Abstract:
The following article provides a theological-exegetical analysis of Ezekiel 4:4-8, specifically the phrase "you shall bear iniquity" found in verses 4, 5, and 6. The objective was to confirm the meaning of this phrase considering the prophet Ezekiel's activities, and his relationship with the priesthood (Ez 1:1). After the opening chapter, the first section titled: "Ezequiel: historical, structural, and theological context," focuses on the historical context of the book of Ezequiel before delving into the text itself. It is with this panorama that the first part of the work seeks to identify the structural context in which the research text is found, thus verifying its place in what is called the "structure of the book". The second section of the work, titled "The Phrase עָלָיו וְשַׂמְתָּ אֶת־עֲוֹן / תִּשָּׂא in the Old Testament," examines the phrase and all its uses in the Old Testament. The third section of the work continued to analyze the phrase, although not in a broad sense as in the entire Old Testament, but only in Ezekiel and in the research unit (Ez 4:4-8). Still in this section, emphasis was placed on the period through which iniquity would be taken to the prophet's sides (arms), which was 390 and 40 days/years, respectively. The fourth and final section makes use of the investigations made in the previous sections, to consider the theological systematization of the text and its subject in the iniquity being carried by the prophet. Attention was drawn to the discussion that exists among commentators on Ezekiel about the typological fulfillment, or not, of this symbolic act of the prophet concerning the person and ministry of Jesus Christ. After that, the work is then concluded.
