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Monday, July 14th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

JPS Old Testament

Ezekiel 4:15

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 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."
Contemporary English Version
The Lord replied, "Instead of human waste, I will let you bake your bread on a fire made from cow manure.
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.
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 Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof; according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, even three hundred and ninety days, shalt thou eat thereof. 10 And thy food which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day; from time to time shalt thou eat it. 11 Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of a hin; from time to time shalt thou drink. 12 And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it in their sight with dung that cometh out of man.' 13 And the LORD said: 'Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread unclean, among the nations whither I will drive them.' 14 Then said I: 'Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted; for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn of beasts; neither came there abhorred flesh into my mouth.' 15 Then He said unto me: 'See, I have given thee cow's dung for man's dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread thereon.' 16 Moreover He said unto me: 'Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they shall eat bread by weight, and with anxiety; and they shall drink water by measure, and in appalment; 17 that they may want bread and water, and be appalled one with another, and pine away in their iniquity.

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
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
Leviticus 26:18
And if ye will not yet for these things hearken unto Me, then I will chastise you seven times more for your sins.
Leviticus 26:21
And if ye walk contrary unto Me, and will not hearken unto Me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.
Leviticus 26:24
then will I also walk contrary unto you; and I will smite you, even I, seven times for your sins.
Leviticus 26:28
then I will walk contrary unto you in fury; and I also will chastise you seven times for your sins.
1 Kings 16:7
And moreover by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came the word of the LORD against Baasa, and against his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and because he smote him.
Psalms 59:11
The God of my mercy will come to meet me; God will let me gaze upon mine adversaries.
Psalms 79:12
And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach,
Proverbs 6:31
But if he be found, he must restore sevenfold, he must give all the substance of his house.
Ezekiel 9:4
And the LORD said unto him: 'Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof.'

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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