter it, slaughter it,” meaning they hasten to slaughter it lest it die. “Kos” is like “nekus” [slaughtered]; the Targum translates “slaughtered” [shchut] as such. But if you wish to say [that he means] a carcass and a torn animal literally, what is the reason for Ezekiel’s [specific wording]?
"And flesh that is pigul did not come into my mouth." This means: I did not eat from an animal in which a sage had ruled [that it was forbidden], as it was said in the name of Rabbi Natan: "I did not eat from an animal whose terumot had not been separated."
Metzudat David
Not due to ritual impurity. It did not become repulsive through contact with a repulsive foodstuff.
From my youth. Although I was not yet fully mature in my intellect to guard myself most strictly against even the slightest trace of forbidden food, nevertheless, I was careful to avoid these.
"And it did not come." Never did it come into the mouth of flesh that is detestable and forbidden, and this is a duplication of the matter stated in the previous verse, as if to say: "How can I now eat such a loathsome thing, which I have never eaten in all my days? And furthermore, I have never in all my days eaten anything that is forbidden, so that this may serve as the reward for the punishment."
Metzudat Zion
Ah. The matter of the language of a cry of lamentation:
From impurity. A detestable and abominable thing:
Pigul. It is detestable, as it is stated: “and the broth of the pigulim” (Isaiah 66:17).
Malbim
And I say: The prophet complained that he was commanded to eat a detestable thing, which was to serve as an allegory for their impurity. “Behold, my soul has not been defiled” means: I have not engaged in matters that defile the soul, nor have I consumed foods that defile it. I have not eaten foods forbidden to Israel, for “I have not eaten carrion or torn flesh,” nor have I consumed foods that defile a priest (since Ezekiel was a priest), for “meat from a forbidden sacrifice has not come into my mouth.” And if so, how could it be that through my eating, my soul would become defiled?
"And He said to me, Tzafui." It is written with a vav and read as Tzafiei with a yod, and the letters aleph, heh, vav, and yod are interchangeable. "Tzafiei habakar" means the dung of cattle, for "tzafiei" is like "tzo'ot" (excrement), referring to the matter of excretion, and similarly "tzatzaim" (offspring) and "tzafiot" (excrement). The dung of cattle is not repulsive like human excrement.
Metzudat David
"I have given you." I exchanged for you to take the coals of cattle dung in place of the coals of human dung, and upon them you shall bake your bread, which is not detestable like human dung.
Metzudat Zion
Tzafiei. This is dung, for anything that emerges from the body is called tzafiei, as it is stated: "the offspring and the tzafieyot" (ibid. 22:).
Tachat. In place of:
Malbim
And He said to me: “Behold, I have given you”—this means that for you, according to your holiness and purity, the dung of cattle will suffice in place of human excrement. For the dung of cattle, which serves as an allegory for bodily impurity (since cattle do not possess a soul), will suffice to depict the tenor of the allegory concerning human excrement, which indicates spiritual impurity. And it will suffice to evoke the intended allegory through what you will do by placing your bread upon them.
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 anxiety; and they shall drink water by measure, and in appalment;
verse value 4175
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 73 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (אֵלַ֗י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·they·shall·eat·bread" (וְאָכְלוּ־לֶ֥חֶם, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "breaking" (שֹׁבֵ֤ר), "and·they·shall·eat·bread" (וְאָכְלוּ־לֶ֥חֶם), "in·weight" (בְּמִשְׁקָ֖ל). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 362x in Ezekiel); "to·me" (root אל, 204x in Ezekiel); "son·of·man" (root בין, 145x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root שבר ("breaking") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root דאגה ("and·with·anxiety") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·with·anxiety', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר [and·said] (257) + אֵלַ֗י [to·me] (41) + בֶּן־אָדָם֙ [son·of·man] (97) + הִנְנִ֨י [they] (115) + שֹׁבֵ֤ר [breaking] (502) + מַטֵּֽה־לֶ֙חֶם֙ [staff·bread] (132) + בִּיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם [in·Jerusalem] (588) + וְאָכְלוּ־לֶ֥חֶם [and·they·shall·eat·bread] (141) + בְּמִשְׁקָ֖ל [in·weight] (472) + וּבִדְאָגָ֑ה [and·with·anxiety] (21) + וּמַ֕יִם [and·water] (96) + בִּמְשׂוּרָ֥ה [by·measure] (553) + וּבְשִׁמָּמ֖וֹן [and·in·horror] (444) + יִשְׁתּֽוּ [they·will·drink] (716) = 4175.
Rashi
“Staff of bread.” A support for bread; in the vernacular, “piece” and “bread.”
"And in distress." They are distressed, lest the bread be exhausted from them.
"Dagah." In Old French, "Eins," and in our language, in Old French, "Trauer."
Radak
And He said, “A staff of bread.” The word “staff” (mateh) denotes support, just as a staff supports a weak person. Similarly, it is stated in the Torah in the curses: “I will break for you the staff of bread” (Leviticus 26:26). Now, he explained what was said to him: that he should eat his bread by weight and drink his water by measure, for this was a sign for the children of Israel.
And in distress. That they should be distressed and fearful when they eat, lest they lack bread and water.
And in desolation. In astonishment of heart:
Metzudat David
“Behold, I will break.” Now, he explained and said to him: This is to hint that the support of bread in Jerusalem will be broken. That is to say, there will be famine on account of this; they will eat bread by weight and with anxiety, worrying lest the bread run out, and they will drink water by measure and with anguish of heart.
Metzudat Zion
“Mattah lechem.” Because they lean upon the bread to eat until they are satiated, it says “Mattah” in a borrowed (metaphorical) sense. And so it is with every “Mattah lechem” that is broken (Psalms 105:16):
"ובשממון" – with astonishment of heart, which is a matter of panic and fear.
Malbim
And He said to me: “Now explain the first parable: ‘What he shall eat for three hundred and ninety days, by this weight it shall be measured.’” This indicates that I am breaking bread in Jerusalem during the siege, and they eat it by weight and in distress, because they know that the bread will subsequently be cut off.
that they may want bread and water, and be appalled one with another, and pine away in their iniquity.
verse value 1762
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 39 letters. The shortest word is "bread" (לֶ֣חֶם, 3 letters) and the longest is "they·will·lack" (יַחְסְר֖וּ, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezekiel. Unique to this verse in Ezekiel (hapax): "they·will·lack" (יַחְסְר֖וּ), "and·his·brother" (וְאָחִ֔יו), "and·they·will·be·decayed" (וְנָמַ֖קּוּ). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "man" (root איש, 84x in Ezekiel); "and·shall·be·deserted" (root שמם, 46x in Ezekiel); "in·their·iniquity" (root עון, 44x in Ezekiel). First appearance of the root מען ("so·that") in Ezekiel. First appearance of the root אח ("and·his·brother") in Ezekiel. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·water', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 5 words. Full calculation: לְמַ֥עַן [so·that] (190) + יַחְסְר֖וּ [they·will·lack] (284) + לֶ֣חֶם [bread] (78) + וָמָ֑יִם [and·water] (96) + וְנָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙ [and·shall·be·deserted] (402) + אִ֣ישׁ [man] (311) + וְאָחִ֔יו [and·his·brother] (31) + וְנָמַ֖קּוּ [and·they·will·be·decayed] (202) + בַּעֲוֺנָֽם [in·their·iniquity] (168) = 1762.
Rashi
"למען יחסרו" – their anxiety and desolation, so that they will lack bread and water during the days of the siege, and they will be anxious lest they be utterly destroyed.
Radak
For the sake of. Now he explained the concern, lest they lack bread and water.
“And they shall be appalled, one at another.” This means that each person looked in astonishment at his fellow, so that no one would have an advantage over his companion.
And they were consumed. Their hearts were consumed due to the multitude of their afflictions, and all of this was because of their iniquity, so that they would recognize that they themselves brought this upon themselves, for their iniquity caused all of this.
Metzudat David
"For the sake of lacking." This will be because they will lack bread and water during the days of the siege.
And they shall be dismayed. They shall be astonished and terrified, each man and his brother; that is to say, every individual man, and they shall melt away due to the recompense of their iniquity.
Metzudat Zion
ונשמו. The meaning is: astonishment.
Venamku. The matter of dissolving and wasting away:
Malbim
"למען" means: and that which follows after "the day" — "your bread shall be lacking by weight" — this is a sign that bread and water will be lacking, and forty days before the breaching of the city, each man and his brother will be appalled. At that time, disturbances and wars will occur among them, because some of them desired to breach the city. And then they will rot away by plague, sword, and famine, as it is stated: "Behold, I will turn the weapons of war that are in your hands..." (Jeremiah 21:4).
Rashi
Radak
Metzudat David
Metzudat Zion
Malbim