15 "Very well," he said, "I will let you bake your bread over cow dung instead of human excrement."
15 Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.
15 Then he said to me, "See, I assign to you cow's dung instead of human dung, on which you may prepare your bread."
15 "All right," he said. "I'll let you bake your bread over cow dung instead of human dung."
15 Then He said to me, "See, I am giving you cow dung instead of human waste, and you shall prepare your bread over it."
15 "All right," the Lord said. "You may bake your bread with cow dung instead of human dung."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 4:15
Commentary on Ezekiel 4:9-17
(Read Ezekiel 4:9-17)
The bread which was Ezekiel's support, was to be made of coarse grain and pulse mixed together, seldom used except in times of urgent scarcity, and of this he was only to take a small quantity. Thus was figured the extremity to which the Jews were to be reduced during the siege and captivity. Ezekiel does not plead, Lord, from my youth I have been brought up delicately, and never used to any thing like this; but that he had been brought up conscientiously, and never had eaten any thing forbidden by the law. It will be comfortable when we are brought to suffer hardships, if our hearts can witness that we have always been careful to keep even from the appearance of evil. See what woful work sin makes, and acknowledge the righteousness of God herein. Their plenty having been abused to luxury and excess, they were justly punished by famine. When men serve not God with cheerfulness in the abundance of all things, God will make them serve their enemies in the want of all things.