John Gill Commentary Ezekiel 5

And you, son of man, take you a sharp knife
Or, "sword" {m}. The word signifies any sharp instrument, by which anything is cut off, or cut asunder; what is here meant is explained by the following: take you a barber's razor . The Septuagint and Arabic versions read this in conjunction with the former, thus, "take you a knife", or "sword, sharper than a barber's razor"; and so the Syriac version, "take you a sword sharp as a barber's razor"; this sharp knife, sword, or razor, signifies, as Jarchi interprets it, Nebuchadnezzar; and very rightly; so the king of Assyria is called in (Isaiah 7:20) :

and cause [it] to pass upon your head, and upon your beard ; the "head" was a symbol of the city of Jerusalem, the metropolis of Judea; the "beard", of the cities, towns, and villages about it; and the "hair" of both, of the common people; compared to hair for their numbers, for their levity and unsteadiness, and for their being the beauty and ornament of the places where they lived; and the shaving of them denotes their disgrace and destruction, and mourning on account thereof:

then take you balances to weigh and divide the [hair] . The Syriac version adds, "into three parts"; signifying, that several distinct punishments would be inflicted on them, and these according to the righteous judgment of God; balances being a symbol of justice.

You will burn with fire a third part in the midst of the
city
Of Jerusalem, as portrayed upon the tile, (Ezekiel 4:1); or the prophet was now in Chaldea. The burning of the third part of the hair with fire denotes such who were destroyed by the pestilence and famine during the siege; see (Lamentations 5:10); or it denotes the burning of the city itself, when the siege was over; since it follows: when the days of the siege are fulfilled; for, when it was taken, it was burnt with fire, (Jeremiah 52:13).

And you will take a third part, [and] smite about it with a knife;
which designs those that fled out of the city when it was broken up, and were pursued after, and overtook by the Chaldean army, and cut off by the sword, (Jeremiah 52:7Jeremiah 52:8).

And a third part you will scatter in the wind;
which intends those that fled, and were dispersed into several countries, as Moab, Ammon, and especially Egypt, whither many went along with Johanan the son of Kareah, (Jeremiah 43:5–7).

And I will draw out a sword after them;
and destroy them; which, as it was threatened, (Jeremiah 42:16) (44:27); so it was accomplished when Egypt was subdued by Nebuchadnezzar. The Septuagint and Arabic versions, in every clause, read a "fourth part", instead of a "third"; but wrongly.

You shall also take thereof a few in number
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, (Jeremiah 44:28) (52:16) ; and bind them in your 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.

Then take of them again Of that small number preserved: and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire : this was fulfilled in Gedaliah and the Jews that were with him, over whom the king of Babylon had made him governor, who were slain by Ishmael, (Jeremiah 41:1–7);

[for] thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel ; from this barbarous murder of Gedaliah and his men, judgment came upon all the house of Israel; a war commenced between Ishmael and Johanan the son of Kareah; and afterwards Nebuzaradan carried captive great numbers of them that were left in the land.

The Syriac and Arabic versions render it, "from these shall a fire come forth" which Jarchi interprets of these intimations given the prophet, from which judgments should come upon all the house of Israel. It may be understood of those that were left in the land, and of such who returned from the captivity; for whose sins, and those of their posterity, the wrath of God came forth upon all the house of Israel, to the utter destruction of their nation, city, and temple, by Titus Vespasian.

Thus says the Lord God, this [is] Jerusalem
A type or sign of it; it may refer to both the former and latter type. It is the city of Jerusalem that is designed by the city portrayed upon the tile; and the same is signified by the head of the prophet that was to be shaved; that being not only the chief city of Judea, but of the whole world, as follows: I have set it in the midst of the nations ;
as the chief of them; and distinguished it from them by peculiar favours and blessings, natural and spiritual; being seated in a land flowing with milk and honey; and having the house and worship of God in it; and where were the symbols of his presence, and his word and ordinances; and therefore should have excelled them in true religion, devotion, and holiness, and set an example to them.

The Jews generally understand this of the natural situation of Jerusalem. Jarchi interprets it of the middle of the world; as if it was mathematically placed in the centre of the earth. Kimchi says it was in the midst of the continent; and so its air was better than others; and these sort of writers ^F14 often speak of the land of Israel being in the navel or centre of the earth; they say ^F15 that the sanhedrim sat in the middle of the world; and therefore is compared to the navel, (Song of Solomon 7:2) ; because it sat in the temple, which was in the middle of the world; but the former sense is best; though Jerom gives in to the latter:

and countries [that are] round about her :
this is a proposition of itself; fire former clause being distinguished from it by the accent "athnach"; and should be rendered thus, "and the countries [are]", or "[were], round about her" ^F16 ; on the east was Asia, on the west Europe on the south Africa and Libya, and on the north Babylon, Scythia, Armenia, Persia, and Pontus; and was mere conspicuous, eminent, and honourable than them all, having greater privileges, prerogatives, and excellencies; and therefore should have exceeded them in its regard to the laws and statutes of God, which she did not; hence this is said, in order to upbraid her for her ingratitude, as appears by the following words.

FOOTNOTES:

• F14: Kimchi in Ezek. xxxviii. 12.
• F15: T. Bab. Sanhedrin. fol. 37. 1. & Gloss. in ib.
• F16: (twura hytwbybow) "et circa eam [erant] terrae", Cocceius.