Ezekiel 2:8

8 And you, son of man, hear what I [am] speaking to you: you must not be rebellious like [the] house of rebellion. Open your mouth and eat what I [am] giving to you."

Ezekiel 2:8 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 2:8

But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee
Which was necessary because he was to speak not his own words, but the Lord's, and therefore ought to hear before he spoke; and indeed those that speak in a public way, for the instruction of others, ought to hear and learn of Christ first: be not thou rebellious, like that rebellious house;
who would not hear what was said unto them; but they were not to be imitated no, not in a lesser degree: the prophet was to avoid everything that looked like rebellion; as in, attention to what was said to him hesitation about it, or backwardness to publish it; open thy mouth;
be ready to receive what should be given, as a symbol of the prophecy he was to deliver. The Targum is,

``incline thy soul, and receive what I give thee.''

Jarchi's note is incline thine ear and hear and let it be sweet to thee, as if thou didst eat food for hunger; and Kimchi observes, the intention of the figurative expression is to learn the words of the prophecy, and to remember them: and eat that I give thee;
which may be safely done; for Christ gives his ministers and people nothing but what is wholesome; his doctrines are wholesome words and may be eaten without fear, ( 1 Timothy 6:3 ) .

Ezekiel 2:8 In-Context

6 And you, son of man, you must not be afraid of them, and you must not be afraid of their words, because briers and thorns [are] with you, and you [are] sitting among scorpions. You must not be afraid of their words, and you must not be dismayed because of their {looks}, for they [are] a rebellious house.

7 And you must speak my words to them whether they listen or whether they fail [to listen], for they [are] rebellious.

8 And you, son of man, hear what I [am] speaking to you: you must not be rebellious like [the] house of rebellion. Open your mouth and eat what I [am] giving to you."

9 And I looked, and look! There was a hand stretched out to me, and look! In it [was] {a scroll with writing}.

10 And he rolled it out {before me}, and it [was] written [on the] front and back, and there [were] written on it laments and mourning and wailing.

Footnotes

• [a] Or "mortal," or "son of humankind"