Ezekiel 2:4

4 And they to whom I send thee are children of a hard face, and of an obstinate heart: and thou shalt say to them: Thus saith the Lord God:

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.

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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 after that he spoke to me, and he set me upon my feet: and I heard him speaking to me,

3 And saying: Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious people, that hath revolted from me, they, and their fathers, have transgressed my covenant even unto this day.

4 And they to whom I send thee are children of a hard face, and of an obstinate heart: and thou shalt say to them: Thus saith the Lord God:

5 If so be they at least will hear, and if so be they will forbear, for they are a provoking house: and they shall know that there hath been a prophet in the midst of them.

6 And thou, O son of man, fear not, neither be thou afraid of their words: for thou art among unbelievers and destroyers, and thou dwellest with scorpions. Fear not their words, neither be thou dismayed at their looks: for they are a provoking house.