Albert Barnes Commentary Ezekiel 4:13

"And Jehovah said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread unclean, among the nations whither I will drive them." — Ezekiel 4:13 (ASV)

The ceremonial ordinances in relation to food were intended to keep the nation free from idolatrous practices; everywhere among the pagans, idol feasts formed a leading part in their religious services, and idol meats were consumed in common life. Dispersion among the Gentiles must have exposed the Jews to much that they regarded as common and unclean. In Ezekiel’s case, there was a mitigation (Ezekiel 4:15) of the defilement, but legal defilement still remained, and the chosen people in exile were subjected to it as a degradation.