Ezekiel 3:13-23

13 And I heard the sound of the wings of the living beings touching one another and the sound of the 1wheels beside them, even a great rumbling sound.
14 So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away; and I went embittered in the rage of my spirit, and 2the hand of the LORD was strong on me.
15 Then I came to the exiles who lived beside the river Chebar at Tel-abib, and I sat there 3seven days where they were living, causing consternation among them.
16 4At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
17 "Son of man, I have appointed you a 5watchman to the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from My mouth, 6warn them from Me.
18 "When I say to the wicked, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to warn the wicked from his wicked way that he may live, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his 7blood I will require at your hand.
19 "Yet if you have 8warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have 9delivered yourself.
20 "Again, 10when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I place an 11obstacle before him, he will die; since you have not warned him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand.
21 "However, if you have 12warned the righteous man that the righteous should not sin and he does not sin, he shall surely live because he took warning; and you have delivered yourself."
22 The hand of the LORD was on me there, and He said to me, "Get up, go out to the plain, and there I will 13speak to you."
23 So I got up and went out to the plain; and behold, the 14glory of the LORD was standing there, like the glory which 15I saw by the river Chebar, and I fell on my face.

Ezekiel 3:13-23 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 15

  • 1. Ezekiel 1:15; Ezekiel 10:16, 17
  • 2. 2 Kings 3:15
  • 3. Job 2:13
  • 4. Jeremiah 42:7
  • 5. Isaiah 52:8; Isaiah 56:10; Isaiah 62:6; Jeremiah 6:17; Ezekiel 33:7-9
  • 6. 2 Chronicles 19:10; Isaiah 58:1; Habakkuk 2:1
  • 7. Ezekiel 3:20; Ezekiel 33:6, 8
  • 8. 2 Kings 17:13, 14; Ezekiel 33:3, 9
  • 9. Ezekiel 14:14, 20; Acts 18:6; 1 Timothy 4:16
  • 10. Psalms 125:5; Ezekiel 18:24; Ezekiel 33:18; Zephaniah 1:6
  • 11. Isaiah 8:14; Jeremiah 6:21; Ezek 14:3, 7-9
  • 12. Acts 20:31
  • 13. Acts 9:6
  • 14. Ezekiel 1:28; Acts 7:55
  • 15. Ezekiel 1:1

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Lit "him, the righteous"
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