The Siege of Jerusalem Enacted

Ezekiel 4

Ezekiel is commanded to portray the siege of Jerusalem on a clay tablet with mounds and siege engines, and to lie bound on his side for a set number of days bearing the iniquity of Israel and Judah. He is told to eat rationed, defiled bread and drink measured water as a sign of the famine and scarcity that will come upon the besieged city.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonAND thou, son of man, take thee a tile and set it before thee and portray thereon the city Jerusalem,

BrentonAnd 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.

GreekΚαὶ σὺ, υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου, λάβε σεαυτῷ πλίνθον, καὶ θήσεις αὐτὴν πρὸ προσώπου σου, καὶ διαγράψεις ἐπʼ αὐτὴν πόλιν τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ.

KJVThou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem:

JPSThou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and trace upon it a city, even Jerusalem;

Thomsonand thou shalt lay siege to it and build mounds against it and throw up a circumvallation around it and pitch camps against it and arrange the towers for engines round about.

BrentonAnd 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.

GreekΚαὶ δώσεις ἐπʼ αὐτὴν περιοχὴν, καὶ οἰκοδομήσεις ἐπʼ αὐτὴν προμαχῶνας, καὶ περιβαλεῖς ἐπʼ αὐτὴν χάρακα, καὶ δώσεις ἐπʼ αὐτὴν παρεμβολὰς, καὶ τάξεις τὰς βελοστάσεις κύκλῳ.

KJVAnd lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.

JPSand lay siege against it, and build forts against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.

ThomsonThen take thee an iron pan and place it as an iron wall between thee and the city and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged and thou shalt besiege it. This is a sign for the children of Israel.

BrentonAnd 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.

GreekΚαὶ σὺ λάβε σεαυτῷ τήγανον σιδηροῦν, καὶ θήσεις αὐτὸ τοῖχον σιδηροῦν ἀναμέσον σου καὶ ἀναμέσον τῆς πόλεως, καὶ ἑτοιμάσεις τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἐπʼ αὐτὴν, καὶ ἔσται ἐν συνκλεισμῷ, καὶ συγκλείσεις αὐτήν· σημεῖόν ἐστι τοῦτο τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραήλ.

KJVMoreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.

JPSAnd take thou unto thee an iron griddle, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city; and set thy face toward it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.

ThomsonAnd thou shalt lie on thy left side and lay on it the iniquities of the house of Israel. According to the number of the hundred and fifty days which thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquities.

BrentonAnd 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.

GreekΚαὶ σὺ κοιμηθήσῃ ἐπὶ τὸ πλευρόν σου τὸ ἀριστερὸν, καὶ θήσεις τὰς ἀδικίας τοῦ οἴκου Ἰσραὴλ ἐπʼ αὐτοὺ, κατὰ ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἡμερῶν πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν ἃς κοιμηθήσῃ ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ, καὶ λήψῃ τὰς ἀδικίας αὐτῶν.

KJVLie 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.

JPSMoreover lie thou 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.

ThomsonNow I have given thee their iniquities to the number of a hundred and ninety days. So when thou hast taken the iniquities of the house of Israel

BrentonFor 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.

GreekΚαὶ ἐγὼ δέδωκά σοι τὰς ἀδικίας αὐτῶν εἰς ἀριθμὸν ἡμερῶν, ἐννενήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν ἡμέρας, καὶ λήψῃ τὰς ἀδικίας τοῦ οἴκου Ἰσραήλ.

KJVFor I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.

JPSFor I have appointed the years of their iniquity to be unto thee a number of days, even three hundred and ninety days; so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.

Thomsonand finished them, thou shalt lie on thy right side and bear the iniquities of the house of Juda forty days. I have given thee a day for a year.

BrentonAnd 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.

GreekΚαὶ συντελέσεις ταῦτα, καὶ κοιμηθήσῃ ἐπὶ τὸ πλευρόν σου τὸ δεξιὸν, καὶ λήψῃ τὰς ἀδικίας τοῦ οἴκου Ἰούδα τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας, ἡμέραν εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν τέθεικά σοι.

KJVAnd when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.

JPSAnd again, when thou hast accomplished these, thou shalt lie on thy right side, and shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah; forty days, each day for a year, have I appointed it unto thee.

ThomsonTherefore thou shalt prepare thy face for the siege of Jerusalem and strengthen thine arm and prophesy against it.

BrentonSo thou shalt set thy face to the siege of Jerusalem, and shalt strengthen thine arm, and shalt prophesy against it.

GreekΚαὶ εἰς τὸν συγκλεισμὸν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἑτοιμάσεις τὸ πρόσωπόν σου, καὶ τὸν βραχίονά σου στερεώσεις, καὶ προφητεύσεις ἐπʼ αὐτήν.

KJVTherefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it.

JPSAnd thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, with thine arm uncovered; and thou shalt prophesy against it.

ThomsonAnd behold I have given chains for thee that thou mayst not turn from one of thy sides to the other until the days of thy siege are accomplished.

BrentonAnd, 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.

GreekΚαὶ ἐγὼ ἰδοὺ δέδωκα ἐπὶ σὲ δεσμοὺς, καὶ μὴ στραφῇς ἀπὸ τοῦ πλευροῦ σου ἐπὶ τὸ πλευρόν σου, ἕως οὗ συντελεσθῶσιν ἡμέραι τοῦ συγκλεισμοῦ σου.

KJVAnd, behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy siege.

JPSAnd, behold, I lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn thee from one side to another, till thou hast accomplished the days of thy siege.

ThomsonProvide, therefore, for thyself wheat and barley and beans and lentils and millet and rye, and put them into an earthen vessel and make them into loaves for thyself according to the number of the days which thou liest on thy side, to be eaten in the course of a hundred and ninety days.

BrentonTake thou also to thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, 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.

GreekΚαὶ σὺ λάβε σεαυτῷ πυροὺς, καὶ κριθὰς, καὶ κύαμον, καὶ φακὸν, καὶ κέγχρον, καὶ ὀλύραν, καὶ ἐμβαλεῖς αὐτὰ εἰς ἄγγος ἓν ὀστράνικον, καὶ ποιήσεις αὐτὰ σεαυτῷ εἰς ἄρτους· καὶ κατὰ ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἡμερῶν, ἃς σὺ καθεύδεις ἐπὶ τοῦ πλευροῦ σου, ἐννενήκοντα καὶ ἑκατὸν ἡμέρας φάγεσαι αὐτά.

KJVTake thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof.

JPSTake thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof; according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, even three hundred and ninety days, shalt thou eat thereof.

ThomsonAnd thou shalt eat thy bread by weight, twenty shekels a day. From time to time thou shalt eat it;

BrentonAnd thou shalt eat thy food by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat them.

GreekΚαὶ τὸ βρῶμά σου φάγεσαι ἐν σταθμῷ, εἴκοσι σίκλους τὴν ἡμέραν, ἀπὸ καιροῦ ἕως καιροῦ φάγεσαι αὐτά.

KJVAnd thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.

JPSAnd thy food which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day; from time to time shalt thou eat it.

Thomsonand thou shalt drink water by measure, namely the sixth of an hin to be drunk at stated times.

BrentonAnd thou shalt drink water by measure, even from time to time thou shalt drink the sixth part of a hin.

GreekΚαὶ ὕδωρ ἐν μέτρῳ πίεσαι, καὶ τὸ ἕκτον τοῦ εἲν ἀπὸ καιροῦ ἕως καιροῦ πίεσαι.

KJVThou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink.

JPSThou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of a hin; from time to time shalt thou drink.

ThomsonAnd thou shalt eat the loaves baked like barley cakes on the hearth, and thou shalt bake them in their sight with a fire made of human ordure and

BrentonAnd thou shalt eat them as a barley cake: thou shalt bake them before their eyes in man's dung.

GreekΚαὶ ἐγκρυφίαν κρίθινον φάγεσαι αὐτὰ, ἐν βολβίτοις κόπρου ἀνθρωπίνης ἐγκρύψεις αὐτὰ κατʼ ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν.

KJVAnd thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.

JPSAnd thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it in their sight with dung that cometh out of man.’

Thomsonshalt say, Thus saith the Lord the God of Israel, So shall the children of Israel eat impure meats among the nations.

BrentonAnd thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel; Thus shall the children of Israel eat unclean things among the Gentiles.

GreekΚαὶ ἐρεῖς, τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, οὕτως φάγονται οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἀκάθαρτα ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι.

KJVAnd the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.

JPSAnd the LORD said: ‘Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread unclean, among the nations whither I will drive them.’

ThomsonUpon this I said, Not so: O Lord God of Israel, seeing my soul hath not been polluted with impurity. Even from my birth to this day I have not eaten what died of itself, or was torn by wild beasts, nor hath any tainted flesh ever entered my mouth.

BrentonThen 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.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπα, μηδαμῶς Κύριε Θεὲ Ἰσραήλ· εἰ ἡ ψυχή μου οὐ μεμίανται ἐν ἀκαθαρσίᾳ, καὶ θνησιμαῖον καὶ θηριάλωτον οὐ βέβρωκα ἀπὸ γενέσεώς μου ἕως τοῦ νῦν, οὐδὲ εἰσελήλυθεν εἰς τὸ στόμα μου πᾶν κρέας ἕωλον.

KJVThen said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.

JPSThen said I: ‘Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted; for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn of beasts; neither came there abhorred flesh into my mouth.’

ThomsonThereupon He said to me, Behold I have given thee the dung of cattle instead of human ordure that thou mayst bake thy loaves with it.

BrentonAnd 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.

GreekΚαὶ εἶπε πρὸς μὲ, ἰδοὺ δέδωκά σοι βόλβιτα βοῶν ἀντὶ τῶν βολβίτων τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων, καὶ ποιήσεις τοὺς ἄρτους σου ἐπʼ αὐτῶν.

KJVThen he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow’s dung for man’s dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.

JPSThen He said unto me: ‘See, I have given thee cow’s dung for man’s dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread thereon.’

ThomsonMoreover He said to me, Son of man, behold I break the staff of bread in Jerusalem and they shall eat bread by weight and with scantiness; and they shall drink water by measure and with faintness;

BrentonAnd 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:

GreekΚαὶ εἶπε πρὸς μὲ, υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ συντρίβω στήριγμα ἄρτου ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ φάγονται ἄρτον ἐν σταθμῷ καὶ ἐν ἐνδείᾳ, καὶ ὕδωρ ἐν μέτρῳ, καὶ ἐν ἀφανισμῷ πίονται·

KJVMoreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment:

JPSMoreover He said unto 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 in appalment;

Thomsonthat they may be in want of bread and water and perish, one and all, and be wasted away for their iniquities.

Brentonthat 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.

GreekὍπως ἐνδεεῖς γένωνται ἄρτου καὶ ὕδατος· καὶ ἀφανισθήσεται ἄνθρωπος καὶ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐντακήσονται ἐν ταῖς ἀδικίαις αὐτῶν.

KJVThat they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.

JPSthat they may want bread and water, and be appalled one with another, and pine away in their iniquity.