Abominable flesh— This probably means whatever was unclean and particularly forbidden by the Mosaic law. See Leviticus 7:18; Leviticus 19:7. Isaiah 65:4.
REFLECTIONS.—1st, Whether the transactions mentioned in this chapter were done in reality or in vision only is disputed (see the Critical Annotations). It is contended by some against the reality, that the position, without a miracle, could not be kept so long, and that the prophet is spoken of as sitting in his house before the expiration of the days. Compare ch. Ezekiel 1:1-2 Ezekiel 8:1. And as for the bread which the prophet is commanded to eat, it seems a severity to which he would scarcely be called. Others, and those too of greatest weight, support the reality of the transaction: the things are spoken of as facts; by these he was to prophesy, when his lips were silent; he was to do this in the sight of the people. His situation or disagreeable diet being enjoined of God for purposes of his glory, he would be comfortably supported under it; and that he really used the bread spoken of, Ezekiel 4:9, his prayer, Ezekiel 4:14, strongly implies.
1. On a tile he is commanded to pourtray the siege of Jerusalem, surrounded with mounts, bulwarks, and battering rams; and the iron pan set between him and the city, against which, as the representative of the Chaldean army, he lays siege, signifies the strength of their works as a wall of iron compassing the city, and the safety in which the besiegers lay, being thus covered; and their fixed resolution to carry the place is implied by the prophet's face set against Jerusalem, and his arm made bare.
2. He is ordered to lie on his left side three hundred and ninety days, and forty days on his right; or to accomplish the number of three hundred and ninety days for Israel, with forty for Judah, bearing their iniquity, the punishment of it, a day for a year.
3. Bound thus by the divine order as Ezekiel was, so should the Chaldean army be, nor stir from the place till they had carried it; and the three hundred and ninety days, during which the prophet lay on his side, may signify the duration of the siege; for though it continued seventeen months in all, Exodus 25:1-4 yet if the interruption given to it by the Egyptians, Jeremiah 37:5 be deducted, the close siege might not last more than those days.
4. In this way Ezekiel must prophesy, not in words, but by works, which speak strongest, and would leave them inexcusable if they refused to pay attention to them.
2nd, To affect their minds with the terribleness of the famine, which would be the consequence of the siege, the prophet, during the three hundred and ninety days, must use the most wretched provision, and in the most scanty measure.
1. His bread is ordered him of the vilest sort, beans, lentils, millet, fitches, mixed with wheat and barley. To such distress would they be reduced, that the very provender for their cattle would be greedily devoured. They who now live luxuriously know not what straits they may be driven to ere they die.
2. He is to be very sparing of this vile food, eating his bread by weight, and drinking water by measure, allowed barely a sufficiency to keep him alive; a token of their great straits, and their obstinacy to hold out to the very last morsel, Jeremiah 37:21. Note; When God's glory requires it of us, we must not hesitate to endure any hardship, and deny ourselves the lawful comforts of life.
3. He is to bake his bread with human ordure dried, in the sight of the people, that they might be affected with the grievousness of the famine, where fuel as well as food would be wanting, and no distinction be made between clean and unclean. The prophet makes no objection to the wretchedness of the food; but, apprehending that ceremonial defilement would thence accrue to him, from every kind of which, as a priest, he had ever carefully abstained, he prays, if God pleases, for some mitigation in this point; and the Lord permits him to use cow's dung instead of man's. Note; (1.) The fear of sin affects the gracious soul more than any thing beside. (2.) God's condescension to the scruples of Ezekiel should teach us to use the like tenderness towards our brethren, and not to grieve their weak consciences.
4. The intention of God's orders to Ezekiel is explained. He, is a sign to the people. So sore shall be the famine during the siege of Jerusalem, that the little bread which remained should be used with the strictest care, in order to enable them the longer to hold out; yet, with astonishment they will find all their measures broken, their resistance fruitless, and their affairs growing each day more desperate, consuming away for their iniquity, and astonished one with another, unable to relieve or help each other, and shocked to behold the dire effects of famine, fatigue, and sickness, which made the besieged appear rather as spectres than men. And at last, delivered into the hands of the heathen, they should be compelled to eat the defiled bread of the Gentiles, as loathsome as the cakes which the prophet baked. Such are the sad effects of sin; and abused plenty thus justly ends in pining want.