Ezekiel 4:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Douay-RheimsHebrew (Masoretic text)

And thou shalt eat it as barley bread baked under the ashes: and thou shalt cover it, in their sight, with the dung that cometh out of a man.
Douay-Rheims

וְעֻגַ֥ת שְׂעֹרִ֖ים תֹּֽאכֲלֶ֑נָּה וְהִ֗יא בְּגֶֽלְלֵי֙ צֵאַ֣ת הָֽאָדָ֔ם תְּעֻגֶ֖נָה לְעֵינֵיהֶֽם׃
Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

One Church Father comments on this verse

Theodoret of Cyrus

5th centuryChurch Father

I will bring down the unleavened barley bread, concealing the moths of humanity from their sight in linen; this means I will prepare bread in various forms, as is typical with barley bread. Instead of using wood for baking, let human waste be employed, symbolizing their impending impurity at the hands of the Gentiles. Therefore, God adds:

Cross references

Passages read together with this verse.

Isa 36:12And Rabsaces said to them: Hath my master sent me to thy master and to thee, to speak all these words; and not rather to the men that sit on the wall; that they may eat their own dung, and drink their urine with you?
Gen 18:6Abraham made haste into the tent to Sara, and said to her: Make haste, temper together three measures of flour, and make cakes upon the hearth.