41 "Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it.
41 Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem:
41 "And you, son of man, take a brick and lay it before you, and engrave on it a city, even Jerusalem.
41 "Now, son of man, take a brick and place it before you. Draw a picture of the city Jerusalem on it.
41 "You also, son of man, take a clay tablet and lay it before you, and portray on it a city, Jerusalem.
41 "And now, son of man, take a large clay brick and set it down in front of you. Then draw a map of the city of Jerusalem on it.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 4:1
Commentary on Ezekiel 4:1-8
(Read Ezekiel 4:1-8)
The prophet was to represent the siege of Jerusalem by signs. He was to lie on his left side for a number of days, supposed to be equal to the years from the establishment of idolatry. All that the prophet sets before the children of his people, about the destruction of Jerusalem, is to show that sin is the provoking cause of the ruin of that once flourishing city.