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Wednesday, June 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 6 / Ordinary 11
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The NET Bible®

Ezekiel 4:9

"As for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt, put them in a single container, and make food from them for yourself. For the same number of days that you lie on your side—390 days—you will eat it.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Bean;   Fitch;   Instruction;   Lentiles;   Millet;   Rye (Spelt, Rsv);   Symbols and Similitudes;   Thompson Chain Reference - Agriculture;   Agriculture-Horticulture;   Barley;   Grain;   Lentils;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Bread;   Herbs, &C;   Prophets;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Bread;   Fitches or Vetches;   Millet;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Food;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Beans;   Fitches;   Millet;   Rye;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Beans;   Corn;   Fitches;   Lentiles;   Millet;   Rye;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Beans;   Bread;   Ezekiel;   Fitches;   Gestures;   Grain;   Millet;   Spelt;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Beans;   Bread;   Fitches;   Food;   Lentils;   Millet;   Rie;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Barley;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Beans,;   Fitches;   Lentils,;   Millet,;   Rie, Rye,;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Corn;   Fitches;   Lentiles;   Millet;   Rye;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Beans;   Corn;   Millet,;   Pot;   Rye;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Bean;   Bread;   Fitches;   Lentil;   Millet;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Barley;   Beans;   Ezekiel;   Fitches;   Food;   Lentils;   Meals;   Millet;   Spelt;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Barley;   Beans;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Agriculture;   Corn;   Flour;   Food;   Lentils;   Millet;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Also take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt. Put them in a single container and make them into bread for yourself. You are to eat it during the number of days you lie on your side, 390 days.
Hebrew Names Version
Take for yourself also wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make you bread of it; [according to] the number of the days that you shall lie on your side, even three hundred ninety days, shall you eat of it.
King James Version
Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, 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, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof.
English Standard Version
"And you, take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and emmer, and put them into a single vessel and make your bread from them. During the number of days that you lie on your side, 390 days, you shall eat it.
New American Standard Bible
"But as for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel and make them into bread for yourself; you shall eat it according to the number of the days that you lie on your side, 390 days.
New Century Version
"Take wheat, barley, beans, small peas, and millet seeds, and put them in one bowl, and make them into bread for yourself. You will eat it the three hundred ninety days you lie on your side.
Amplified Bible
"But as for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt, and put them into one vessel and make them into bread for yourself. You shall eat it according to the number of the days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days.
World English Bible
Take for yourself also wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make you bread of it; [according to] the number of the days that you shall lie on your side, even three hundred ninety days, shall you eat of it.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thou shalt take also vnto thee wheate, and barley, and beanes, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessell, and make thee bread thereof according to the nomber of the dayes, that thou shalt sleepe vpon thy side: euen three hundreth and ninetie dayes shalt thou eate thereof.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But as for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt, put them in one vessel and make them into bread for yourself; you shall eat it according to the number of the days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days.
Legacy Standard Bible
"Now as for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; set them in one vessel and make them into bread for yourself; you shall eat it according to the number of the days that you lie on your side, 390 days.
Berean Standard Bible
But take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; put them in a single container and make them into bread for yourself. This is what you are to eat during the 390 days that you lie on your side.
Contemporary English Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and buckwheat; put them together in one bowl; and make bread from it. For as long as you lie on your side, 390 days, this is what you are to eat.
Darby Translation
And thou, take 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 liest upon thy side: three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof.
Easy-to-Read Version
"You must get some grain to make bread. Get some wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt. Mix all these things together in one bowl and grind them to make flour. You will use this flour to make bread. You will eat only this bread during the 390 days that you lie on your side.
George Lamsa Translation
And take for yourself wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and rye, and put them in one vessel, and make for yourself bread of them; according to the number of days that you shall lie upon your side, three hundred and ninety days, you shall eat of it.
Good News Translation
"Now take some wheat, barley, beans, peas, millet, and spelt. Mix them all together and make bread. That is what you are to eat during the 390 days you are lying on your left side.
Lexham English Bible
"And you, take for yourself wheat and barley and beans and lentils and millet and spelt, and you must put them in one vessel, and you must make them for yourself into a food during the number of days that you are lying on your side; three hundred and ninety days you shall eat it.
Literal Translation
And you, take to yourself wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt, and place them in a single vessel; and make them for yourself into bread, to the number of days that you are lying on your side. You shall eat itthree hundred and ninety days.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore, take vnto the wheate, barly beanes, growell sede, milium and fitches: and put these together in a vessell, and make the loaues of bred therof, acordinge to the nombre of the dayes that thou must lye vpon yi syde: that thou mayest haue bred to eate, for thre hundreth and XC. dayes.
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
And take for yourself wheat and barley and different sorts of grain, and put them in one vessel and make bread for yourself from them; all the days when you are stretched on your side it will be your food.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.
King James Version (1611)
Take thou also vnto thee wheat, and barley, and beanes, and lentils, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessell, and make thee bread thereof according to the number of the dayes that thou shalt lie vpon thy side; three hundreth and ninetie dayes shalt thou eate thereof.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherfore take vnto thee wheate, barlye, beanes, lintils, millot, and fetches, and put these together in a vessell, and make thee loaues of bread thereof, according to the number of the dayes that thou must lye vpon thy side, that thou mayest haue bread to eate for three hundred and ninetie dayes.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Take thou also to thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and bread-corn; and thou shalt cast them into one earthen vessel, and shalt make them into loaves for thyself; and thou shalt eat them a hundred and ninety days, according to the number of the days during which thou sleepest on thy side.
English Revised Version
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And take thou to thee wheete, and barli, and beenys, and tillis, and mylie, and vetchis; and thou schalt putte tho in to o vesselle. And thou schalt make to thee looues for the noumbre of daies, bi whiche thou schalt slepe on thi side; bi three hundrid and nynti daies thou schalt ete it.
Update Bible Version
You take also to yourself wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make yourself bread thereof; [according to] the number of the days that you shall lie on your side, even three hundred and ninety days, you shall eat thereof.
Webster's Bible Translation
Take thou also to thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and fitches, 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, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat of it.
New King James Version
"Also take for yourself wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; put them into one vessel, and make bread of them for yourself. During the number of days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days, you shall eat it.
New Living Translation
"Now go and get some wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and emmer wheat, and mix them together in a storage jar. Use them to make bread for yourself during the 390 days you will be lying on your side.
New Life Bible
"Take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt and put them in one pot, and make them into bread for yourself. Eat it during the 390 days that you lie on your side.
New Revised Standard
And you, take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them into one vessel, and make bread for yourself. During the number of days that you lie on your side, three hundred ninety days, you shall eat it.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thou, therefore, take thee wheat and barley and peas and lentils and millet and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make them ready for thee as bread, - during the number of days which thou art lying on thy side. a hundred and ninety days, shalt thou eat it;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And take to thee wheat and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and fitches, 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: three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof.
Revised Standard Version
"And you, take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt, and put them into a single vessel, and make bread of them. During the number of days that you lie upon your side, three hundred and ninety days, you shall eat it.
Young's Literal Translation
`And thou, take to thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and spelt, and thou hast put them in one vessel, and made them to thee for bread; the number of the days that thou art lying on thy side -- three hundred and ninety days -- thou dost eat it.
THE MESSAGE
"Next I want you to take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, dried millet and spelt, and mix them in a bowl to make a flat bread. This is your food ration for the 390 days you lie on your side. Measure out about half a pound for each day and eat it on schedule. Also measure out your daily ration of about a pint of water and drink it on schedule. Eat the bread as you would a muffin. Bake the muffins out in the open where everyone can see you, using dried human dung for fuel."

Contextual Overview

9 "As for you, take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt, put them in a single container, and make food from them for yourself. For the same number of days that you lie on your side—390 days—you will eat it. 10 The food you eat will be eight ounces a day by weight; you must eat it at fixed times. 11 And you must drink water by measure, a pint and a half; you must drink it at fixed times. 12 And you must eat the food like you would a barley cake. You must bake it in front of them over a fire made with dried human excrement." 13 And the Lord said, "This is how the people of Israel will eat their unclean food among the nations where I will banish them." 14 And I said, "Ah, sovereign Lord , I have never been ceremonially defiled before. I have never eaten a carcass or an animal torn by wild beasts; from my youth up, unclean meat has never entered my mouth." 15 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." 16 Then he said to me, "Son of man, I am about to remove the bread supply in Jerusalem. They will eat their bread ration anxiously, and they will drink their water ration in terror 17 because they will lack bread and water. Each one will be terrified, and they will rot for their iniquity.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wheat: Ezekiel 4:13, Ezekiel 4:16

millet: Dochan in Arabic, dokhn the holcus dochna of Forskal, is a kind of millet, of considerable use as a food; the cultivation of which is described by Browne.

fitches: or, spelt, Kussemim is doubtless זוב, or spelt, as Aquila and Symmachus render here; and so LXX and Theodotion, ןכץסב. In times of scarcity it is customary to mix several kinds of coarser grains with the finer, to make it last the longer.

three: Ezekiel 4:5

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 25:3 - the famine Isaiah 28:25 - in the principal Jeremiah 52:6 - the famine Lamentations 5:4 - have Ezekiel 4:6 - forty days

Cross-References

Genesis 4:4
But Abel brought some of the firstborn of his flock—even the fattest of them. And the Lord was pleased with Abel and his offering,
Genesis 4:9
Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" And he replied, "I don't know! Am I my brother's guardian?"
Genesis 4:11
So now, you are banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
Genesis 4:13
Then Cain said to the Lord , "My punishment is too great to endure!
Genesis 4:14
Look! You are driving me off the land today, and I must hide from your presence. I will be a homeless wanderer on the earth; whoever finds me will kill me."
Genesis 37:32
Then they brought the special tunic to their father and said, "We found this. Determine now whether it is your son's tunic or not."
Psalms 9:12
For the one who takes revenge against murderers took notice of the oppressed; he did not overlook their cry for help
Proverbs 28:13
The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy.
John 8:44
You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches,.... The first of these was commonly used to make bread of; in case of want and poverty, barley was used; but, for the rest, they were for cattle, and never used for the food of men but in a time of great scarcity; wherefore this was designed to denote the famine that should attend the siege of Jerusalem; see

2 Kings 25:3;

and put them in one vessel; that is, the flour of them, when ground, in order to be mixed and kneaded together, and make one dough thereof; which mixed bread was a sign of a sore famine: the Septuagint call it an earthen vessel; a kneading trough seems to be designed:

and make thee bread thereof, [according] to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side; the left side, on which he was to lie three hundred and ninety days: and so as much bread was to be made as would suffice for that time; or so many loaves were to be made as there were days, a loaf for a day:

three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof; no mention is made of the forty days, perhaps they are understood, a part being put for the whole; or they were included in the three hundred and ninety days. The Septuagint and Arabic versions read only a hundred and ninety days.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Two things are prefigured in the remainder of this chapter,

(1) the hardships of exile,

(2) the straitness of a siege.

To the people of Israel, separated from the rest of the nations as holy, it was a leading feature in the calamities of their exile that they must be mixed up with other nations, and eat of their food, which to the Jews was a defilement (compare Ezekiel 4:13; Amos 7:17; Daniel 1:8.)

Fitches - A species of wheat with shorn ears.

In one vessel - To mix all these varied seeds was an indication that the people were no longer in their own land, where precautions against such mixing of seeds were prescribed.

Three hundred and ninety days - The days of Israel’s punishment; because here is a figure of the exile which concerns all the tribes, not of the siege which concerns Judah alone.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 4:9. Take thou also unto thee wheat — In times of scarcity, it is customary in all countries to mix several kinds of coarser grain with the finer, to make it last the longer. This mashlin, which the prophet is commanded to take, of wheat, barley, beans, lentiles, millet, and fitches, was intended to show how scarce the necessaries of life should be during the siege.


 
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