Ezekiel 4
Commentary from 3 fathers
And thou shalt besiege it, and build works against it, and throw up a mound round about it, and pitch camps against it, and set up engines round about.
καὶ δώσεις ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν περιοχὴν καὶ οἰκοδομήσεις ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν προμαχῶνας καὶ περιβαλεῖς ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν χάρακα καὶ δώσεις ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν παρεμβολὰς καὶ τάξεις τὰς βελοστάσεις κύκλῳ.
и҆ да да́си ѡ҆́крестъ є҆гѡ̀ ѡ҆гражде́нїе, и҆ да согради́ши над̾ ни́мъ забра̑ла и҆ ѡ҆бложи́ши є҆го̀ ѻ҆стро́гомъ, и҆ да поста́виши ѡ҆́крестъ є҆гѡ̀ полкѝ и҆ да ᲂу҆чини́ши поставлє́нїѧ стрѣ́льницъ ѡ҆́крестъ:
"And you shall set the siege against it, and you shall build fortifications, and you shall heap up a mound, and you shall set camps against it, and place battering rams around it."
Therefore the teacher must vigilantly make known to the progressing soul what temptations follow it, so that it may be able to prepare itself cautiously against the snares of the malignant spirit. Hence it is well that now, after the city of Jerusalem has been described on the brick, it is said to the prophet: "And you shall set the siege against it, and you shall build fortifications, and you shall heap up a mound." For when the vision of peace is already being described, it is necessary that the wars of temptations be announced to it. For in order that it may be able to reach those eternal joys of peace, it must without doubt endure here many struggles of tribulations. Of which it is well said: "You shall set the siege against it." For the preacher sets a siege against the soul to be instructed when by forewarning he indicates in what ways vices oppose themselves to virtues, how lust strikes chastity, how anger disturbs the tranquility of the mind, how much foolish joy dissolves the vigor of the mind, how talkativeness destroys the fortification of the heart, how envy kills charity, how pride undermines the citadel of humility, how deceit, when it has corrupted truth in speech, corrupts it also in understanding, so that he who was unwilling to speak the truth that he understood no longer even understands what he might speak. Therefore the siege is set by the preacher when through the words of holy admonition it is shown which vices lie in wait against each and every virtue, and in what ways. And the preacher builds fortifications against the Jerusalem which he describes on the brick when he demonstrates how fortified all evils come against the mind, so that vices hide themselves under the appearance of virtues; so that, as we have often already said, immoderate anger may seek to appear as justice, and relaxation of discipline may wish to appear as gentleness, and stinginess may call itself frugality, and disordered pouring out of resources may call itself benevolence. For there are, as it were, fortifications built against the mind when vices grow up under the appearance of virtues and show themselves on high through an image, though they always lie low through their action.
"You shall also heap up a mound." For when the mind has begun to desire heavenly things, malignant spirits through their temptations heap up earthly thoughts all the more against it. Therefore the prophet heaps up a mound when the holy preacher announces to good minds how earthly desires are accustomed to creep in.
"And you shall set camps against it, and place battering rams round about." The teacher sets camps against the soul, as it were, when he points out the ambushes of malignant spirits gathered and united together against it, so that they may sometimes tempt not only from one vice, but from vices joined together at once.
For there are certain vices that are closely related to one another by a kind of kinship, such as dissipation of spirit, appetite for gluttony, and the uncleanness of lust, as well as excessive talking, deceit, and perjury. For from dissipation of spirit the mind is swept away to the gorging of the belly, and when the belly is distended with food, the flesh is drawn captive to lust through pride. And again from excessive talking deceit is generated, because it is very difficult for one who speaks much not also to lie; and often a lie is even covered by perjury, so that it may be concealed before human judgments. Pride also can in no way exist without envy and vainglory. For every proud person envies others the honor that he himself seeks. And when he has perhaps obtained it, he is raised up in the elation of temporal glory, and what he sees others were unable to attain, he rejoices through vainglory to possess above all others.
It should also be known that often certain vices do not come to the mind simultaneously, but are substituted one for another, so that one succeeds another in temptation. And one comes against the face, while another insinuates itself into temptation from the side, so that while one is being resisted, the mind, deceived, is captured by the other. For those very vices which we mentioned above often stealthily substitute themselves one for another, just as sometimes when we strive to conquer anger within ourselves, gentleness occupies the mind more than necessary, so that it fails to present the severity that ought to be shown to sinners. Often indeed, when incautious gentleness within us displeases us, zeal draws itself into fury and carries the captive soul beyond the limit of patience. Therefore, because vices come against the mind mixed together and united at once, rightly in the mouth of the preacher siege camps are set against the Jerusalem that has been described. And because sometimes individual vices strike the sense from here and there, battering rams are arranged in a circle. Therefore the preacher sets battering rams in a circle when he cautiously declares how softly lust strikes, how harshly impatience kills, how laboriously avarice inflames and destroys, how proudly pride extinguishes. Thus to place battering rams in a circle is to show by preaching which blades of the vices are accustomed to strike the soul from every side.
Homilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 12
And take thou to thyself an iron pan, and thou shalt set it [for] an iron wall between thee and the city: and thou shalt set thy face against it, and it shall be in a siege, and thou shalt besiege it. This is a sign to the children of Israel.
καὶ σὺ λάβε σεαυτῷ τήγανον σιδηροῦν καὶ θήσεις αὐτὸ τοῖχον σιδηροῦν ἀνὰ μέσον σοῦ καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τῆς πόλεως καὶ ἑτοιμάσεις τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἐπ᾿ αὐτήν, καὶ ἔσται ἐν συγκλεισμῷ, καὶ συγκλείσεις αὐτήν· σημεῖόν ἐστι τοῦτο τοῖς υἱοῖς ᾿Ισραήλ. -
ты́ же возмѝ себѣ̀ сковра́дꙋ желѣ́знꙋ, и҆ да положи́ши ю҆̀ въ стѣ́нꙋ желѣ́знꙋ междꙋ̀ тобо́ю и҆ междꙋ̀ гра́домъ, и҆ да ᲂу҆гото́виши лицѐ твоѐ на́нь, и҆ бꙋ́детъ въ затво́рѣ, и҆ затвори́ши и҆̀: зна́менїе сїѐ є҆́сть сынѡ́мъ і҆и҃лєвымъ.
An iron plate, which is meant to be the image of the wall between the prophet and the city, represents the anger of God in all its fullness, which does not diminish as a result of any prayers, nor does it bend toward mercy in any way.
Commentary on Ezekiel 1:4.3
(Ver. 3.) And you shall take for yourself an iron pan: and you shall place it as an iron wall between you and the city, and you shall set your face against it, and it shall be for a siege, and you shall surround it. This is a sign for the house of Israel. What we previously said, both the prophet himself and the description of the side, the fortifications, the rampart, and the battering rams surrounding (or surrounding), as a sign before the siege of Jerusalem, is now stated more clearly, after many things that are in the middle: The sign for the house of Israel is an iron pan, which is placed as a wall between the prophet and the city, demonstrating the great wrath of God, which shall not be tired by any prayers, nor be inclined to mercy. For just as iron tames all metals and there is nothing harder than it, so the incredible crimes of Jerusalem, by their own fault, made the gentle nature of God to be the harshest. The frying pan is also said to be a wall placed in the middle between the people and God, so as to show that the whole multitude is to be broken in a short time and reduced to nothing. However, the sternness of the face towards the city is an indication of severity, according to what we read elsewhere: The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth (Psalm 34:16).
Commentary on Ezekiel
"And take to yourself an iron frying pan, and you shall place it as an iron wall between yourself and the city, and you shall set your face firmly against it, and it shall be under siege, and you shall surround it. It is a sign for the house of Israel."
Because iron is a strong metal, and food is fried in a frying pan, what is signified by the iron frying pan except the strong frying of spiritual zeal? For all spiritual zeal fries the soul of a teacher, because he is greatly tormented when he sees any weak persons abandoning eternal things and taking delight in temporal things. How well Paul had taken up the iron frying pan, when, tormented by zeal for souls, he said: "Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalized, and I am not burned?" His own heart, which he had set on fire with zeal for souls—what else had he made it but a frying pan, in which he burned with love of virtues against vices? For the fact that he was burned was the frying pan. For he was inflamed and he cooked, because he was set on fire with bitterness, yet from his afflicted thought he prepared the nourishment of virtues.
But what does it mean that the prophet places the same frying pan as an iron wall between himself and the city, except that the same strong zeal which is now exercised in the mind of the teacher will be a witness between him and the soul for which he is zealous against vices on the day of the final judgment? So that even if the one being taught refuses to listen, the teacher nevertheless, because of the zeal he displays, will not be held guilty for the negligence of his hearer. Therefore he places an iron wall between himself and the city, because at the time of vengeance the teacher is fortified from the danger of damnation by that very thing through which he now suffers the frying of his heart through zealous watchfulness. For there is no sacrifice to almighty God such as zeal for souls. Hence the Psalmist says: "Zeal for your house has consumed me." How much the frying of the heart that is driven by spiritual zeal pleases the almighty Lord God is clearly shown when fine flour is commanded to be offered in sacrifice through the law. Concerning which it is written: "It shall be fried in a pan with oil sprinkled on it, and the priest who has succeeded his father by right shall offer it hot as a most sweet odor to the Lord, and it shall be wholly burned upon the altar." For then fine flour is fried in a pan when the pure mind of the righteous person is burned through the ardor of holy zeal. It is commanded to be sprinkled with oil, that is, to be mixed with the brightness of mercy, which burns and shines in the sight of the almighty Lord. Therefore let the mind that is fried in a pan be sprinkled with oil, because the strictness of holy zeal must both burn and shine forth from the virtue of mercy. For it loves the very one whom it seems to pursue. Hence it is also commanded to be offered hot as a most sweet odor to the Lord, because if zeal does not have love, the fine flour that is offered from the frying pan has lost its heat. And it should be noted who is commanded to offer it, namely the priest who has succeeded his father by right. For that priest succeeds his father by right who demonstrates by his conduct that he is a son of the almighty Lord, and does not depart from his inner nobility by the ignobility of his works. It is commanded to be wholly burned upon the altar, so that it may become a holocaust. For we call a holocaust that which is entirely burned. Hence also in another translation in this place this same fine flour which is fried in the pan is commanded to become a holocaust. Moreover, this is the difference between a holocaust and a sacrifice: every holocaust is indeed a sacrifice, but not every sacrifice is a holocaust. For there are many good works that are done as sacrifices, but they are not holocausts, because they do not completely set the mind ablaze in spiritual love. For those who do the things that are of God in such a way that they nevertheless do not abandon certain things that are of the world, assuredly offer a sacrifice and not a holocaust. But those who abandon all things that are of the world and set their entire mind ablaze with the fire of divine love, these assuredly become both sacrifice and holocaust to the almighty Lord. Therefore the fine flour in the frying pan is the pure mind of the righteous person in the affliction of spiritual zeal; it is fried through concern for souls, and is reckoned to be not only a sacrifice but also a holocaust to the Lord. Let us therefore take up the iron frying pan, and let us place it as an iron wall between us and the city, that is, let us assume strong zeal, so that we may afterward find this strong fortification between us and the soul of our hearer. For we will find this iron wall then, if we now hold it firmly, namely by teaching, guarding, persuading, rebuking, soothing, terrifying, sometimes acting gently, but sometimes also more severely.
"And you shall set your face firmly against it, and it shall be under siege."
What does it mean to set one's face firmly against Jerusalem depicted on the brick, except that the teacher who announces to a soul the vision of heavenly peace should by no means show himself more lenient and merciful if he still sees that soul weakened in its actions? Hence it is written: "Do you have daughters? Guard their bodies, and do not show a cheerful face to them." For weak souls given over to worldly desire are sometimes better preserved through severity, so that a hardened face—that is, one guarded through severity and withdrawn from all hope of frivolous leniency—may terrify the inconstant soul and restrain it from the delight of vices through the force of strictness. When this is done by a teacher, it is always necessary that sweetness and humility be held in the heart, so that he may both love greatly and never rise up against the one whom he nevertheless refuses to reveal his love and humility to, for that person's own benefit.
"And you shall surround it."
The teacher surrounds the soul of his hearer when he proclaims that snares of temptations can be set against everything that is done in this life, so that while the mind becomes fearful everywhere, watchful everywhere, the more timid it is, the more vigilantly it may live.
"It is a sign for the house of Israel."
If we look to the history of the siege that took place according to the letter, what the prophet did is a sign for the house of Israel; if we look to the mystery that is daily enacted by a teacher concerning each individual soul, both what he did and what he announced by doing it is a sign for the house of Israel, because just as the house of Israel endured a siege bodily, so every soul that now begins to serve almighty God feels the besieging snares of malign spirits attacking it. If it truly desires to be rescued from them, it ought to know that it cannot be rescued by its own strength; but it must hope for the help of him who, even while we live in corruptible flesh, is able through the mystery of his redemption to strengthen us even over spirits that are without flesh—Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, through all ages of ages. Amen.
Homilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 12
And thou shalt lie upon thy left side, and lay the iniquities of the house of Israel upon it, according to the number of the hundred and fifty days [during] which thou shalt lie upon it: and thou shalt bear their iniquities.
Καὶ σὺ κοιμηθήσῃ ἐπὶ τὸ πλευρόν σου τὸ ἀριστερὸν καὶ θήσεις τὰς ἀδικίας τοῦ οἴκου ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῦ κατὰ ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἡμερῶν πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑκατόν, ἃς κοιμηθήσῃ ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ λήψῃ τὰς ἀδικίας αὐτῶν.
Ты́ же да спи́ши на лѣ́вѣмъ бокꙋ̀ твое́мъ, и҆ да положи́ши непра̑вды до́мꙋ і҆и҃лева на не́мъ, по числꙋ̀ дні́й пѧтьдесѧ́тъ и҆ сто̀, въ нѧ́же поспи́ши на не́мъ, и҆ во́змеши непра̑вды и҆́хъ.
4–6(Ver. 4 seqq.) And you shall lie on your left side, and you shall bear the iniquities of the house of Israel upon it, according to the number of days that you lie on it, you shall bear their iniquity. For I have laid on you the years of their iniquity, according to the number of days, three hundred and ninety days; so you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when you have completed these, you shall lie again on your right side, and you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days. I have given you one day for a year, I say, one day for a year. Let us consider the 390 years that are counted as the same number of days, during which the prophet lay bound and constrained on his left side; so that he did not turn to his other side, showing the captivity and miseries of the ten tribes, that is, the Israelites. And as for the other forty years, in which he lay on his right side for the sins of Judah, or as the holy Scripture narrates, slept, it must be said about Israel that under King Pekah, the son of Remaliah, who reigned in Israel for twenty years, Tiglath-pileser, the king of Assyria (2 Kings 15), came and captured Aijon, Abel, the house of Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, Galilee, and all the land of Naphtali, and took them into Assyria. After whom, Osee, the son of Ela, reigned for nine years in Israel, and he was captured with all of Samaria by Salmanassar, king of the Assyrians, and he was transported to Elam and the rivers of Abor and Gozam in the cities of the Medes. But in the sixth year of the reign of Ezechias, as the holy history of the Kings relates, Osee was captured. From this, if we calculate in order, how many years Israel was in distress and oppressed by the yoke of captivity, we can find out. From the sixth year to the twenty-ninth year (for Hezekiah reigned for twenty-four years) a total of twenty-four years are counted: after him came Manasseh, and he reigned for fifty-five years. After him, Amon reigned for two years. After him, Josiah reigned for thirty-two years. After him, Joakim, also called Eliakim, reigned for eleven years. After him, Jeconiah, also known as Jehoiachin, who was immediately led into captivity, reigned for eleven years, and for him, Zedekiah reigned for eleven years, during whose reign Jerusalem was captured and the temple destroyed. Therefore, from the first captivity of Israel, which occurred under King Pekah until the eleventh year of Zedekiah, when the Temple was desolated, there were 164 (or 174 according to some) years. From the second captivity, when Hoshea was captured and all of Samaria was destroyed, there were 135 (or 80 according to some) years. And the years of the desolation of the Temple were 70, added to the first captivity, making a total of 234 years. For in the second year of the reign of Darius, king of the Persians, the temple was built by Zerubbabel, the son of Salathiel, and by Jesus, the son of Josedech, while Haggai and Zechariah were prophesying. Darius reigned for thirty-six years, and after his death, thirty-five years were added. After him, Xerxes, the son of Darius, reigned for twenty years. After him, Artabanus reigned for seven months. And Xerxes, who was also known as Macrobiochus, reigned for forty years. After him, Xerxes reigned for two months, and Sogdianus reigned for seven months (or four, according to some). After him, Darius, nicknamed Νόθος, reigned for nineteen years. After him, Artaxerxes, nicknamed Μνήμων (also known as Memnon), son of Darius and Parisatis, reigned for forty years. He is called Assuerus by the Hebrews. During his reign, the story of Mordecai and Esther is told (Esther VIII), when the entire Jewish people were saved from the danger of death and regained their freedom. From the second year of Darius to the final year of Assuerus, there are a hundred and fifty-five years and four months. In the last 234 years that have been added to the previous ones, they make 389 years and 4 months. However, the death on the right side, that is, the 40 years, can be easily calculated. For after Eliakim, who was also called Joachim, his son Joachin, also known as Jechonias, reigned for three months. During his reign, the servants of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and it was surrounded by fortifications. Then King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to the city, while his servants were besieging it. And Joachin, the king of Judah, went out to the king of Babylon, along with his mother, his servants, his princes, his eunuchs. And the king of Babylon received him in the eighth year of his reign and brought out all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the royal house. And after a little while, he carried away all of Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand into captivity, and every craftsman and smith. And nothing was left except for the poor of the land (Ibid.) . After capturing it with an infinite multitude of people, and with all the resources of Jerusalem, Zedekiah ruled for eleven years: under him the city was captured and the temple was destroyed. Its desolation lasted until the second year of Darius, seventy years in total. In the thirtieth year of the desolation of the temple, Cyrus ruled in Persia, after overthrowing King Astyages of the Medes. In accordance with the prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 45), he sent back almost fifty thousand men from the tribe of Judah to Jerusalem, along with the temple vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken away, and other things that are narrated in the history of Ezra (3 Ezra 1). So just as in Israel, that is, the ten tribes under King Phacee of Israel, under whom Salmanasar devastated the Israelite people greatly, we count three hundred and ninety years until the fortieth year of Assuerus, when the persecution of all the Jewish people was mitigated; so from the first year of Jechoniah, when a large part of Jerusalem was transferred to Babylon, until the first year of Cyrus, king of the Persians, which was the thirtieth year of the desolation of the temple, forty years are counted, under which the captivity of the Jews was loosened and freedom was restored to the people. Around 390 years after the Israelites and 40 years after the joining of the Jews, making a total of 430 years, they wish to be fulfilled by the baptism of the Savior until the end of the world. However, others, especially the Jews, want to be reckoned in tribulation, distress, and the yoke of captivity of the people from the second year of Vespasian when Jerusalem was captured by the Romans and the temple was destroyed, for a total of 430 years. And thus, the people will return to their former state, just as the children of Israel were in Egypt for 430 years. And it is written in Exodus: Now the time that the children of Israel dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And again: It came to pass after four hundred and thirty years, all the armies of the Lord went out by night. And I am quite amazed why the Vulgate manuscripts have ninety hundred years, and in some it is written one hundred and fifty, when clearly the Hebrew, Aquila, Symmachus and Theodotian versions hold three hundred and ninety years; and among them the Septuagint, which, however, is not corrupted by the fault of the scribes, has the same number. We believe that the most difficult question, and dare I say arrogantly, not explained by anyone, has been made known not so much by our knowledge but by the grace of the Lord, fulfilling what He Himself promised: Seek, and ye shall find; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you (Matthew 7:7). But whoever wishes to calculate from the first captivity, which took place under Manahen the son of Gaddi, king of Israel, who reigned in Samaria for ten years (2 Kings 15); when Phul, the king of the Assyrians, came into the land of Israel and took a thousand talents of silver; and after him, two years later, Phacce, who reigned in Israel, will find that three hundred and ninety years were completed in the twenty-eighth year of the reign of King Assuerus, when the history of Esther is said to have taken place, which is also more credible. For Israel, not after the reign of Assuerus had ended, but while he still reigned, cast off the yoke of a most grievous servitude.
Commentary on Ezekiel
4–6Ezekiel was to lie down on his right side for 40 days and 150 on his left, to dig through a wall and flee, portraying in himself the captivity. Another time Ezekiel is to sharpen a sword to a point, shave his head with it and divide the hair four ways and assign a part here, a part there, without listing it all. The ruler of the universe ordered each of these things to be done so that by the strangeness of this spectacle he might gather those who would not be persuaded by speech or give an ear to prophecy and so dispose them to hear the divine oracles.… So, just as the God of the universe providentially ordered each one of these things to be done for the good of those who live carelessly, so he arranged this extraordinary novelty to draw everyone by its strangeness to the spectacle and make his counsel persuasive to those who come. For the novelty of the spectacle is a reliable guarantee of the instruction it can give, and whoever comes to the spectacle leaves instructed in divine matters.
Lives of Simeon Stylites 12
For I have appointed thee their iniquities for a number of days, for a hundred and ninety days: so thou shalt bear the iniquities of the house of Israel.
καὶ ἐγὼ δέδωκά σοι τὰς δύο ἀδικίας αὐτῶν εἰς ἀριθμὸν ἡμερῶν ἐνενήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν ἡμέρας. καὶ λήψῃ τὰς ἀδικίας τοῦ οἴκου ᾿Ισραὴλ
И҆ а҆́зъ да́хъ тебѣ̀ двѣ̀ непра̑вды и҆́хъ въ число̀ дні́й, въ де́вѧтьдесѧтъ и҆ сто̀ дні́й, и҆ во́змеши непра̑вды до́мꙋ і҆и҃лева.
And thou shalt accomplish this, and [then] shalt lie on thy right side, and shalt bear the iniquities of the house of Juda forty days: I have appointed thee a day for a year.
καὶ συντελέσεις ταῦτα πάντα· καὶ κοιμηθήσῃ ἐπὶ τὸ πλευρόν σου τὸ δεξιὸν καὶ λήψῃ τὰς ἀδικίας τοῦ οἴκου ᾿Ιούδα τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας. ἡμέραν εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν τέθεικά σοι.
И҆ соверши́ши сїѧ̑, и҆ поспи́ши на десны́хъ ре́брѣхъ твои́хъ второ́е, и҆ во́змеши непра̑вды до́мꙋ і҆ꙋ́дина четы́редесѧть дні́й, де́нь за є҆ди́но лѣ́то положи́хъ тебѣ̀.
So thou shalt set thy face to the siege of Jerusalem, and shalt strengthen thine arm, and shalt prophesy against it.
καὶ εἰς τὸν συγκλεισμὸν ῾Ιερουσαλὴμ ἑτοιμάσεις τὸ πρόσωπόν σου καὶ τὸν βραχίονά σου στερεώσεις καὶ προφητεύσεις ἐπ᾿ αὐτήν.
И҆ на заключе́нїе і҆ерⷭли́ма да ᲂу҆гото́ваеши лицѐ твоѐ, и҆ мы́шцꙋ твою̀ ᲂу҆тверди́ши, и҆ прⷪ҇ро́чествовати бꙋ́деши на него̀.
(Verse 7.) And you shall turn your face towards the siege of Jerusalem, and your arm shall be extended, and you shall prophesy against it. LXX: And you shall set your face towards the siege of Jerusalem, and you shall strengthen your arm, and you shall prophesy over it. Preparation of countenance is necessary, as well as strength, and the confirmation of the extended and exposed arm, so that not only by voice, but also by gesture and appearance of a prophet, the siege of the city may be demonstrated.
Commentary on Ezekiel
And, behold, I have prepared bonds for thee, and thou mayest not turn from thy one side to the other, until the days of thy siege shall be accomplished.
καὶ ἐγὼ ἰδοὺ δέδωκα ἐπὶ σὲ δεσμούς, καὶ μὴ στραφῇς ἀπὸ τοῦ πλευροῦ σου ἐπὶ τὸ πλευρόν σου, ἕως οὗ συντελεσθῶσιν ἡμέραι τοῦ συγκλεισμοῦ σου. -
И҆ сѐ, а҆́зъ да́хъ на тѧ̀ ᲂу҆́зы, и҆ не преврати́шисѧ ѿ ре́бръ твои́хъ на ре́бра твоѧ̑, до́ндеже сконча́ютсѧ дні́е заключе́нїѧ твоегѡ̀.
(Verse 8.) Behold, I have surrounded you with chains, and you will not turn from one side to the other, until the days of your siege (or conclusion) are completed. The left side, because it was without a temple and knowledge of God, is assigned to the Israelites; the right side, to the Jews, in whom (or where) the worship and religion of God reside. And it should be noted that in one side there is punishment for sinners, and in the other, exercise of virtue. He does not turn from one side to the other, so that no respite from torment is indicated, until the perfect conclusion of the aforementioned days is reached. The day of the prophets is like a year for those who are patient (Gen. XXIX). And the years that Laban thought were few days for Jacob. Not only in punishments is there diversity according to the variety of merits, but also in the retribution of good things, the lambs are on the right, and the kids are on the left. Therefore, it is also written in another place: The heart of the wise is on the right, but the heart of the fool is on the left (Ecclus. X, 1). There are other bonds of the Lord by which we are bound for salvation; there are also the devil's bonds, by which he had bound the woman for eighteen years in the Gospel (Luke XIII). Wherefore each one is bound with the cords of his own sins (Prov. V, 22). Which the Lord looses through the raising of Lazarus, who lay bound with bandages and graveclothes in the tomb (John XI).
Commentary on Ezekiel
Take thou also to thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and bread-corn; and thou shalt cast them into one earthen vessel, and shalt make them into loaves for thyself; and thou shalt eat them a hundred and ninety days, according to the number of the days [during] which thou sleepest on thy side.
Καὶ σὺ λάβε σεαυτῷ πυροὺς καὶ κριθὰς καὶ κύαμον καὶ φακὸν καὶ κέγχρον καὶ ὄλυραν καὶ ἐμβαλεῖς αὐτὰ εἰς ἄγγος ἓν ὀστράκινον καὶ ποιήσεις αὐτὰ σεαυτῷ εἰς ἄρτους, καὶ κατὰ ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἡμερῶν, ἃς σὺ καθεύδεις ἐπὶ τοῦ πλευροῦ σου, ἐνενήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν ἡμέρας φάγεσαι αὐτά.
Ты́ же (сы́не человѣ́чь) возмѝ себѣ̀ пшени́цꙋ и҆ ꙗ҆чме́нь, и҆ бо́бъ и҆ лѧ́щꙋ, и҆ про́со и҆ пы́ро, и҆ вложи́ши ѧ҆̀ въ сосꙋ́дъ є҆ди́нъ гли́нѧнъ: и҆ сотвори́ши ѧ҆̀ себѣ̀ въ хлѣ́бы, и҆ по числꙋ̀ дні́й, въ нѧ́же спи́ши на ре́брѣхъ твои́хъ, де́вѧтьдесѧтъ и҆ сто̀ дні́й ꙗ҆́сти бꙋ́деши ѡ҆́ныѧ.
9–12(Vrs. 9 ff.) And you will take for yourself wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt; and you will put them into one vessel, and you will make for yourself breads according to the number of days on which you will sleep on your side: three hundred and ninety days you will eat it. But your food that you will eat will be in the weight of twenty shekels a day: from time to time you will eat it. And you will drink water by measure, the sixth part of a hin; from time to time you will drink it. And you shall eat it as barely bread, and cover it with human excrement in their sight. What vice we have interpreted as, which in Hebrew is called Chasamim (): The Seventy and Theodotion placed ὄλυραν, which some interpret as oats, others as millet. But the first edition of Aquila and Symmachus interpreted it as ζέας, or ζείας: which we call either far or spelt in the native language of Italy and Pannonia. They also added pottery to the vase, but the prophet orders a future famine and demonstrates the shortage of the people of Israel. Just as in a scarcity of all things, different types of food and delicacies are not sought after; but rather how the stomach can be filled: thus the prophet now puts wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and oats into one vessel, and makes three hundred and ninety loaves of bread, which will be eaten each day: these loaves weigh twenty sicles, that is, staters. However, a siclus, that is, a stater, has four drachmas. And eight drachmas make one Latin ounce: so that one loaf of bread is said to have ten ounces, by which the soul is more drawn than sustained. The sterility of food is increased by the sterility of water. For it is commanded to drink the sixth part of the Hebrew measure, which is called hin, each day. Furthermore, two chœnixes Attic make one hin: which we can call two Italian sextarii, so that the hin is the measure of the Jewish sextarius and our military, the sixth part of which makes a third part of the Italian sextarius. Food and drink, according to the famous Speaker, not only give strength but also prevent death. What he says, 'From time to time you will eat or drink,' means from evening to evening, although some may mistakenly understand it as from year to year. And these loaves are made like barley bread made with ashes. And it is said to him, that he cover them with human dung, not for those who will eat them (ignorance is accustomed to temper miseries) but for those who see, and in their eyes, to experience horror before enduring nausea. It is also to be noted that, according to the number of days of the left side, three hundred and ninety sub-cinereous loaves are to be made and eaten each day, and there is to be no mention at all of the forty loaves of the right side; so that the holy Scripture may secretly hint that the punishment of the people who have sinned is not the same if they have knowledge of God and of him who has completely departed from the true religion. Furthermore, we can also say, according to spiritual understanding, that the Jewish people, after offending God, still eat sub-cinereous loaves mixed with wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and oats; of which one is the food of men and the other is the food of animals. For in that which they appear to believe in one God, they have something of grain. But what they deny the Son, they are sustained by the barley of animals and beans, by which the stomach of those who eat is inflated, and the mind is said to be oppressed: so much so that even to Pythagoreans, the food is detestable. Because of lentils, Esau lost his birthright (Gen. 25). Millet is the food of peasants, and of wild animals, and of birds. Oats, or vetches and alsike clover, are the food of dumb animals. But what is written, according to the Septuagint, that Elijah fleeing from Jezebel found bread ὀλυρίτην, made of ashes (3 Kings 19), is a sign of persecution and scarcity. Therefore, he is also fed by the ravens, so that because he did not find food in Israel, he would be nourished by unclean foods from the nations. The law itself, which they read but do not understand, is bread made of ashes and covered with human excrement. Therefore, the apostle Paul also says that he considered the gains of the Law and the observance of the former ceremonies as dung, in order to gain Christ (Philippians 3).
Commentary on Ezekiel
And thou shalt eat thy food by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat them.
καὶ τὸ βρῶμά σου, ὃ φάγεσαι, ἐν σταθμῷ εἴκοσι σίκλους τὴν ἡμέραν· ἀπὸ καιροῦ ἕως καιροῦ φάγεσαι αὐτά.
Ꙗ҆́дь же твоѧ̀, ю҆́же ꙗ҆́сти бꙋ́деши, вѣ́сомъ два́десѧть сі̑кль на де́нь, ѿ вре́мене до вре́мене снѣ́си сїѧ̑.
And thou shalt drink water by measure, even from time to time thou shalt drink the sixth part of a hin.
καὶ ὕδωρ ἐν μέτρῳ πίεσαι τὸ ἕκτον τοῦ εἴν· ἀπὸ καιροῦ ἕως καιροῦ πίεσαι.
И҆ во́дꙋ мѣ́рою пи́ти бꙋ́деши, и҆ шестꙋ́ю ча́сть і҆́на ѿ вре́мене до вре́мене и҆спїе́ши.
And thou shalt eat them [as] a barley cake: thou shalt bake them before their eyes in man’s dung.
καὶ ἐγκρυφίαν κρίθινον φάγεσαι αὐτά· ἐν βολβίτοις κόπρου ἀνθρωπίνης ἐγκρύψεις αὐτὰ κατ᾿ ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν
И҆ ѡ҆прѣсно́къ ꙗ҆чме́нный снѣ́си ѧ҆̀, въ ла́йнѣ моты́лъ человѣ́чихъ сокры́еши ѧ҆̀ пред̾ ѻ҆чи́ма и҆́хъ
And thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel; Thus shall the children of Israel eat unclean things among the Gentiles.
καὶ ἐρεῖς· τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ· οὕτως φάγονται οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἀκάθαρτα ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι.
и҆ рече́ши: сїѧ̑ гл҃етъ гдⷭ҇ь бг҃ъ і҆и҃левъ: та́кѡ снѣдѧ́тъ сы́нове і҆и҃лєвы хлѣ́бъ сво́й нечи́стъ во ꙗ҆зы́цѣхъ, а҆́може разсы́плю ѧ҆̀.
13–15(Verse 13 and following) And the Lord said: Thus will the sons of Israel eat their polluted bread among the nations to which I will drive them out. And I said, ah, ah, ah, O Lord God: Behold, my soul is not polluted, and I have not eaten carrion or torn flesh from beasts from my youth until now, and all unclean flesh has not entered into my mouth. And he said to me: Behold, I have given you cow dung instead of human dung, and you shall make your bread with it. According to the book of Zachariah (Zech. III), prophets are seen as portentous men who foretell the future through their works and are spoken of by God. We frequently read throughout the Bible that prophets are compared to God's hands (Hosea XII, 10). As we see in many instances, just as Ezekiel ate bread in dung, the children of Israel, or the entire population of Judah, or as some believe, the ten tribes, will eat polluted bread among the nations. This is not a threat to those who have already been expelled but to those who will be expelled from the promised land. When the Prophet learned this, he strongly condemned it according to Aquila, ah, ah, ah. But according to Symmachus and the Septuagint, he responded by saying 'μηδαμῶς', which means ' by no means' in Latin. For which Theodotion translated: 'O Lord God'. We should not think that he contradicts the command of the Lord, but rather that he gives reasons and even begs why he cannot do this. Finally, he obtained what he asked for, and the severity of the sentence was tempered by a milder command. It is asked why Ezekiel refused easier things: and why Hosea was immediately joined to a prostitute without objection or response, saying that he keeps his body chaste and should not be defiled by the touch of a harlot, as the Apostle says: 'Whoever is joined to a harlot becomes one body with her' (I Cor. VI, 16). From which it is shown that the figure of the Synagogue or Church was not truly accomplished according to the letter: which we have explained more fully in our exposition of the prophet. Morticinium is said to be the taking of life without the shedding of blood, and in which the soul dies, torn by beasts, which is called θηριάλωτον in Greek. But as for the filth granted to human excrement, which is called dung, lighter evils are signified: for indeed they are commanded to eat bread cooked in ox dung; but it is far from uncleanness of human excrement: and even today among the Jewish people this opinion is preserved, that they do not eat their bread in human excrement. For they do not serve idols, nor do they worship the various wonders of demons; but they work for the flesh and stomach, and the goods of this earth, as it is said: 'He who does these things shall live by them' (Leviticus 18:5; Deuteronomy 4). But we disdain earthly things, and not only do we trample on the food of human waste, and consider earthly pleasures to be worthless, but we eat the bread that descends from heaven (John 6), and we enjoy that food of which the Psalmist sings: 'Man ate the bread of angels' (Psalm 78:25); living not on the flesh of the Egyptians, but on the thinness of manna.
Commentary on Ezekiel
Then I said, Not so, Lord God of Israel: surely my soul has not been defiled with uncleanness; nor have I eaten, that which died of itself or was torn of beasts from my birth until now; neither has any corrupt flesh entered into my mouth.
καὶ εἶπα· μηδαμῶς, Κύριε Θεὲ τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ· ἰδοὺ ἡ ψυχή μου οὺ μεμίανται ἐν ἀκαθαρσίᾳ, καὶ θνησιμαῖον καὶ θηριάλωτον οὐ βέβρωκα ἀπὸ γενέσεώς μου ἕως τοῦ νῦν, οὐδὲ εἰσελήλυθεν εἰς τὸ στόμα μου πᾶν κρέας ἕωλον.
И҆ рѣ́хъ: ника́коже, гдⷭ҇и бж҃е і҆и҃левъ! сѐ, дꙋша̀ моѧ̀ не ѡ҆скверни́ласѧ въ нечистотѣ̀, и҆ мертвечи́ны и҆ ѕвѣроѧ́дины не ꙗ҆до́хъ ѿ рожде́нїѧ моегѡ̀ да́же донн҃ѣ, нижѐ вни́де во ᲂу҆ста̀ моѧ̑ всѧ́кое мѧ́со ме́рзко и҆ скверна́во.
And he said to me, Behold, I have given thee dung of oxen instead of man’s dung, and thou shalt prepare thy loaves upon it.
καὶ εἶπε πρός με· ἰδοὺ δέδωκά σοι βόλβιτα βοῶν ἀντὶ τῶν βολβίτων τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων, καὶ ποιήσεις τοὺς ἄρτους σου ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν.
И҆ речѐ ко мнѣ̀: сѐ, да́хъ тебѣ̀ моты̑ла говѧ̑жаѧ вмѣ́стѡ моты́лъ человѣ́чихъ, и҆ сотвори́ши хлѣ́бы себѣ̀ въ ни́хъ.
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:
καὶ εἶπε πρός με· υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ συντρίβω στήριγμα ἄρτου ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ φάγονται ἄρτον ἐν σταθμῷ καὶ ἐν ἐνδείᾳ καὶ ὕδωρ ἐν μέτρῳ καὶ ἐν ἀφανισμῷ πίονται,
И҆ речѐ ко мнѣ̀: сы́не человѣ́чь, сѐ, а҆́зъ сотрꙋ̀ ᲂу҆твержде́нїе хлѣ́бное во і҆ерⷭ҇ли́мѣ, и҆ снѣдѧ́тъ хлѣ́бъ вѣ́сомъ и҆ во ѡ҆скꙋдѣ́нїи, и҆ во́дꙋ мѣ́рою и҆ въ па́гꙋбѣ и҆спїю́тъ,
16–17(Verse 16, 17.) And 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 with dismay; so that when bread and water are lacking, each one shall stumble to his brother, and they shall waste away in their iniquities. The Hebrew word Mate () is interpreted as staff in the first edition of Aquila, and as firmament in the second edition and by Symmachus and Theodotion. But what he had shown through his work, he also demonstrates through his speech, and the silence of both the left and right sides, and the ash bread mixed with the six varieties of spices, signifying the evils of the world, he points to the fact that a famine of food and an incredible shortage of water will occur in Jerusalem, so that everyone will fall to their brother, hoping for help from another, which they do not foresee in themselves. For it is the nature of humans, when pressed by evils and the weight of distress, to have more confidence in what is close at hand than in themselves: and they waste away in their iniquities, while suffering everything because of their iniquities. And I fear lest this breaking of bread may also be found in our Jerusalem, in which the vision of peace is seen, which the Lord crushes when he is angry, and judges us unworthy of his bread. And if only we could at least merit to receive him with weight and solicitude, and wet the dry tongue with excessive dryness, like the last finger of Lazarus (Luke 16). But with the Church lacking in bread and water, a man will fall against his brother, and everywhere there is discord, as our Christ's tunic is torn apart by those who even the soldiers in the Savior's passion dared not tear apart (John 19); and as we waste away in our iniquities, for we do not possess the justice of God. It is written in Jeremiah that the little ones, that is, the common people of the Church, sought bread, and there was no one to break it for them (Lamentations 4:4). But Paul, truly a man of the Church, knew that Christ had broken the legal bread and given it to the disciples to distribute. He confidently speaks: The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the Body of Christ? (I Cor. X, 16.) And those who are weak and in need of the milk of infancy cannot eat the staff or the strength of bread, nor can they receive solid food. And nothing strengthens the mind of the one who eats like the bread of life, of which it is written: And the bread strengthens the heart of man (Psal. CLXXXIII, 15).
Commentary on Ezekiel
that they may want bread and water; and a man and his brother shall be brought to ruin, and they shall pine away in their iniquities.
ὅπως ἐνδεεῖς γένωνται ἄρτου καὶ ὕδατος· καὶ ἀφανισθήσεται ἄνθρωπος καὶ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ τακήσονται ἐν ταῖς ἀδικίαις αὐτῶν.
ꙗ҆́кѡ да скꙋ́дни бꙋ́дꙋтъ хлѣ́бомъ и҆ водо́ю: и҆ поги́бнетъ человѣ́къ и҆ бра́тъ є҆гѡ̀, и҆ и҆ста́ютъ въ непра́вдахъ свои́хъ.
And thou, son of man, take thee a brick, and thou shalt set it before thy face, and shalt portray on it the city, [even] Jerusalem.
ΚΑΙ σύ, υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου, λαβὲ σεαυτῷ πλίνθον καὶ θήσεις αὐτὴν πρὸ προσώπου σου καὶ διαγράψεις ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν πόλιν τὴν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ.
И҆ ты̀, сы́не человѣ́чь, возмѝ себѣ̀ плі́нѳꙋ и҆ положѝ ю҆̀ пред̾ лице́мъ твои́мъ, и҆ да напи́шеши на не́й гра́дъ і҆ерⷭ҇ли́мъ,