Ezekiel 3:9

9 I'll make your face as hard as rock, harder than granite. Don't let them intimidate you. Don't be afraid of them, even though they're a bunch of rebels."

Ezekiel 3:9 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 3:9

As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead
Or, "than a rock" ^F15; the "adamant" has its name in Greek, because it cannot be conquered or subdued, neither by the hammer, nor by fire; the one cannot break, nor this other consume it; land it is called "shamir" in Hebrew, from its preserving itself from both; it will cut iron in pieces, which is harder than stone, and therefore must be harder than that. Bochart takes it to be the same with "smiris", a hard stone, which jewellers use to polish their gems with; see ( Jeremiah 17:1 ) ( Zechariah 7:12 ) . The design of the simile is to set forth the courage and fortitude of mind the prophet was endowed with, in order to face an impudent and hardhearted people; fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they [be] a
rebellious house; (See Gill on Ezekiel 2:6).

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 (rwum) "rupe", Junius & Tremellius, Polanus, Piscator; "prae rupe", Cocceius; "ex rupe", Starckius; "prae petra", Montanus.

Ezekiel 3:9 In-Context

7 "But it won't work that way with the family of Israel. They won't listen to you because they won't listen to me. They are, as I said, a hard case, hardened in their sin.

8 But I'll make you as hard in your way as they are in theirs.

9 I'll make your face as hard as rock, harder than granite. Don't let them intimidate you. Don't be afraid of them, even though they're a bunch of rebels."

10 Then he said, "Son of man, get all these words that I'm giving you inside you. Listen to them obediently. Make them your own.

11 And now go. Go to the exiles, your people, and speak. Tell them, 'This is the Message of God, the Master.' Speak your piece, whether they listen or not."