Ezekiel 2:4

4 And the children are impudent and stiffhearted: I do sent thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah.

Ezekiel 2:4 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 2:4

For [they are] impudent children
"Hard of face" F23; as is commonly said of impudent persons, that they are brasen faced; they had a whore's forehead, and refused to be ashamed, and made their faces harder than a rock, ( Jeremiah 3:3 ) ( 5:3 ) ; they declared their sin as Sodam, and hid it not; they sinned openly, and could not blush at it: and stiffhearted;
or, "strong of heart" F24; whose hearts were like an adamant stone, and harder than the nether millstone; impenitent, obdurate, and inflexible; they were not only stiff-necked, as Stephen says they were in his time, and always had been; but stiff-hearted; they were not subject to the law of God now, nor would they submit to the Gospel and ordinances of Christ in his time, and in the times of his apostles, nor to his righteousness, ( Romans 10:3 ) ; I do send thee unto them;
even to such as they are: this is a repetition, and a confirmation, of his mission; and suggests, that though they were such, he should not refuse to go to them, since he had sent him: and thou shalt say unto them, thus saith the Lord God:
that what he said came from the Lord, and was spoken in his name.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 (Mynp yvq) "duri facie", Pagninus, Vatablus, Calvin, Cocceius, Starckius.
F24 (bl yqzx) "duri corde", Pagninus, Montanus; "fortes carde", Vatablus, Polanus.

Ezekiel 2:4 In-Context

2 And the Spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet; and I heard him that spake unto me.
3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to nations that are rebellious, which have rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me even unto this very day.
4 And the children are impudent and stiffhearted: I do sent thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah.
5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.
6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.
The American Standard Version is in the public domain.