Ezekiel3
English Standard Version
1And he to me, of , you here. , and , to the of .
2So I my , and he me to .
3And he to me, of , your with this that I you and your with it. Then I it, and it was in my as as .
4And he to me, of , to the of and with my to them.
5 you are to a of and a , but to the of —
6 to of and a , you . , I you to such, they would to you.
7But the of will be to to you, they are to to me: the of have a and a .
8 , I have your as their , and your as their .
9Like have I your . them , be their , they are a .
10Moreover, he to me, of , my I shall to you in your , and with your .
11And to the , to your , and to them and to them, the God, they or to hear.
12Then the lifted me , and I me the of a : be the of the Lord its !
13It was the of the of the as they , and the of the them, and the of a .
14The lifted me and took me , and I in in the of my , the of the Lord being me.
15And I to the at , who were by the , and I they were . And I them .
16 at the of , the of the Lord to me:
17 of , I have you a for the of . Whenever you a my , you shall give them me.
18If I to the , You shall , and you give him , to the his , in order to save his , that shall for his , but his I will your .
19But the , and he does his , or his , he shall for his , but will have your .
20 , if a person his and , and I a him, he shall . you have , he shall for his , and his he has shall be , but his I will your .
21But the to , and does , he shall , he took warning, and you will your .
22And the of the Lord was me . And he to me, , into the , and I will with you.
23So I and into the , and , the of the Lord , like the I had the , and I my .
24But the into me and me my , and he with me and to me, , yourself your .
25And , O of , , will be you, and you shall be with them, so that you the people.
26And I will your to the roof of your , so that you shall be and to them, they are a .
27But when I you, I will your , and you shall to them, the God. He who will , let him ; and he who will to hear, let him , they are a .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 3.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The preparation of the prophet for his work. (1-11). His office, as that of a watchman. (12-21). The restraining and restoring his speech. (22-27).
vv1-11
Ezekiel was to receive the truths of God as the food for his soul, and to feed upon them by faith, and he would be strengthened. Gracious souls can receive those truths of God with delight, which speak terror to the wicked. He must speak all that, and that only, which God spake to him. How can we better speak God's mind than with his words? If disappointed as to his people, he must not be offended. The Ninevites were wrought upon by Jonah's preaching, when Israel was unhumbled and unreformed. We must leave this unto the Divine sovereignty, and say, Lord, thy judgments are a great deep. They will not regard the word of the prophet, for they will not regard the rod of God. Christ promises to strengthen him. He must continue earnest in preaching, whatever the success might be.
vv12-21
This mission made the holy angels rejoice. All this was to convince Ezekiel, that the God who sent him had power to bear him out in his work. He was overwhelmed with grief for the sins and miseries of his people, and overpowered by the glory of the vision he had seen. And however retirement, meditation, and communion with God may be sweet, the servant of the Lord must prepare to serve his generation. The Lord told the prophet he had appointed him a watchman to the house of Israel. If we warn the wicked, we are not chargeable with their ruin. Though such passages refer to the national covenant made with Israel, they are equally to be applied to the final state of all men under every dispensation. We are not only to encourage and comfort those who appear to be righteous, but they are to be warned, for many have grown high-minded and secure, have fallen, and even died in their sins. Surely then the hearers of the gospel should desire warnings, and even reproofs.
vv22-27
Let us own ourselves for ever indebted to the mediation of Christ, for the blessed intercourse between God and man; and a true believer will say, I am never less alone than when thus alone. When the Lord opened Ezekiel's mouth, he was to deliver his message boldly, to place life and death, the blessing and the curse, before the people, and leave them to their choice.
Key Words
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
אָדָם: ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
אָכַל: to eat (literally or figuratively)
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
מָצָא: properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present
זֶה: the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
מְגִלָּה: a roll
יָלַךְ: to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
Cross References
Ezekiel 3John's consumption of the book roll, tasting sweet then bitter, mirrors Ezekiel's visionary experience.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Jeremiah also speaks of finding and eating God's words as his joy and delight.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Jesus highlights that foreign cities like Tyre and Sidon would have repented, unlike obstinate Israel.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Messianic parallel of setting one's face like a flint against opposition and rejection.
Supported by JFB
The formal restatement of Ezekiel's solemn appointment and duty as a watchman to Israel.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Jesus warns that the world rejects His servants because it has already rejected Him.
Supported by JFB
God makes Jeremiah an iron pillar and bronze wall against the rebellious house.
Supported by JFB
Paul declares he is innocent of the blood of all men because he did not shrink from warning.
Supported by JFB
Expounds on the righteous man turning from his righteousness and dying in his sins.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallel instance of the Holy Spirit physically snatching or carrying away a prophet.
Supported by JFB
Seven days of silent, astonished sitting as a traditional period of deep mourning and sympathy.
Supported by JFB
The direct return of the Shekinah glory of Jehovah, which Ezekiel first saw by the Chebar.
Supported by JFB
The temporal fulfillment where God physically opens Ezekiel's mouth to speak to the refugees.
Supported by JFB
The symbolic laying of bands or cords upon Ezekiel, restricting his physical movement.
Supported by JFB