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class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/ezekiel/4.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/ezekiel/4.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />&#8220Very well,&#8221 he said, &#8220I will let you bake your bread over cow dung instead of human excrement.&#8221<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/ezekiel/4.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />“All right,” the LORD said. “You may bake your bread with cow dung instead of human dung.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/ezekiel/4.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />Then he said to me, “See, I assign to you cow’s dung instead of human dung, on which you may prepare your bread.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/ezekiel/4.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />“Look,” He replied, “I will let you use cow dung instead of human excrement, and you may bake your bread over that.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/ezekiel/4.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/ezekiel/4.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />Then He said to me, “See, I am giving you cow dung instead of human waste, and you shall prepare your bread over it.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/ezekiel/4.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />Then He said to me, “See, I will give you cow’s dung in place of human dung, so that you may prepare your bread over it.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/ezekiel/4.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />Then He said to me, &#8220See, I will give you cow&#8217s dung in place of human dung over which you will prepare your bread.&#8221<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/ezekiel/4.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />Then He said to me, “See, I shall give you cow’s dung in place of human dung over which you will prepare your bread.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/ezekiel/4.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />Then He said to me, “See, I will set for you cow’s dung in place of human dung over which you will prepare your bread.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/ezekiel/4.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />Then He said to me, “See, I will let you use cow’s dung instead of human dung over which you shall prepare your food.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/ezekiel/4.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />He replied to me, “Look, I will let you use cow dung instead of human excrement, and you can make your bread over that.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/ezekiel/4.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />He replied to me, &#8220Look, I will let you use cow dung instead of human excrement, and you can make your bread over that.&#8221<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/ezekiel/4.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />Then he said unto me, See, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread thereon.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/ezekiel/4.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />The LORD replied, "Instead of human waste, I will let you bake your bread on a fire made from cow manure. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/ezekiel/4.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />Then he said unto me, See, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread thereon.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/ezekiel/4.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />He said to me, "I will let you use cow manure in place of human excrement. Bake your bread over it."<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/ezekiel/4.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />So God said, "Very well. I will let you use cow dung instead, and you can bake your bread on that." <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/ezekiel/4.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />"Okay," he responded. "I'll allow you to substitute cow's dung for human dung. Cook your food over that."<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/ezekiel/4.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />?Look,? He replied, ?I will let you use cow dung instead of human excrement, and you may bake your bread over that.?<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/ezekiel/4.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />So he said to me, "All right then, I will substitute cow's manure instead of human excrement. You will cook your food over it." <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/ezekiel/4.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />Then he said to me, "Look, I have given you cow's dung for man's dung, and you shall prepare your bread thereon."<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/ezekiel/4.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />Then he said to me, Lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread with them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/ezekiel/4.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />Then he said to me, “Behold, I have given you cow’s dung for man’s dung, and you shall prepare your bread on it.” <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/ezekiel/4.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />And He says to me, “See, I have given to you bullock’s dung instead of man’s dung, and you have made your bread by it.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/ezekiel/4.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> And He saith unto me, 'See, I have given to thee bullock's dung instead of man's dung, and thou hast made thy bread by it.'<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/ezekiel/4.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And he will say to me, See, I gave to thee the dung of oxen instead of man's dung, and make thy bread upon them.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/ezekiel/4.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />And he said to me: Behold I have given thee neat's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt make thy bread therewith. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/ezekiel/4.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />And he said to me: “Behold, I have given to you cow manure in place of human dung, and you shall make your bread with it.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/ezekiel/4.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />Very well, he replied, I will let you use cow manure in place of human dung. You can bake your bread on that.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/ezekiel/4.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />Then he said to me, “See, I will let you have cow’s dung instead of human dung, on which you may prepare your bread.”<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/ezekiel/4.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />Then he said to me, Lo, I have given you oxen's dung instead of men's dung, that you shall bake your bread with it.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/ezekiel/4.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />And he said to me: “Behold, I have given you dung of oxen instead of dung of the children of man, that you will make your bread on them”<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/ezekiel/4.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />Then He said unto me: 'See, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread thereon.'<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/ezekiel/4.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />And 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.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/ezekiel/4-15.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="audio" id="audio"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vET3Gmwku4s?start=851" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/ezekiel/4.htm">The Defiled Bread</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">14</span>“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.” <span class="reftext">15</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/7200.htm" title="7200: rə·’êh (V-Qal-Imp-ms) -- To see. A primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively.">“Look,”</a> <a href="/hebrew/559.htm" title="559: way·yō·mer (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms) -- To utter, say. A primitive root; to say.">He replied,</a> <a href="/hebrew/413.htm" title="413: ’ê·lay (Prep:: 1cs) -- To, into, towards. "></a> <a href="/hebrew/5414.htm" title="5414: nā·ṯat·tî (V-Qal-Perf-1cs) -- To give, put, set. A primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application.">“I will let</a> <a href="/hebrew/lə·ḵā (Prep:: 2ms) -- ">you</a> <a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: ’eṯ- (DirObjM) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self."></a> <a href="/hebrew/1241.htm" title="1241: hab·bā·qār (Art:: N-ms) -- Cattle, herd, an ox. From baqar; beef cattle or an animal of the ox family of either gender; collectively, a herd.">use cow</a> <a href="/hebrew/6832.htm" title="6832: ṣə·p̄ū·ʿē (N-mpc) -- Dung (of cattle). From the same as tsepha'; excrement.">dung</a> <a href="/hebrew/8478.htm" title="8478: ta·ḥaṯ (Prep) -- Underneath, below, instead of. From the same as Towach; the bottom; only adverbially, below, in lieu of, etc.">instead of</a> <a href="/hebrew/120.htm" title="120: hā·’ā·ḏām (Art:: N-ms) -- Man, mankind. From 'adam; ruddy i.e. A human being.">human</a> <a href="/hebrew/1561.htm" title="1561: gel·lê (N-mpc) -- Dung. A variation of galal; dung.">excrement,</a> <a href="/hebrew/6213.htm" title="6213: wə·‘ā·śî·ṯā (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConjPerf-2ms) -- To do, make. A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application.">and you may bake</a> <a href="/hebrew/853.htm" title="853: ’eṯ- (DirObjM) -- Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self."></a> <a href="/hebrew/3899.htm" title="3899: laḥ·mə·ḵā (N-msc:: 2ms) -- Bread, food. From lacham; food, especially bread, or grain.">your bread</a> <a href="/hebrew/5921.htm" title="5921: ‘ă·lê·hem (Prep:: 3mp) -- Properly, the same as al used as a preposition; above, over, upon, or against in a great variety of applications.">over that.”</a> </span><span class="reftext">16</span>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.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/10-14.htm">Acts 10:14-15</a></span><br />“No, Lord!” Peter answered. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” / The voice spoke to him a second time: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/leviticus/11-1.htm">Leviticus 11:1-47</a></span><br />The LORD spoke again to Moses and Aaron, telling them, / “Say to the Israelites, ‘Of all the beasts of the earth, these ones you may eat: / You may eat any animal that has a split hoof completely divided and that chews the cud. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/deuteronomy/14-3.htm">Deuteronomy 14:3-21</a></span><br />You must not eat any detestable thing. / These are the animals that you may eat: The ox, the sheep, the goat, / the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/mark/7-18.htm">Mark 7:18-19</a></span><br />“Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him, / because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.)<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/14-14.htm">Romans 14:14</a></span><br />I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_timothy/4-4.htm">1 Timothy 4:4-5</a></span><br />For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected, / because it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/7-15.htm">Isaiah 7:15</a></span><br />By the time He knows enough to reject evil and choose good, He will be eating curds and honey.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/hosea/9-3.htm">Hosea 9:3</a></span><br />They will not remain in the land of the LORD; Ephraim will return to Egypt and eat unclean food in Assyria.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/daniel/1-8.htm">Daniel 1:8</a></span><br />But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/15-11.htm">Matthew 15:11</a></span><br />A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/10-25.htm">1 Corinthians 10:25-26</a></span><br />Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, / for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/genesis/9-3.htm">Genesis 9:3</a></span><br />Everything that lives and moves will be food for you; just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you all things.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/15-29.htm">Acts 15:29</a></span><br />You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/colossians/2-16.htm">Colossians 2:16</a></span><br />Therefore let no one judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a feast, a New Moon, or a Sabbath.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/1_corinthians/8-8.htm">1 Corinthians 8:8</a></span><br />But food does not bring us closer to God: We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">Then he said to me, See, I have given you cow's dung for man's dung, and you shall prepare your bread therewith.</p><p class="hdg">cow's dung.</p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/ezekiel/4-12.htm">Bake</a> <a href="/ezekiel/4-13.htm">Bread</a> <a href="/leviticus/4-16.htm">Bullock's</a> <a href="/jeremiah/50-11.htm">Cow</a> <a href="/ezekiel/4-12.htm">Dung</a> <a href="/ezekiel/4-12.htm">Human</a> <a href="/jeremiah/37-1.htm">Instead</a> <a href="/isaiah/25-10.htm">Manure</a> <a href="/ezekiel/4-7.htm">Prepare</a> <a href="/isaiah/35-9.htm">Thereon</a> <a href="/ezekiel/3-25.htm">Therewith</a> <a href="/lamentations/5-18.htm">Waste</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/ezekiel/46-20.htm">Bake</a> <a href="/ezekiel/4-16.htm">Bread</a> <a href="/leviticus/4-4.htm">Bullock's</a> <a href="/hosea/4-16.htm">Cow</a> <a href="/nahum/3-6.htm">Dung</a> <a href="/ezekiel/10-8.htm">Human</a> <a href="/ezekiel/16-32.htm">Instead</a> <a href="/luke/13-8.htm">Manure</a> <a href="/ezekiel/7-14.htm">Prepare</a> <a href="/ezekiel/15-3.htm">Thereon</a> <a href="/ezekiel/16-29.htm">Therewith</a> <a href="/ezekiel/4-17.htm">Waste</a><div class="vheading2">Ezekiel 4</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/ezekiel/4-1.htm">Under type of a siege is shown the time from the defection of Jeroboam to captivity</a></span><br><span class="reftext">9. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/ezekiel/4-9.htm">By the provision of the siege, is shown the hardness of the famine</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> <br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top"><a href="/study/ezekiel/4.htm">Study Bible</a></td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/study/ezekiel/" title="Book Summary and Study">Book ◦</a> <a href="/study/chapters/ezekiel/4.htm" title="Chapter summary and Study">Chapter </a></tr></table></div><b>“Look,” He replied,</b><br>This phrase indicates a direct response from God to Ezekiel, emphasizing the immediacy and authority of the divine communication. In the context of Ezekiel's prophetic ministry, God often speaks directly to him, underscoring the seriousness of the message. This direct address highlights the personal relationship between God and His prophet, a common theme throughout the prophetic books.<p><b>“I will let you use cow dung instead of human excrement,”</b><br>In ancient times, fuel for cooking was scarce, and various materials were used, including animal dung. The initial command to use human excrement (<a href="/ezekiel/4-12.htm">Ezekiel 4:12</a>) was meant to symbolize the defilement and desperation that would come upon Jerusalem during the siege. The concession to use cow dung instead reflects God's mercy, even in judgment, allowing for a less defiling alternative. This change also underscores the theme of God's willingness to relent or adjust His commands in response to human concerns, as seen in other scriptures like <a href="/jonah/3-10.htm">Jonah 3:10</a>.<p><b>“and you may bake your bread over that.”</b><br>The act of baking bread over dung serves as a vivid symbol of the dire conditions during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. Bread, a staple of life, being prepared in such a manner, illustrates the extreme scarcity and unclean conditions the people would face. This imagery connects to the broader biblical theme of judgment and purification, where physical acts symbolize spiritual realities. The use of cow dung, a common fuel in some ancient cultures, also reflects the adaptability and resilience required in times of hardship, pointing to the broader biblical narrative of God's people enduring through trials.<div class="vheading2">Persons / Places / Events</div>1. <b><a href="/topical/e/ezekiel.htm">Ezekiel</a></b><br>A prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the Israelites during their Babylonian exile. Known for his symbolic and often challenging prophetic acts.<br><br>2. <b><a href="/topical/g/god.htm">God</a></b><br>The sovereign Lord who communicates with Ezekiel, providing instructions and making allowances in response to Ezekiel's concerns.<br><br>3. <b><a href="/topical/b/babylon.htm">Babylon</a></b><br>The place of exile for the Israelites, where Ezekiel is delivering his prophecies. It represents a place of judgment and purification for the people of Israel.<br><br>4. <b><a href="/topical/i/israelites.htm">Israelites</a></b><br>The people of God who are in exile due to their disobedience and idolatry. They are the primary audience of Ezekiel's prophecies.<br><br>5. <b><a href="/topical/s/symbolic_act.htm">Symbolic Act</a></b><br>Ezekiel is instructed to perform a symbolic act of baking bread over cow dung, representing the defilement and hardship the Israelites will face.<div class="vheading2">Teaching Points</div><b><a href="/topical/g/god's_flexibility_in_response_to_our_concerns.htm">God's Flexibility in Response to Our Concerns</a></b><br>God listens to Ezekiel's concerns about defilement and provides an alternative. This shows that God is compassionate and willing to accommodate our sincere concerns.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/s/symbolism_of_defilement_and_purity.htm">Symbolism of Defilement and Purity</a></b><br>The use of cow dung instead of human excrement symbolizes a lesser degree of defilement, yet still represents the impurity and hardship the Israelites will endure. It reminds us of the importance of spiritual purity.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/o/obedience_in_difficult_circumstances.htm">Obedience in Difficult Circumstances</a></b><br>Ezekiel's willingness to perform difficult tasks as commanded by God highlights the importance of obedience, even when it challenges our comfort or understanding.<br><br><b><a href="/topical/g/god's_sovereignty_and_judgment.htm">God's Sovereignty and Judgment</a></b><br>The symbolic act serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the reality of His judgment. It calls us to reflect on our own lives and the areas where we may need to repent and seek God's guidance.<div class="vheading2">Lists and Questions</div><a href="/top10/lessons_from_ezekiel_4.htm">Top 10 Lessons from Ezekiel 4</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/was_ezekiel's_'siege_bread'_real.htm">Ezekiel 4:9–12: Is there any historical evidence that this specific type of “siege bread” was actually made and consumed in ancient times? </a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_does_cow_dung_align_with_purity_laws.htm">Ezekiel 4:12–15: How could using cow dung rather than human waste reconcile the apparent conflict with Jewish purity laws? </a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/why_no_extrabiblical_reaction_to_ezekiel_12.htm">If God intended Ezekiel's symbolic actions in Ezekiel 12:6-7 to be a warning for all, why is there no extrabiblical evidence of widespread awareness or reaction?</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/q/how_do_'cows_of_bashan'_fit_history.htm">Amos 4:1 - How can we reconcile the reference to 'cows of Bashan' with historical or archeological records of that region's social elite?</a><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/ezekiel/4.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(15) <span class= "bld">Cow's dung.</span>--In the scarcity of fuel in the East, cow's dung and especially camel's dung, is dried, and becomes the common fuel.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/ezekiel/4.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 15.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Lo, I have given thee,</span> etc. The concession mitigates the horror of the first command, though even this was probably regarded as involving some ceremonial uncleanness. It served, at any rate, to represent, in some measure, the pressure of the siege. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/ezekiel/4-15.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">“Look,”</span><br /><span class="heb">רְאֵ֗ה</span> <span class="translit">(rə·’êh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_7200.htm">Strong's 7200: </a> </span><span class="str2">To see</span><br /><br /><span class="word">He replied,</span><br /><span class="heb">וַיֹּ֣אמֶר</span> <span class="translit">(way·yō·mer)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_559.htm">Strong's 559: </a> </span><span class="str2">To utter, say</span><br /><br /><span class="word">“I will let</span><br /><span class="heb">נָתַ֤תִּֽי</span> <span class="translit">(nā·ṯat·tî)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5414.htm">Strong's 5414: </a> </span><span class="str2">To give, put, set</span><br /><br /><span class="word">you use cow</span><br /><span class="heb">הַבָּקָ֔ר</span> <span class="translit">(hab·bā·qār)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1241.htm">Strong's 1241: </a> </span><span class="str2">Beef cattle, ox, a herd</span><br /><br /><span class="word">dung</span><br /><span class="heb">צְפִיעֵ֣י</span> <span class="translit">(ṣə·p̄î·‘ê)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine plural construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_6832.htm">Strong's 6832: </a> </span><span class="str2">Dung (of cattle)</span><br /><br /><span class="word">instead of</span><br /><span class="heb">תַּ֖חַת</span> <span class="translit">(ta·ḥaṯ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8478.htm">Strong's 8478: </a> </span><span class="str2">The bottom, below, in lieu of</span><br /><br /><span class="word">human</span><br /><span class="heb">הָֽאָדָ֑ם</span> <span class="translit">(hā·’ā·ḏām)</span><br /><span class="parse">Article | Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_120.htm">Strong's 120: </a> </span><span class="str2">Ruddy, a human being</span><br /><br /><span class="word">excrement,</span><br /><span class="heb">גֶּלְלֵ֣י</span> <span class="translit">(gel·lê)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine plural construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1561.htm">Strong's 1561: </a> </span><span class="str2">Dung</span><br /><br /><span class="word">and you may bake</span><br /><span class="heb">וְעָשִׂ֥יתָ</span> <span class="translit">(wə·‘ā·śî·ṯā)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_6213.htm">Strong's 6213: </a> </span><span class="str2">To do, make</span><br /><br /><span class="word">your bread</span><br /><span class="heb">לַחְמְךָ֖</span> <span class="translit">(laḥ·mə·ḵā)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3899.htm">Strong's 3899: </a> </span><span class="str2">Food, bread, grain</span><br /><br /><span class="word">over that.”</span><br /><span class="heb">עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃</span> <span class="translit">(‘ă·lê·hem)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition | third person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5921.htm">Strong's 5921: </a> </span><span class="str2">Above, over, upon, against</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/ezekiel/4-15.htm">Ezekiel 4:15 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/ezekiel/4-15.htm">Ezekiel 4:15 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/ezekiel/4-15.htm">Ezekiel 4:15 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/ezekiel/4-15.htm">Ezekiel 4:15 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/ezekiel/4-15.htm">Ezekiel 4:15 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/ezekiel/4-15.htm">Ezekiel 4:15 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/ezekiel/4-15.htm">Ezekiel 4:15 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/ezekiel/4-15.htm">Ezekiel 4:15 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/ezekiel/4-15.htm">Ezekiel 4:15 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/ezekiel/4-15.htm">Ezekiel 4:15 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/ezekiel/4-15.htm">OT Prophets: Ezekiel 4:15 Then he said to me Behold (Ezek. Eze Ezk) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/ezekiel/4-14.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Ezekiel 4:14"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Ezekiel 4:14" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/ezekiel/4-16.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Ezekiel 4:16"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Ezekiel 4:16" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>