Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, December 21st, 2025
the Fourth Week of Advent
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

New Revised Standard

Ezekiel 4:15

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."

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.
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."
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 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. 10 The food that you eat shall be twenty shekels a day by weight; at fixed times you shall eat it. 11 And you shall drink water by measure, one-sixth of a hin; at fixed times you shall drink. 12 You shall eat it as a barley-cake, baking it in their sight on human dung. 13 The Lord said, "Thus shall the people of Israel eat their bread, unclean, among the nations to which I will drive them." 14 Then I said, "Ah Lord God ! I have never defiled myself; from my youth up until now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by animals, nor has carrion flesh come into my mouth." 15 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." 16 Then he said to me, Mortal, I am going to break the staff of bread in Jerusalem; they shall eat bread by weight and with fearfulness; and they shall drink water by measure and in dismay. 17 Lacking bread and water, they will look at one another in dismay, and waste away under their punishment.

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 is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold."
Leviticus 26:18
And if in spite of this you will not obey me, I will continue to punish you sevenfold for your sins.
Leviticus 26:21
If you continue hostile to me, and will not obey me, I will continue to plague you sevenfold for your sins.
Leviticus 26:24
then I too will continue hostile to you: I myself will strike you sevenfold for your sins.
Leviticus 26:28
I will continue hostile to you in fury; I in turn will punish you myself sevenfold for your sins.
1 Kings 16:7
Moreover the word of the Lord came by the prophet Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha and his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord , provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and also because he destroyed it.
Psalms 59:11
Do not kill them, or my people may forget; make them totter by your power, and bring them down, O Lord, our shield.
Psalms 79:12
Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbors the taunts with which they taunted you, O Lord!
Proverbs 6:31
Yet if they are caught, they will pay sevenfold; they will forfeit all the goods of their house.
Ezekiel 9:4
and said to him, "Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of those who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it."

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile