Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
VISION OF CUTTING THE HAIRS, AND THE CALAMITIES FORESHADOWED THEREBY. (Eze. 5:1-17)
knife . . . razor—the sword of the foe (compare Isaiah 7:20). This vision implies even severer judgments than the Egyptian afflictions foreshadowed in the former, for their guilt was greater than that of their forefathers.
thine head—as representative of the Jews. The whole hair being shaven off was significant of severe and humiliating (II Samuel 10:4-5) treatment. Especially in the case of a priest; for priests (Leviticus 21:5) were forbidden "to make baldness on their head," their hair being the token of consecration; hereby it was intimated that the ceremonial must give place to the moral.
balances—implying the just discrimination with which Jehovah weighs out the portion of punishment "divided," that is, allotted to each: the "hairs" are the Jews: the divine scales do not allow even one hair to escape accurate weighing (compare Matthew 10:30).
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Ezekiel 5:1:
Isaiah 6:13
Isaiah 7:20
Acts 21:11-14
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