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Ezekiel 5:3

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Ezekiel 5:3 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And thou shalt take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And thou shalt take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts.
Ezekiel 5:3 — American Standard Version

Context — Ezekiel 5

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp sword; [as] a barber`s razor shalt thou take it unto thee, and shalt cause it to pass upon thy head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.
2A 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.
3And thou shalt take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts.
4And of these again shalt thou take, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; therefrom shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.
5Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations, and countries are round about her.
6And she hath rebelled against mine ordinances in doing wickedness more than the nations, and against my statutes more than the countries that are round about her; for they have rejected mine ordinances, and as for my statutes, they have not walked in them.
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Thou shall also take thereof a few in number, &c.] These are they that were left in the land of Judea by Nebuzaradan, for vinedressers and husbandmen, and such as returned out of Egypt into the land of Judah, (<244428>Jeremiah 44:28 52:16); and bind them in thy skirts; in the pockets of them; signifying both the very small number of them, and their preservation. Jarchi and Kimchi interpret these of those that were carried captive to Babylon, and lived there, and were preserved, and returned again.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Of the third part a few are yet to be taken and kept in the fold of the garment (representing those still to remain in their native land), and yet even of those few some are to be cast into the fire. Such was the fate of those left behind after the destruction of Jerusalem Jeremiah 40:0; Jeremiah 41:0. The whole prophecy is one of denunciation. Ezekiel 5:4 Thereof - Or, from thence, out of the midst of the fire. Omit “For.” return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Take - Of the last third. Bind - As men tied up in the skirt of their garment what they would not lose: to signify the small remnant. Ezekiel 5:4”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“5:3-4 Ezekiel was to tie just a bit of the hair in his robe to show that a remnant would be safe, but even some of them would die in the fire of exile. Few would survive the multiple catastrophes about to befall God’s people.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“a few: Kg2 25:12; Jer 39:10, Jer 40:6, Jer 52:16; Mat 7:14; Luk 13:23, Luk 13:24; Pe1 4:18 skirts: Heb. wings Ezekiel 5:4”
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Related study paths

Read Ezekiel 5 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification