Lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it— By the iniquity is meant the punishment of the iniquity of the house of Israel; and though several commentators interpret this passage of what was past, there seems no doubt that it was intended to foretel and pre-signify what was future; namely, how many years the children of Israel and Judah were to suffer the punishment of their iniquity; but we should observe, that in the three hundred and ninety days are not only denoted the three hundred and ninety years during which the children of Israel were to suffer the punishment of their iniquity, but also the three hundred and ninety days themselves, during which Jerusalem was to be besieged and reduced to the utmost distress by famine. Compare the 11th with the 16th verse. Ezekiel takes meat and drink by measure for three hundred and ninety days, the meaning whereof is explained in the 16th and 17th verses; namely, that the famine should rage for so many days in Jerusalem: but the same Ezekiel lying upon his side pre-signifies how long Israel and Judah should lie under the punishment of their iniquity; namely, Israel three hundred and ninety, and Judah forty years. But this matter, says Calmet, is so pregnant with difficulties, that it requires a whole dissertation to consider it.
Related Commentaries of Ezekiel 4:4
Ezekiel 4:4
4 Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity.