New English Translation
Ezekiel 2:4
4The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and hard-hearted, and you must say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says.’
Ezekiel 2:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God.
- New International Version (NIV)The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’
Context of Ezekiel 2:4
2As he spoke to me, a wind came into me and stood me on my feet, and I heard the one speaking to me. 3He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the house of Israel, to rebellious nations who have rebelled against me; both they and their fathers have revolted against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and hard-hearted, and you must say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says.’ 5And as for them, whether they listen or not – for they are a rebellious house – they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6But you, son of man, do not fear them, and do not fear their words – even though briers and thorns surround you and you live among scorpions – do not fear their words and do not be terrified of the looks they give you, for they are a rebellious house!
Read all of Ezekiel 2Ezekiel 2:4 word by word
וְהַבָּנִ֗ים קְשֵׁ֤י פָנִים֙ וְחִזְקֵי־לֵ֔ב אֲנִ֛י שׁוֹלֵ֥חַ אוֹתְךָ֖ אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהֹוִֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- impudentפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- impudentקָשֶׁהqâsheh · severeH7186
- childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- and stiffheartedלֵבlêb · heartH3820
- and stiffheartedחָזָקchâzâq · strongH2389
- I do sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- thee unto them; and thou shalt sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordאֲדֹנָי'ădônây · LordH136
- Godיְהֹוִהyehôvih · YHWH/GodH3069
Cross-references for Ezekiel 2:4
- Ezekiel 3:7But the house of Israel is unwilling to listen to you, because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted.
- Deuteronomy 10:16Therefore, cleanse your heart and stop being so stubborn!
- Deuteronomy 31:27for I know about your rebellion and stubbornness. Indeed, even while I have been living among you to this very day, you have rebelled against the Lord; you will be even more rebellious after my death!
- 2 Chronicles 30:8Now, don’t be stubborn like your fathers! Submit to the Lord and come to his sanctuary which he has permanently consecrated. Serve the Lord your God so that he might relent from his raging anger.
- 2 Chronicles 36:13He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him vow allegiance in the name of God. He was stubborn and obstinate, and refused to return to the Lord God of Israel.
- Psalms 95:8He says, “Do not be stubborn like they were at Meribah, like they were that day at Massah in the wilderness,
- Isaiah 48:4I did this because I know how stubborn you are. Your neck muscles are like iron and your forehead like bronze.
- Jeremiah 3:3That is why the rains have been withheld, and the spring rains have not come. Yet in spite of this you are obstinate as a prostitute. You refuse to be ashamed of what you have done.
- Jeremiah 5:3Lord, I know you look for faithfulness. But even when you punish these people, they feel no remorse. Even when you nearly destroy them, they refuse to be corrected. They have become as hardheaded as a rock. They refuse to change their ways.
- Jeremiah 6:15Are they ashamed because they have done such shameful things? No, they are not at all ashamed. They do not even know how to blush! So they will die, just like others have died. They will be brought to ruin when I punish them,” says the Lord.
- Jeremiah 8:12Are they ashamed because they have done such disgusting things? No, they are not at all ashamed! They do not even know how to blush! So they will die just like others have died. They will be brought to ruin when I punish them, says the Lord.
- Matthew 10:16“I am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
- Proverbs 21:29A wicked person shows boldness with his face, but as for the upright, he discerns his ways.
- 1 Kings 22:14But Micaiah said, “As certainly as the Lord lives, I will say what the Lord tells me to say.”
- Jeremiah 26:2The Lord said, “Go stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. Speak out to all the people who are coming from the towns of Judah to worship in the Lord’s temple. Tell them everything I command you to tell them. Do not leave out a single word!
- Acts 20:26Therefore I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of you all.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 2:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord - Let them know that what thou hast to declare is the message of the Lord, that they may receive it with reverence. Every preacher of God's word should take heed that it is God's message he delivers to the people. Let him not suppose, because it is according to his own creed or confession of faith, that therefore it is God's word. False doctrines and fallacies without end are foisted on the world in this way…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-5Israel was stubborn and hard-hearted (unwilling to listen and obey). They would not listen to Ezekiel. His message would not show results right away. However, they would later know that a prophet had been among them speaking God’s word.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. impudent--literally, "hard-faced" (Eze 3:7, 9). children--resumptive of "they" (Eze 2:3); the "children" walk in their "fathers'" steps. I ... send thee--God opposes His command to all obstacles. Duties are ours; events are God's. Thus saith the Lord God--God opposes His name to the obstinacy of the people.Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 2:4
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
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