Ezekiel 2:3

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.)

Ezekiel 2:3 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 2:3

And he said unto me, son of man
Now follow his mission and commission, and an account of the persons to whom he was sent: I send thee to the children of Israel;
that were captives in Babylon, in Jehoiakim's captivity; so Christ was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, ( Matthew 15:24 ) ; to a rebellious nation, that hath rebelled against me;
or, "rebellious Gentiles", ^F21; not the nations of the earth, though Ezekiel did prophesy many things concerning them; but the Jews, the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin; or the twelve tribes of Israel, called Gentiles, because they joined with them in their idolatries; and, as Kimchi says, were divided in their evil works; some worshipping the gods of the Ammonites; and some the gods of the Moabites; and all guilty of rebellion and treason in so doing against the God of heaven: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, [even] unto this
very day;
which is an aggravation of their rebellion; their fathers had sinned, and they had followed their ill examples, and had continued therein to that day; and as they, did to the times of Christ, when they were about to till up the measure of their iniquity, ( Matthew 23:31 Matthew 23:32 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 (Mydrwmh Mywg la) "ad gentes, rebelles", Junius & Tremellius, Polanus, Starckius.

Ezekiel 2:3 In-Context

1 And he said to me, Thou, son of man, stand on feet, and I shall speak with thee. [And he said to me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I shall speak with thee.]

2 And the spirit entered into me, after that he spake to me, and setted me on my feet. And I heard one speaking to me,

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.)