A Sign of Jerusalem’s Siege
The LORD tells Ezekiel to take a brick, draw Jerusalem on it, and then stage a siege against that miniature city with siegeworks, camps, and battering rams. An iron plate is to stand like an iron wall between the prophet and the city while he turns his face toward it. The whole acted scene is declared to be a sign to the house of Israel.
“1Now you, son of man, take a brick, place it before you, and draw on it the city of Jerusalem. 2Then lay siege against it: Construct a siege wall, build a ramp to it, set up camps against it, and place battering rams around it on all sides. 3Then take an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between yourself and the city. Turn your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel.
Ezekiel must lie on his left side to bear the iniquity of Israel for 390 days and then on his right side for Judah for 40 days, with each day representing a year. While doing so he is to keep his face toward Jerusalem's siege and prophesy against it with his arm bared. God will bind him with ropes so that he cannot turn until the appointed sign is complete.
4Then lie down on your left side and place the iniquity of the house of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their iniquity for the number of days you lie on your side. 5For I have assigned to you 390 days, according to the number of years of their iniquity. So you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. 6When you have completed these days, lie down again, but on your right side, and bear the iniquity of the house of Judah. I have assigned to you 40 days, a day for each year. 7You must turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem with your arm bared, and prophesy against it. 8Now behold, I will tie you up with ropes so you cannot turn from side to side until you have finished the days of your siege.