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"You shall also drink water by measure"

Text: Ezekiel 4:11

HEBREW MEASURES OF LIQUID

One hin is supposed to be 5.7 litres. In a siege, both food and water would have to be rationed. Both food and water would be limited if not scarce.

“You shall also drink water by measure, one-sixth of a hin;
from time to time you shall drink.
And you shall eat it as barley cakes;
and bake it using fuel of human waste in their sight.”
Ezekiel 4:11-12

1. Food (bread) restrictions.

a) This would be limited.

b) This was imposed by the king in Jerusalem.

c) Ezekiel did not have such restriction in Babylon.

d) But he was supposed to bear the iniquity of Israel and so he would have to experience suffering alongside them.

2. Water restriction.

a) Ezekiel would have to drink in measured amounts.

b) He would have to fulfil this restriction given to him for 390 days.

c) He would have to learn “water discipline”.

3. The baking of the bread.

a) This was a hard one to fulfil.

b) Fuel would not be easy to find in besieged Jerusalem.

c) Ezekiel would not lack any fuel supply in Babylon.

d) But he was to enact the situation experienced by those in Jerusalem.

e) Some had to resort to human waste as fuel.

f) Ezekiel was asked to fulfil this condition too.

4. The Jews in Babylon.

a) They would see Ezekiel’s ordeal.

b) They are to then understand that this was happening in Jerusalem.

c) The people in Judah were under siege and they were suffering.