God commands Ezekiel to stage the siege of Jerusalem, to symbolize what happens. Ezekiel had to lay on his side 390 days to represent the number of years of punishment for the nation of Israel. Then Ezekiel had to lay on his right side for 40 days to symbolize each year of the siege of Jerusalem. He had to eat food cooked over cow dung to represent how bad the food was for the people. Then the Lord required him to cut his hair to represent the people. A third of the hair was burnt to represent those consumed by the famine. A third was struck with the sword, to represent those who perished by the invading armies. And 1/3 of Ezekiel’s hair was scattered in the wind to represent the scattering of the nation of Israel. Powerful visual reminders of what happens when God‘s presence is not with us.