The
following useful table is taken from Donald W. Parry, Preserved in Translation: Hebrew and Other Ancient Literary Forms in
the Book of Mormon (Provo/Salt Lake City: Religious Studies Center, Brigham
Young University/Deseret Book, 2020), 76-78:
Biblical instances of symbolic actions as
prophetic curses
|
OBJECT OF ACTION |
SYMBOLIC ACTION AS CURSE |
INTERPRETATION OF THE ACTION |
|
Garment (1
Kgs. 11:29-31) |
Ahijah
rips a garment into twelve pieces and gives ten pieces to Jeroboam |
The united
kingdom of Israel will be divided, and Jeroboam will rule over ten of the
tribes |
|
Linen
girdle (Jer. 13:1-10) |
Jeremiah
wears a linen girdle and then hides it in the hole of a rock |
Judah,
which was once whole like the linen girdle, will become rotten like the
girdle that was placed in the earth |
|
No
marriage or children (Jer. 16:1-12) |
Jeremiah
is commanded to refrain from marrying, having children, and feasting in a
joyous manner |
Israel
will be destroyed, not enjoy familiar relations, and be unable to mourn for the
loss of family life. |
|
Potter’s
vessel (Jer. 19) |
Jeremiah
breaks a vessel in the presence of men near Jerusalem’s east gate |
The people
will be broken and destroyed |
|
Yoke (Jer.
27-28) |
Jeremiah
makes yokes, places one around his neck, and sends the remaining yokes to
neighboring kings |
The kings
and kingdoms who do not submit to the governance of Nebuchadnezzar will be
destroyed |
|
Book (Jer.
51:58-64) |
Jeremiah
writes in a book about evil that will come upon Babylon, ties the book to a
stone, and throws it into the Euphrates |
Evil and
destruction will come upon Babylon, which will sink and not rise again |
|
Scroll
(Ezek. 2:8-3:6) |
Ezekiel
eats a scroll |
Just as
the eaten scroll contains lamentations, mourning, and a woe, so Ezekiel’s
prophecies will consist of lamentations, mourning, and woe |
|
Clay tile
(Ezek. 4:1-3) |
Ezekiel
draws a picture of Jerusalem and a siege with mounds and battering rams |
Jerusalem
will be besieged by an army that will build mounds and use battering rams to
break through the wall and take the city captive |
|
Bread,
water, and dung (Ezek. 4:-17) |
Ezekiel
bakes bread with dung in it, eats measured portions of it, and drinks
measured portions of water |
As a curse
because of their sinfulness, Israel will eat defiled bread among the
Gentiles, and bread and water will become scarce to Israel |
|
Ezekiel’s
belongings (Ezek. 12;1-16) |
Ezekiel packs
his bags and goes forth from his home |
The
children of Israel will pack their personal effects and be led away captive
to Babylonia |
|
Food and
drink (Ezek. 12:17-20) |
Ezekiel
trembles as he eats and drinks |
Israel’s
land will be stripped of its produce, and Israel will eat and drink with
great trembling because of fear |
|
Ezekiel
(Ezek. 21:6-7) |
Ezekiel
sighs, groans, and beats his breast |
Bad news
is coming that will cause Israel to fear and to become weak-hearted |
|
Sword
(Ezek. 21:8-17) |
Ezekiel
makes slashing movements with a sword |
In every
direction that Ezekiel slashes with the sword, the Lord will cause slaughter
upon Israel |
|
Wife of
Ezekiel (Ezek. 24:15-24) |
Ezekiel’s
wife dies, and he does not mourn for her |
Just as
Ezekiel does not mourn the loss of his wife, so the children of Israel will not
be permitted to mourn the loss of their loved ones, whom they will lose
during wars and tribulations |
