Albert Barnes Commentary Ezekiel 5:1

"And 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." — Ezekiel 5:1 (ASV)

Translate it: 'Take a sharp sword for yourself; you shall take it for yourself as a barber’s razor.' Even if the action were literal, the use of an actual sword would best enforce the symbolic meaning.

The 'head' represents the chief city; the 'hair,' the inhabitants—its ornament and glory; and the 'hair cut from the head,' the exiles cast out from their homes. It adds to the force of the representation that 'to shave the head' was a token of mourning (Job 1:20) and was forbidden to the priests (Leviticus 21:5).

Thus, in many ways, this action of Ezekiel 'the priest' is significant of calamity and ruin. The sword indicates the avenging power; the shaving of the head, the removal of grace and glory; and the scales and weights, the determination of divine justice. .