God’s Word Translation
Ezekiel 2:6
6Son of man, don’t be afraid of them or the things they say. Don’t be afraid, even though thorns and thistles are around you and you live among scorpions. Don’t let the things they say frighten you. Don’t be terrified in their presence, even though they are rebellious people.
Ezekiel 2:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
- New International Version (NIV)And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house.
Context of Ezekiel 2:6
4I am sending you to these defiant and stubborn children. Tell them, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says.’ 5Whether these rebellious people listen or not, they will realize that a prophet has been among them. Son of man, don’t be afraid of them or the things they say. Don’t be afraid, even though thorns and thistles are around you and you live among scorpions. Don’t let the things they say frighten you. Don’t be terrified in their presence, even though they are rebellious people. 7Speak my words to them whether they listen or not, because they are rebellious. 8But you, son of man, listen to what I say. Don’t be rebellious like those rebellious people. Open your mouth, and eat what I am giving to you.”
Read all of Ezekiel 2Ezekiel 2:6 word by word
וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָ֠דָם אַל־תִּירָ֨א מֵהֶ֜ם וּמִדִּבְרֵיהֶ֣ם אַל־תִּירָ֗א כִּ֣י סָרָבִ֤ים וְסַלּוֹנִים֙ אוֹתָ֔ךְ וְאֶל־עַקְרַבִּ֖ים אַתָּ֣ה יוֹשֵׁ֑ב מִדִּבְרֵיהֶ֤ם אַל־תִּירָא֙ וּמִפְּנֵיהֶ֣ם אַל־תֵּחָ֔ת כִּ֛י בֵּ֥ית מְרִ֖י הֵֽמָּה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And thou, sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- be not afraidיָרֵאyârê' · to fearH3372
- of their wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- though briersסָרָבsârâb · thornH5621
- and thornsסַלּוֹןsillôn sallôn · briarH5544
- with thee, and thou dost dwellיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- among scorpionsעַקְרָב‛aqrâb · scorpionH6137
- nor be dismayedחָתַתchâthath · to to be dismayedH2865
- at their looksפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- a rebelliousמְרִיmerîy · rebellionH4805
- houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
Cross-references for Ezekiel 2:6
- Ezekiel 3:8Yet, I will make you as stubborn and as hardheaded as they are.
- 2 Kings 1:15The angel of the Lord told Elijah, “Go with him. Don’t be afraid of him.” So Elijah got up and went with him to the king.
- Isaiah 51:12I alone am the one who comforts you. Why, then, are you afraid of mortals, who must die, of humans, who are like grass?
- Jeremiah 1:8Don’t be afraid of people. I am with you, and I will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
- Micah 3:8But I am filled with the power of the Lord’s Spirit, with justice, and with strength. So I will tell ⌞the descendants of⌟ Jacob about their crimes and ⌞the nation of⌟ Israel about its sins.
- Matthew 10:28Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell.
- Luke 12:4“My friends, I can guarantee that you don’t need to be afraid of those who kill the body. After that they can’t do anything more.
- Acts 4:13After they found out that Peter and John had no education or special training, they were surprised to see how boldly they spoke. They realized that these men had been with Jesus.
- Ephesians 6:19Also pray that God will give me the right words to say. Then I will speak boldly when I reveal the mystery of the Good News.
- Philippians 1:28So don’t let your opponents intimidate you in any way. This is God’s way of showing them that they will be destroyed and that you will be saved.
- 2 Timothy 1:7God didn’t give us a cowardly spirit but a spirit of power, love, and good judgment.
- 2 Samuel 23:6“Worthless people are like thorns. All of them are thrown away, because they cannot be picked by hand.
- Isaiah 9:18Surely wickedness burns like fire. It burns up briars and thorns. It sets the underbrush in the forest on fire, and it whirls upward in clouds of smoke.
- Jeremiah 6:28They are all vicious rebels. They go around slandering. They are all like bronze and iron. They corrupt themselves.
- Micah 7:4The best of them is like a briar. The most decent person is sharper than thornbushes. The day you thought you would be punished has come. Now is the time you will be confused.
- Luke 10:19I have given you the authority to trample snakes and scorpions and to destroy the enemy’s power. Nothing will hurt you.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 2:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Be not afraid of them - They will maltreat thee for thy message; but let not the apprehension of this induce thee to suppress it. Though they be rebels, fear them not; I will sustain and preserve thee.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-10Verses 6-10 Those who will do any thing to purpose in the service of God, must not fear men. Wicked men are as briers and thorns; but they are nigh unto cursing, and their end is to be burned. The prophet must be faithful to the souls of those to whom he was sent. All who speak from God to others, must obey his voice. The discoveries of sin, and the warnings of wrath, should be matter of lamentation. And those acquainted with the word of God, will clearly…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6Ezekiel's ministry would be as difficult as walking through a patch of briers and thorns and stinging scorpions.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. briers--not as the Margin and Gesenius, "rebels," which would not correspond so well to "thorns." The Hebrew is from a root meaning "to sting" as nettles do. The wicked are often so called (2Sa 23:6; So 2:2; Is 9:18). scorpions--a reptile about six inches long with a deadly sting at the end of the tail. be not afraid--(Lu 12:4; 1Pe 3:14).Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 2:6
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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