Ezekiel 3:8-18

8 1Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.
9 Like 2emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. 3Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house."
10 Moreover, he said to me, "Son of man, 4all my words that I shall speak to you receive 5in your heart, and hear with your ears.
11 And go to the exiles, 6to your people, and speak to them and say to them, 7'Thus says the Lord GOD,'8whether they hear or refuse to hear."
12 9Then the Spirit[a] lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice[b] of 10a great earthquake: "Blessed be the glory of the LORD from its place!"
13 It was the sound of the wings of 11the living creatures as they touched one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, and the sound of 12a great earthquake.
14 13The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the 14hand of the LORD being strong upon me.
15 15And I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were dwelling 16by the Chebar canal, and I sat where they were dwelling.[c] And 17I sat there 18overwhelmed among them 19seven days.

A Watchman for Israel

16 20And at the end of seven days, the word of the LORD came to me:
17 21"Son of man, 22I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall 23give them warning from me.
18 24If I say to the wicked, 25'You shall surely die,'26and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person 27shall die for[d] his iniquity, 28but his blood I will require at your hand.

Ezekiel 3:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 3

This chapter contains a further account of the prophet's call and mission; of his preparation of him for is work; of, the persons to whom he was sent; of what happened to him upon this; of the nature of his office, and the work of it; and of what followed upon the renewal of his call. His further preparation for prophesying is in Eze 3:1-3; where he is bid to eat the roll showed him, which he did, and found it in his mouth as honey for sweetness; and then he receives fresh orders to go to the people of Israel, and prophesy to them, Eze 3:4; and, that he might not be discouraged, an account is given beforehand of the people to whom he was sent; of their language, behaviour, and disposition; by which he could not expect success, Eze 3:5-7; and, for his further encouragement, strength, boldness, resolution, firmness, and presence of mind, are promised him, Eze 3:8,9; also a revelation of mere things to him; all which he should hear, receive, and speak, whether the people would attend to them or not; which ought to be no discouragement to him, since it was not regarded by the Lord, Eze 3:10,11; then follows an account of his being lifted up by the Spirit from the earth, when he heard a voice, which is described by the manner and matter of it; and a noise, both of the living creature's wings, and of the wheels he had seen in a former vision, Eze 3:12,13; and next of his being carried away by the same Spirit; and of the condition he was in, in his own spirit, as he went; and of the strength he received from the Lord; and of the place to which he, was carried; and his state and circumstances, and time of continuance there, Eze 3:14,15; where, after a time mentioned, he has a fresh call to his office, under the character of a watchman, whose business was to hear Christ's words, and warn the house of Israel from him; and who are distinguished into wicked and righteous; and whom the prophet was to warn at his own peril, Eze 3:16-21; and the chapter is concluded with a narration of various events which befell the prophet; he is bid by the Lord to go into the plain, which he did, and there saw the glory of the Lord, as he had before seen it at the river Chebar; which so affected him, that he fell upon his face, Eze 3:22,23; the spirit entered into him, let him on his feet, and spake with him; ordered him what he should do himself, that he should shut himself up in his house, Eze 3:24; informed him what the people would do to him; bind him with bands, that he should not come forth, Eze 3:25; and what Christ would do to him; strike him dumb in judgment to the people, that he might not be a reprover of them, Eze 3:26; but he is told that, when the Lord spoke to him; his mouth should be opened, and he should declare what was said to him, Eze 3:27.

Cross References 28

  • 1. See Jeremiah 1:18
  • 2. [Isaiah 50:7]
  • 3. Ezekiel 2:6
  • 4. Jeremiah 26:2
  • 5. [ver. 3]
  • 6. Ezekiel 33:2, 12, 17, 30
  • 7. ver. 27
  • 8. Ezekiel 2:7
  • 9. Ezekiel 8:3; Ezekiel 11:1, 24; Ezekiel 43:5; [Ezekiel 37:1]
  • 10. [Ezekiel 1:24]
  • 11. Ezekiel 1:5, 15
  • 12. [Ezekiel 1:24]
  • 13. Ezekiel 8:3; Ezekiel 11:1, 24; Ezekiel 43:5; [Ezekiel 37:1]
  • 14. See Ezekiel 1:3
  • 15. See Ezekiel 1:1
  • 16. See Ezekiel 1:1
  • 17. Job 2:13; Psalms 137:1; Lamentations 2:10
  • 18. Ezekiel 4:17; Isaiah 52:14; Jeremiah 14:9
  • 19. [Genesis 50:10; 1 Samuel 31:13]
  • 20. [Jeremiah 42:7]
  • 21. See Ezekiel 2:1
  • 22. Ezekiel 33:7; Isaiah 52:8; Isaiah 56:10; Jeremiah 6:17; [Hebrews 13:17]
  • 23. 2 Chronicles 19:10; [2 Kings 6:10]; See ver. 18-21; Ezekiel 33:4-6
  • 24. Ezekiel 33:8
  • 25. Genesis 2:17
  • 26. [See ver. 17 above]
  • 27. Ezekiel 18:18; Jeremiah 31:30; [John 8:21, 24]
  • 28. ver. 20; Ezekiel 33:6, 8; Ezekiel 34:10; [Ezekiel 18:13; Acts 18:6; Acts 20:26]

Footnotes 4

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.