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EZEKIEL CHAPTER 5
Under the type of the prophet’s hair, Eze_5:1-4, is showed God’s judgment upon Jerusalem, Eze_5:5-11, by pestilence, by famine, by the sword, and by dispersion, Eze_5:12-17.
It is not unlikely that this command was given to the prophet so soon as he had understood the former chapter’s vision.
Son of man: see Eze_2:1.
Take thee; procure it by any means.
A sharp knife; a sword or knife very sharp, as the Hebrew; so the grievous judgment is expressed Eze_21:9-11,14-16, and here the speedy, irresistible, and sweeping judgment against this people is aptly set forth.
A barber’s razor: this in different words is the same thing, and explains the former, and makes the emblem more exact, for by hair shaved and destroyed is the destruction of Jerusalem and its people represented to us, Now, that this may appear in the certainty of it, both a sword for strength, and sharp for cutting, nay, a razor much sharper, that shaves close, leaves nothing behind it, and cannot be resisted by the weak hair, so shall it be here with this people.
Cause it to pass; a Hebraism, shave close with it.
Thy head; the chief, as king and rulers, the city.
Thy beard; the common citizens; or, the towns round about.
Balances; just and exact scales, an emblem of Divine justice and equity.
To weigh: the prophet’s weighing represents God weighing these men and their ways.
The hair; these light, vain, and worthless ones, inhabitants of this sinful city, 2Sa_10:4,5 Jer 41:5 48:37. Thus foretell them their mourning, reproach, and deformity that is coming, for all this is signified by this shaving head and beard.