Ezekiel 3:4-7

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 3:1-15

These verses are fitly joined by some translators to the foregoing chapter, as being of a piece with it and a continuation of the same vision. The prophets received the word from God that they might deliver it to the people of God, furnished themselves that they might furnish them with the knowledge of the mind and will of God. Now here the prophet is taught, I. How he must receive divine revelation himself, Ezek. 3:1. Christ (whom he saw upon the throne, Ezek. 1:26) said to him, ?Son of man,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 3:4

And he said unto me, son of man, go ,.... After he had eaten the roll; for then was he qualified to prophesy: get thee unto the house of Israel ; to whom he was to prophesy: and speak with my words unto them : not with his own words; nor with the words of men, the enticing words of man's wisdom; but with the words of Christ; with the taught words of the Holy Ghost; with what is written in the roll; the words of this prophecy are meant. So the Targum, "and thou shalt prophesy the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 3:5

For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech ,.... "Deep of lip" F7 עמקי שפה "profundi labii", Vatablus; "profundorum labio", Polanus, Cocceius; "profundi sermonis", Starkius. , or "speech"; difficult to be got at and understood: and of a hard language : or "heavy of tongue" F8 כבדי לשון "graves linguae", Montanus; "gravium lingua", Polanus. of a barbarous and unknown language, whom he could not understand, nor they him; and so would have been barbarians to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 3:6

Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language ,.... The prophet was sent, not to different nations, of different languages; but to one nation of the same language; indeed several of his prophecies concern other nations, as the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, Tyrians, Philistines, Egyptians, and Assyrians; but then these had a relation to the, people of Israel, and were chiefly on their account; and therefore he was not sent to those nations to deliver his prophecies unto... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 3:7

But the house of Israel would not hearken unto thee ,.... "They are not willing" F12 לא יאבו "non cupient", Montanus; "non volunt", Cocceius; "non illi volentes", Starckius. ; they have no desire, no inclination, to hear and hearken; but the reverse; they were capable of hearing and understanding his speech and language, and though he was sent unto them by the Lord: and indeed the reason why they did not hearken to him was not because they rejected him and his words, but because... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 3:5

Thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech - I neither send thee to thy adversaries, the Chaldeans, nor to the Medes and Persians, their enemies. Even these would more likely have hearkened unto thee than thy own countrymen. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 3:7

Impudent and hard-hearted - "Stiff of forehead, and hard of heart." - Margin. The marginal readings on several verses here are very nervous and very correct. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 3:4

Verse 4 Now at greater length God explains why he wished his servant to eat the volume which he held forth in his hand, namely, that when instructed by it he might approach the children of Israel; for he ought not to come empty, and we know that man of himself can bring forward nothing solid: hence Ezekiel must receive from God’s hand what he delivers to the Israelites. Let us then preserve this order, as the volume is first given to the Prophet, and then transferred to the people. God orders... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 3:6

Verse 6 Now he adds, not to many peoples Those who translate “many” by “great,” do not understand the Prophet’s meaning, for God had spoken in the singular number concerning all people, but now he uses the plural, as if he had said, I send thee neither to Egyptians, nor to Chaldeans, nor to any other remote nation, since the world is on all sides of thee, inhabited by peoples whose language thou dost not understand: to those therefore I do not send thee. The particle, if not, follows, and... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 3:7

Verse 7 Now, therefore, we clearly see the sloth of the people assigned as a reason why they purposely rejected the Word of God, and hardened themselves in obstinacy. He also ascends higher, and says, that the people were not only disobedient to the Prophet but to God himself, as Christ also when he exhorts his disciples to perseverance in teaching. Therefore, says he, they will not hear you, because they will not hear me, and why am I and my teaching hated by them, unless because they do not... read more

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