CHAPTER 4
Then lay
siege
against it:
Construct
a siege wall,
build
a ramp
to it,
set up
camps
against it,
and place
battering rams
around it
on all sides.
Then
take
an iron
plate
and set it up
as an iron
wall
between yourself
and the city.
Turn
your face
toward it
so that it is
under siege,
and besiege it.
This
will be a sign
to the house
of Israel.
Then lie down
on
your left
side
and place
the iniquity
of the house
of Israel
upon yourself.
You are to bear
their iniquity
for the number
of days
you lie on your side.
For I
have assigned
you the years
of their iniquity
according to the number
of days
you lie down, 390
days;
so you will bear
the iniquity
of the house
of Israel.
When you have completed
these days,
lie down
again,
but on
your right
side,
and bear
the iniquity
of the house
of Judah.
I have assigned
to you
40
days,
a day
for each year.
You must turn
your face
toward
the siege
of Jerusalem
with your arm
bared,
and prophesy
against it.
Now behold,
I will tie you up
with ropes
so you cannot
turn
from side
to
side
until
you have finished
the days
of your siege.
But take
wheat,
barley,
beans,
lentils,
millet,
and spelt;
put
them in a single
container
and make
them into bread
for yourself.
This is what you are to eat
during the
390
days
that
you lie
on
your side.
You are also to measure out
a sixth
of a hin
of water
to drink,
and you are to drink it
at set times.
And you shall eat
the food
as you would a barley
cake,
after you bake
it over dried human
excrement
in the sight of the people.”
Then the LORD
said,
“This is how
the Israelites
will eat
their defiled
bread
among the nations
to which
I will banish them.”
“Ah,
Lord
GOD,”
I said,
“I
have never
defiled myself.
From my youth
until
now
I have not
eaten
anything found dead
or mauled by wild beasts.
No
unclean
meat
has ever entered
my mouth.”
“Look,”
He replied,
“I will let
you use cow
dung
instead of
human
excrement,
and you may bake
your bread
over that.”
Then He told
me,
“Son
of man,
I am going to cut off
the supply
of food
in Jerusalem.
They will anxiously
eat
bread
rationed by weight,
and in despair
they will drink
water
by measure.
So
they will lack
food
and water;
they will be appalled
over the sight of one
another
wasting away
in their iniquity.