Ezekiel 5:2
New International Version
When the days of your siege come to an end, burn a third of the hair inside the city. Take a third and strike it with the sword all around the city. And scatter a third to the wind. For I will pursue them with drawn sword.

New Living Translation
Place a third of it at the center of your map of Jerusalem. After acting out the siege, burn it there. Scatter another third across your map and chop it with a sword. Scatter the last third to the wind, for I will scatter my people with the sword.

English Standard Version
A third part you shall burn in the fire in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are completed. And a third part you shall take and strike with the sword all around the city. And a third part you shall scatter to the wind, and I will unsheathe the sword after them.

Berean Standard Bible
When the days of the siege have ended, you are to burn up a third of the hair inside the city; you are also to take a third and slash it with the sword all around the city; and you are to scatter a third to the wind. For I will unleash a sword behind them.

King James Bible
Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.

New King James Version
You shall burn with fire one-third in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are finished; then you shall take one-third and strike around it with the sword, and one-third you shall scatter in the wind: I will draw out a sword after them.

New American Standard Bible
A third you shall burn in the fire at the center of the city, when the days of the siege are completed. Then you shall take a third and strike it with the sword all around the city, and a third you shall scatter to the wind; for I will unsheathe a sword behind them.

NASB 1995
“One third you shall burn in the fire at the center of the city, when the days of the siege are completed. Then you shall take one third and strike it with the sword all around the city, and one third you shall scatter to the wind; and I will unsheathe a sword behind them.

NASB 1977
“One third you shall burn in the fire at the center of the city, when the days of the siege are completed. Then you shall take one third and strike it with the sword all around the city, and one third you shall scatter to the wind; and I will unsheathe a sword behind them.

Legacy Standard Bible
One-third you shall burn in the fire at the center of the city when the days of the siege are fulfilled. Then you shall take one-third and strike it with the sword all around the city, and one-third you shall scatter to the wind; and I will unsheathe a sword behind them.

Amplified Bible
You shall burn one third with fire in the center of the city, when the days of the siege are completed. Then you shall take one third and strike it with the sword all around the city, and one third you shall scatter to the wind; and I will unsheathe a sword behind them.

Christian Standard Bible
You are to burn a third of it in the city when the days of the siege have ended; you are to take a third and slash it with the sword all around the city; and you are to scatter a third to the wind, for I will draw a sword to chase after them.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You are to burn up a third of it in the city when the days of the siege have ended; you are to take a third and slash it with the sword all around the city; and you are to scatter a third to the wind, for I will draw a sword to chase after them.

American Standard Version
A third part shalt thou burn in the fire in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled; and thou shalt take a third part, and smite with the sword round about it; and a third part thou shalt scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And one of three parts burn in fire within the city, when the days of your siege have ended, and take a another part and cut by the sword around the city, and a third of the hair you shall scatter into the wind, and a sword shall destroy after them

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A fourth part thou shalt burn in the fire in the midst of the city, at the fulfillment of the days of the siege: and thou shalt take a fourth part, and burn it up in the midst of it: and a fourth part thou shalt cut with a sword round about it: and a fourth part thou shalt scatter to the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.

Contemporary English Version
After you attack the brick that stands for Jerusalem, burn one pile of your hair on the brick. Chop up the second pile and let the small pieces of hair fall around the brick. Throw the third pile into the wind, and I will strike it with my own sword.

Douay-Rheims Bible
A third part thou shalt burn with fire in the midst of the city, according to the fulfilling of the days of the siege: and thou shalt take a third part, and cut it in pieces with the knife all round about: and the other third part thou shalt scatter in the wind, and I will draw out the sword after them.

English Revised Version
A third part shalt thou burn in the fire in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled; and thou shalt take a third part, and smite with the sword round about it; and a third part thou shalt scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When the blockade is over, burn one-third of your hair in a fire in the middle of the city. Take another third, and cut it up with a blade around the city. Then scatter the remaining third to the wind, and I will draw a sword and go after it.

Good News Translation
Burn up a third of it in the city when the siege is over. Take another third and chop it up with your sword as you move around outside the city. Scatter the remaining third to the winds, and I will pursue it with my sword.

International Standard Version
You are to burn a third of it in the middle of the city when you've finished your siege. Next, you are to take another third of it and beat it with your sword. Last, you are to scatter the remaining third to the wind, after which I'll unsheathe my sword and pursue them.

JPS Tanakh 1917
A third part shalt thou burn in the fire in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled; and thou shalt take a third part, and smite it with the sword round about her; and a third part thou shalt scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them.

Literal Standard Version
You burn a third part with fire in the midst of the city, at the fullness of the days of the siege; and you have taken the third part, you strike with a weapon around it; and the third part you scatter to the wind, and I draw out a weapon after them.

Majority Standard Bible
When the days of the siege have ended, you are to burn up a third of the hair inside the city; you are also to take a third and slash it with the sword all around the city; and you are to scatter a third to the wind. For I will unleash a sword behind them.

New American Bible
Set a third on fire within the city, when the days of your siege are completed; place another third around the city and strike it with the sword; the final third scatter to the wind and then unsheathe the sword after it.

NET Bible
Burn a third of it in the fire inside the city when the days of your siege are completed. Take a third and slash it with a sword all around the city. Scatter a third to the wind, and I will unleash a sword behind them.

New Revised Standard Version
One third of the hair you shall burn in the fire inside the city, when the days of the siege are completed; one third you shall take and strike with the sword all around the city; and one third you shall scatter to the wind, and I will unsheathe the sword after them.

New Heart English Bible
A third part you shall burn in the fire in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled; and you shall take a third part, and strike with the sword around it; and a third part you shall scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.

World English Bible
A third part you shall burn in the fire in the middle of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled. You shall take a third part, and strike with the sword around it. A third part you shall scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them.

Young's Literal Translation
A third part with fire thou dost burn in the midst of the city, at the fulness of the days of the siege; and thou hast taken the third part, thou dost smite with a weapon round about it; and the third part thou dost scatter to the wind, and a weapon I draw out after them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Judgment Against Jerusalem
1“As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword, use it as a barber’s razor, and shave your head and beard. Then take a set of scales and divide the hair. 2When the days of the siege have ended, you are to burn up a third of the hair inside the city; you are also to take a third and slash it with the sword all around the city; and you are to scatter a third to the wind. For I will unleash a sword behind them. 3But you are to take a few strands of hair and secure them in the folds of your garment.…

Cross References
Leviticus 26:33
But I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out a sword after you as your land becomes desolate and your cities are laid waste.

Jeremiah 9:16
I will scatter them among the nations that neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send a sword after them until I have finished them off."

Jeremiah 13:24
"I will scatter you like chaff driven by the desert wind.

Jeremiah 15:2
If they ask you, 'Where shall we go?' you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: 'Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.'

Jeremiah 39:1
In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army and laid siege to the city.

Jeremiah 39:2
And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah's eleventh year, the city was breached.

Ezekiel 4:2
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.


Treasury of Scripture

You shall burn with fire a third part in the middle of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and you shall take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part you shall scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.

shalt burn

Ezekiel 5:12
A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

Jeremiah 9:21,22
For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets…

Jeremiah 15:2
And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.

the city

Ezekiel 4:1-8
Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem: …

I will draw

Ezekiel 5:12
A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

Ezekiel 12:14
And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.

Leviticus 26:33
And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.

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Burn City Completed Draw Fire Fulfilled Knife Midst Part Round Scatter Siege Smite Strike Sword Third Unsheathe Wind
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Burn City Completed Draw Fire Fulfilled Knife Midst Part Round Scatter Siege Smite Strike Sword Third Unsheathe Wind
Ezekiel 5
1. Under the type of hair
5. is shown the judgment of Jerusalem for their rebellion
12. by famine, sword, and dispersion














(2) Burn with fire a third art in the midst of the city.--It is better to suppose this done only in description than to imagine that the prophet carried it out in act upon the tile on which the city (Jerusalem) was portrayed. The meaning of this verse is explained in Ezekiel 5:12, and is made plainer by translating the same word uniformly "sword," instead of changing to "knife." The third, which is scattered, plainly signifies the small part of the people who, escaping destruction, shall be scattered among the heathen. A similar prophecy, referring however to a later time, may be found in Zechariah 13:8-9. The expression, "when the days of the siege are fulfilled," of course refers to the symbolic siege of the prophet. The words, "I will draw out a sword after them," are taken from Leviticus 26:33, and are repeated in Ezekiel 5:12, and again in Ezekiel 12:14. The suffering from the Divine judgments should still follow them in their exile. Plain prophecy is here mixed with the symbolism.

Verse 2. - Thou shalt burn with fire, etc. The symbolism receives its interpretation in ver. 12. A third part of the people (we need not expect numerical exactness) was to perish in the city of pestilence and famine, another to fall by the sword in their attempts to escape, yet another third was to be scattered to the far off land of their exile, and even there the sword was to follow them. The words, in the midst of the city, and the days of the siege, find their most natural explanation in Ezekiel 4:1, 5, 6.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When the days
יְמֵ֣י (yə·mê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3117: A day

of the siege
הַמָּצ֑וֹר (ham·mā·ṣō·wr)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4692: Something hemming in, a mound, a siege, distress, a fastness

have ended,
כִּמְלֹ֖את (kim·lōṯ)
Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 4390: To fill, be full of

you are to burn up
תַּבְעִיר֙ (taḇ·‘îr)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1197: To kindle, consume, to be, brutish

a third [of the hair]
שְׁלִשִׁ֗ית (šə·li·šîṯ)
Number - ordinal feminine singular
Strong's 7992: Third, feminine a, third, a third, a third-story cell)

inside
בְּת֣וֹךְ (bə·ṯō·wḵ)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8432: A bisection, the centre

the city;
הָעִ֔יר (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

you are also to take
וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֣ (wə·lā·qaḥ·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

a third
הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֗ית (haš·šə·li·šîṯ)
Article | Number - ordinal feminine singular
Strong's 7992: Third, feminine a, third, a third, a third-story cell)

and slash
תַּכֶּ֤ה (tak·keh)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5221: To strike

it with the sword
בַחֶ֙רֶב֙ (ḇa·ḥe·reḇ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

all around the city;
סְבִ֣יבוֹתֶ֔יהָ (sə·ḇî·ḇō·w·ṯe·hā)
Adverb | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5439: A circle, neighbour, environs, around

and you are to scatter
תִּזְרֶ֣ה (tiz·reh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 2219: To toss about, to diffuse, winnow

a third
וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית֙ (wə·haš·šə·li·šîṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Number - ordinal feminine singular
Strong's 7992: Third, feminine a, third, a third, a third-story cell)

to the wind.
לָר֔וּחַ (lā·rū·aḥ)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit

For I will unleash
אָרִ֥יק (’ā·rîq)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7324: Arm, cast out, draw out, make empty, pour forth out

a sword
וְחֶ֖רֶב (wə·ḥe·reḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

behind them.
אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃ (’a·ḥă·rê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 310: The hind or following part


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 5:2 A third part you shall burn (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
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