Chapter 4

Ezekiel is to engrave the city of Jerusalem on a brick, then build little symbolic siege works against it.  This was a sign for Israel.  Then he was to lie on his left side.  He was to stay like this 390 days, and take their punishment, one day for each year. 

MSB says this prophecy was actually between the first conquest by Babylon, and yet before that final siege of the city that would destroy it all.  MSB says we don't know the beginning and end of this 390 years.  Ahh...the 390 days was for Israel - long ago fallen - and then he was to lie on his right side for 40 days more.  We don't know if concurrent or in sequence.  They were in captivity 70 years.  So we just don't "get" these numbers.

2024 - I noticed this year that the 390 days is for Israel, and the 40 days are for Judah.  Doesn't help a lot but at least we can see now how the times might be concurrent. 

He is to prepare his meals in the people's  sight each day.  A combo of 4 grains, in a precise weight, and he is to drink a fixed amount of water each day.  It is to be cooked over a cow dung fire.  This symbolized the coming conditions in Jerusalem.  Water rationing, food rationing.  No fuel.  Siege conditions.  Human dung would be the only available fuel to cook over, but God let Ezekiel off on this one.  He was allowed to use cow dung instead.  Things were going to be horrible in Jerusalem.