Ezekiel 3:5

5 non enim ad populum profundi sermonis et ignotae linguae tu mitteris ad domum Israhel

Ezekiel 3:5 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 3:5

For thou [art] not sent to a people of a strange speech
"Deep of lip" ^F7, or "speech"; difficult to be got at and understood: and of a hard language:
or "heavy of tongue" ^F8 of a barbarous and unknown language, whom he could not understand, nor they him; and so would have been barbarians to one another; and consequently it could not be thought his prophesying among them, could have been of any use. This may be considered, either by way of encouragement to the prophet to go on his errand to such a people; since as he could understand them, and they him he might hope to meet with success; or, however he could deliver his message so as to be understood: or as an aggravation of the impiety perverseness and stupidity of the Israelites; that though the prophet spoke to them in their own language, yet they would not hear nor receive his words: [but] to the house of Israel;
who were a people of the same speech and language with the prophet; all spoke and understood the language of Canaan; nor were the things he delivered such as they were altogether strangers to being the same, for substance, which Moses, and the other prophets, had ever taught.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 (hpv yqme) "profundi labii", Vatablus; "profundorum labio", Polanus, Cocceius; "profundi sermonis", Starkius.
F8 (Nwvl ydbk) "graves linguae", Montanus; "gravium lingua", Polanus.

Ezekiel 3:5 In-Context

3 et dixit ad me fili hominis venter tuus comedet et viscera tua conplebuntur volumine isto quod ego do tibi et comedi illud et factum est in ore meo sicut mel dulce

4 et dixit ad me fili hominis vade ad domum Israhel et loqueris verba mea ad eos

5 non enim ad populum profundi sermonis et ignotae linguae tu mitteris ad domum Israhel

6 neque ad populos multos profundi sermonis et ignotae linguae quorum non possis audire sermones et si ad illos mittereris ipsi audirent te

7 domus autem Israhel nolent audire te quia nolunt audire me omnis quippe domus Israhel adtrita fronte est et duro corde