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Contemporary English Version

Ezekiel 4:15

The Lord replied, "Instead of human waste, I will let you bake your bread on a fire made from cow manure.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bread;   Instruction;   Prayer;   Symbols and Similitudes;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Bread;   Dung;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Bullock;   Dung;   Fuel;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Agriculture;   Bread;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Beyond the River;   Cooking and Heating;   Dung;   Ezekiel;   Gestures;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Fuel;   House;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Bull, Bullock,;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Dung;   Fuel;   House;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Church Fathers;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He replied to me, “Look, I will let you use cow dung instead of human excrement, and you can make your bread over that.”
Hebrew Names Version
Then he said to me, Behold, I have given you cow's dung for man's dung, and you shall prepare your bread thereon.
King James Version
Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.
English Standard Version
Then he said to me, "See, I assign to you cow's dung instead of human dung, on which you may prepare your bread."
New American Standard Bible
Then He said to me, "See, I will give you cow's dung in place of human dung, so that you may prepare your bread over it."
New Century Version
"Very well," he said. "Then I will give you cow's dung instead of human dung to use for your fire to bake your bread."
Amplified Bible
Then He said to me, "See, I will let you use cow's dung instead of human dung over which you shall prepare your food."
World English Bible
Then he said to me, Behold, I have given you cow's dung for man's dung, and you shall prepare your bread thereon.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then he said vnto me, Loe, I haue giuen thee bullockes dongue for mans dongue, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then He said to me, "See, I will give you cow's dung in place of human dung over which you will prepare your bread."
Legacy Standard Bible
Then He said to me, "See, I will set for you cow's dung in place of human dung over which you will prepare your bread."
Berean Standard Bible
"Look," He replied, "I will let you use cow dung instead of human excrement, and you may bake your bread over that."
Complete Jewish Bible
He answered, "All right, I will give you cow dung to use instead of human dung, and you can prepare your bread on it."
Darby Translation
And he said unto me, See, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then God said to me, "Very well, I will let you use dry cow dung to cook your bread. You don't have to use dry human dung."
George Lamsa Translation
Then he said to me, Lo, I have given you oxens dung instead of mens dung, that you shall bake your bread with it.
Good News Translation
So God said, "Very well. I will let you use cow dung instead, and you can bake your bread on that."
Lexham English Bible
And he said to me, "See I will give you cattle manure in the place of the feces of a human, and you may prepare your food on it."
Literal Translation
Then He said to me, See, I have given to you the dung of cattle in place of the dung of man. And you shall make bread over it.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Where vnto he answered me, and sayde: Well than, I will graunte the to take cowes donge, for the donge off a man, and to strake the bred ouer with all, before the.
American Standard Version
Then he said unto me, See, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread thereon.
Bible in Basic English
Then he said to me, See, I have given you cow's waste in place of man's waste, and you will make your bread ready on it.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then He said unto me: 'See, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread thereon.'
King James Version (1611)
Then he said vnto me, Loe, I haue giuen thee cowes doung for mans doung and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Whervnto he aunswered me: Lo, I wyll graunt thee cowcasins in steede of mans doung, and thou shalt make thy bread with them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he said to me, Behold, I have given thee dung of oxen instead of man’s dung, and thou shalt prepare thy loaves upon it.
English Revised Version
Then he said unto me, See, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread thereon.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to me, Lo! Y haue youe to thee the dung of oxis for mennus toordis; and thou schalt make thi breed with it.
Update Bible Version
Then he said to me, See, I have given you cow's dung for man's dung, and you shall prepare your bread thereon.
Webster's Bible Translation
Then he said to me, Lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread with them.
New English Translation
So he said to me, "All right then, I will substitute cow's manure instead of human excrement. You will cook your food over it."
New King James Version
Then He said to me, "See, I am giving you cow dung instead of human waste, and you shall prepare your bread over it."
New Living Translation
"All right," the Lord said. "You may bake your bread with cow dung instead of human dung."
New Life Bible
So He said to me, "Then I will let you make your bread over cow's waste instead of human waste."
New Revised Standard
Then he said to me, "See, I will let you have cow's dung instead of human dung, on which you may prepare your bread."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So then he said unto me, See I have granted thee cows dung for mans dung, - and thou shalt prepare thy bread thereupon.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to me: Behold I have given thee neat’s dung for man’s dung, and thou shalt make thy bread therewith.
Revised Standard Version
Then he said to me, "See, I will let you have cow's dung instead of human dung, on which you may prepare your bread."
Young's Literal Translation
And He saith unto me, `See, I have given to thee bullock's dung instead of man's dung, and thou hast made thy bread by it.'
THE MESSAGE
"All right," he said. "I'll let you bake your bread over cow dung instead of human dung."

Contextual Overview

9 Get a large bowl. Then mix together wheat, barley, beans, lentils, and millet, and make some bread. This is what you will eat for the three hundred ninety days you are lying down. 10 Eat only a small loaf of bread each day 11 and drink only two large cups of water. 12 Use dried human waste to start a fire, then bake the bread on the coals where everyone can watch you. 13 When I scatter the people of Israel among the nations, they will also have to eat food that is unclean, just as you must do. 14 I said, " Lord God, please don't make me do that! Never in my life have I eaten food that would make me unacceptable to you. I've never eaten anything that died a natural death or was killed by a wild animal or that you said was unclean." 15 The Lord replied, "Instead of human waste, I will let you bake your bread on a fire made from cow manure. 16 Ezekiel, the people of Jerusalem will starve. They will have so little food and water that they will be afraid and hopeless. 17 Everyone will be shocked at what is happening, and, because of their sins, they will die a slow death."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

cow's dung: Dried cow-dung is a common fuel in the East, as it is in many parts of England, to the present day; but the prophet was ordered to prepare his bread with human ordure, to shew the extreme degree of wretchedness to which the besieged should be exposed, as they would be obliged literally to use it, from not being able to leave the city to collect other fuel. Ezekiel 4:15

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 18:27 - eat Lamentations 1:11 - seek

Cross-References

Genesis 4:24
Anyone who tries to get even with me will be punished ten times more than anyone who tries to get even with Cain."
Leviticus 26:18
Then, if you still refuse to obey me, I will punish you seven times for each of your sins,
Leviticus 26:21
If you keep rebelling against me, I'll punish you seven times worse, just as your sins deserve!
Leviticus 26:24
I'll remain your enemy and punish you even worse.
Leviticus 26:28
I'll really get furious and punish you terribly for your sins!
Psalms 59:11
Don't kill them, or everyone may forget! Just use your mighty power to make them tremble and fall. You are a shield for your people.
Psalms 79:12
Each of those nations sneered at you, our Lord. Now let others sneer at them, seven times as much.
Proverbs 6:31
And thieves who get caught must pay back seven times what was stolen and lose everything.
Ezekiel 9:4
"Walk through the city of Jerusalem and mark the forehead of anyone who is truly upset and sad about the disgusting things that are being done here."
Hosea 1:4
Then the Lord said, "Hosea, name your son Jezreel, because I will soon punish the descendants of King Jehu of Israel for the murders he committed in Jezreel Valley. I will destroy his kingdom,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then he said to me,.... The Lord hearkened to the prophet's prayer and argument, and makes some abatement and alteration in the charge he gave him:

lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung: that is, allowed him to make use of the one instead of the other, in baking his mingled bread:

thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith; having gathered cow's dung, and dried it, he was to burn it, and bake his bread with it, which is meant by preparing it. In some parts of our nation, where fuel is scarce, cow's dung is made use of; it is gathered and plastered on the walls of houses, and, being dried in clots, is taken and burnt.


 
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