Ezekiel 2:5

5 if peradventure namely they hear, and if peradventure they rest, for it is an house stirring to wrath. And they shall know, that a prophet is in the midst of them. (whether they shall listen to you or not, for it is a house stirring me to anger. And they shall know, that a prophet is in their midst.)

Ezekiel 2:5 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 2:5

And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear,
&c.] Or "cease" F25; that is, from hearing, as Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it; or from sinning, as the Targum. The sense is, whether they would hear the word of the Lord, as spoken by the prophet, attend unto it, receive it, and obey it; or whether they would reject it, turn their backs on it, and discontinue hearing it; or whether they would so hear as to leave their sinful course of life, or not: this the prophet could not know beforehand, nor should he be concerned about it, or be discouraged if his ministry should be fruitless; since he could not expect much from them: (for they [are] a rebellious house);
or, "a house of rebellion" F26; a most rebellious one; hard of heart, face, and neck: yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them;
so that they were left without excuse, which was the end of the prophet's being sent unto them; there was little or no hope of reclaiming them; but, however, by such a step taken, they could not say that they had no prophet sent to reprove them for their sins, and warn them of their danger; had they, they would have listened to him, and so have escaped the evils that came upon them,


FOOTNOTES:

F25 (wldxy) "cessaverint", Pagninas, Montanus, Starckius; "desistent", Calvin, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.
F26 (yrm tyb) "domus rebellionis", Montanus, Calvin, Piscator, Junius & Tremellius, Starckius.

Ezekiel 2:5 In-Context

3 and saying, Son of man, I send thee to the sons of Israel, to folks apostates, either (those) going aback from faith, that went away from me; the fathers of them brake my covenant till to this day. (and saying, Son of man, I send thee to the Israelites, to an apostate nation, or those who went away from the faith, that went away from me; their forefathers broke my covenant, as they do unto this day.)
4 And the sons be of hard face, and of unchastiseable heart, to whom I send thee (And the people be stubborn, and with undisciplined hearts/and with willful hearts, to whom I send thee). And thou shalt say to them, The Lord God saith these things;
5 if peradventure namely they hear, and if peradventure they rest, for it is an house stirring to wrath. And they shall know, that a prophet is in the midst of them. (whether they shall listen to you or not, for it is a house stirring me to anger. And they shall know, that a prophet is in their midst.)
6 Therefore thou, son of man, dread not them, neither dread thou the words of them; for unbelieveful men and destroyers be with thee, and thou dwellest with scorpions. Dread thou not the words of them, and dread thou not the faces of them, for it is an house stirring to wrath. (And so thou, son of man, do not thou fear them, nor fear thou their words; though unbelieving people and destroyers be with thee, and thou livest with scorpions. Fear thou not their words, and fear thou not their faces, though it is a house stirring me to anger.)
7 Therefore thou shalt speak my words to them, if peradventure they hear, and rest, for they be stirrers to wrath. (And so thou shalt speak my words to them, whether they shall listen to you or not, for they be a house stirring me to anger/for they be stirrers to anger.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.