And water you shall drink by measure, the sixth part of a hin; from day to day you shall drink.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse isn't just about scarcity; it emphasizes the control of every single drop. The precise measurement ("the sixth part of a hin") and the strict rationing ("from day to day") highlight that even the most basic necessity, water, is not freely given but doled out under oppressive circumstances, mirroring the suffering of a besieged people.
And water you shall drink by measure, the sixth part of a hin; from day to day you shall drink.
English Standard Version (ESV)
In the preceding verses, God commands Ezekiel to enact a symbolic siege of Jerusalem right in his own courtyard, acting out the coming destruction. This verse continues that graphic enactment by detailing the severely restricted amount of water Ezekiel must drink daily, just a tiny measure, as a foretaste of the extreme scarcity and suffering Jerusalem will endure during the Babylonian siege.
Imagine receiving a tiny cup of water, just enough to survive, not to quench your thirst. This wasn't just a dietary plan for Ezekiel; it was a profound spiritual message.
In Ezekiel's prophecy, the command to drink water 'by measure, the sixth part of a hin' was a powerful symbol. This wasn't just about rationing; it represented the deep suffering and deprivation that the people of Jerusalem would face during the siege.
The "Water of Affliction"
The meager amount, often calculated to be less than a pint per day, points to extreme scarcity. This imagery connects with other biblical descriptions of hardship, like in 1 Kings where water is linked to affliction. It paints a stark picture of a people cut off from basic necessities, living under immense pressure and distress.
Even in judgment, God's hand is deliberate and precise. What does this tell us about His sovereignty, even in difficult times?
The specific, measured instruction for Ezekiel's water intake underscores God's absolute sovereignty and His precise involvement, even in His judgment. He wasn't passively watching the siege; He was orchestrating the experience.
Precision in Punishment
The exact measure ('the sixth part of a hin') signifies that God determined the precise extent of the suffering. It wasn't random chaos but a divinely appointed allotment of hardship. This shows that God is in control, even when His actions are punitive.
Daily Dependence
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The command 'from day to day you shall drink' highlights a constant, daily need and dependence on a controlled, scarce supply. It was a sustained, grueling experience, not a one-time event, designed to imprint the reality of the coming judgment on Ezekiel and, through him, the people.
Understand the original words
hin · Hebrew Noun
A Hebrew unit of liquid measurement, roughly equivalent to 1.5 to 2 gallons. Using a small fraction of a hin indicates extreme scarcity, rationing, and impending famine.
Ezekiel's symbolic act of drinking water by the sixth part of a hin vividly portrays the extreme scarcity and deprivation that gripped Jerusalem during the brutal Babylonian siege, a harsh reality echoed in earlier Assyrian sieges.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Siege of Jerusalem
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, conquering many cities and besieging Jerusalem. This event led to severe rationing and hardship within the city.
597 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon deports King Jehoiachin and thousands of Judean leaders and craftsmen to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's exile.
589 BC— this verse
Siege of Jerusalem Begins
Nebuchadnezzar II returns to besiege Jerusalem after King Zedekiah's rebellion. The siege lasts for over a year, causing extreme famine and suffering within the city.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Second Deportation
The Babylonians breach Jerusalem's walls, destroy the Temple, and deport the remaining population (except for the poorest) to Babylon, ending the kingdom of Judah.
This passage describes a prophet being fed with 'the bread of affliction and the water of affliction,' mirroring Ezekiel's experience of scarcity and distress, highlighting the symbolic nature of meager rations.
Isaiah 30:20Isaiah prophesied that despite hardship, the Lord would provide 'bread of adversity and water of affliction,' echoing Ezekiel's divinely ordained, restricted sustenance as a sign of difficult times.
Lamentations 5:4This verse speaks of the people of Jerusalem having to buy their own water, emphasizing the severe drought and scarcity that plagued the city during sieges, which Ezekiel's symbolic act represented.
Jeremiah 37:17-18Jeremiah was brought out of a dungeon and given food and water, albeit still sparingly, illustrating the harsh realities and desperate measures employed during the siege of Jerusalem, similar to Ezekiel's situation.
barnesEzekiel 4:11: "Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink."
Water by measure - This probably corresponds to the water of affliction 1 Kings 22:27 ; Isaiah 30:20 . The measure of the hin is variously estimated by Jewish writers. The sixth part of a hin will be according to one estimate about 610ths, according to another 910ths of a pint. The lesser estimate is more suitable here.
pulpitEzekiel 4:11: "Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink."
Verse 11. - The sixth, part of an hin, etc. According to the varying accounts of the "hin" given by Jewish writers, this would give from .6 to .9 of a pint. And this was, like the food, to be doled out once a day. Possibly "the bread of affliction and the water of affliction," in 1 Kings 22:27 and Isaiah 30:20, contains a reference to the quantity as well as the quality of a pri…
This verse isn't just about scarcity; it emphasizes the control of every single drop. The precise measurement ("the sixth part of a hin") and the strict rationing ("from day to day") highlight that even the most basic necessity, water, is not freely given but doled out under oppressive circumstances, mirroring the suffering of a besieged people.
In the preceding verses, God commands Ezekiel to enact a symbolic siege of Jerusalem right in his own courtyard, acting out the coming destruction. This verse continues that graphic enactment by detailing the severely restricted amount of water Ezekiel must drink daily, just a tiny measure, as a foretaste of the extreme scarcity and suffering Jerusalem will endure during the Babylonian siege.
In the preceding verses, God commands Ezekiel to enact a symbolic siege of Jerusalem right in his own courtyard, acting out the coming destruction. This verse continues that graphic enactment by detailing the severely restricted amount of water Ezekiel must drink daily, just a tiny measure, as a foretaste of the extreme scarcity and suffering Jerusalem will endure during the Babylonian siege.
"And water you shall drink by measure, the sixth part of a hin; from day to day you shall drink." — This verse isn't just about scarcity; it emphasizes the control of every single drop. The precise measurement ("the sixth part of a hin") and the strict rationing ("from day to day") highlight that…
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Last reviewed October 2026