New English Translation
Ezekiel 3:1
1He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you see in front of you – eat this scroll – and then go and speak to the house of Israel.”
Ezekiel 3:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he said to me, "Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”
Context of Ezekiel 3:1
He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you see in front of you – eat this scroll – and then go and speak to the house of Israel.” 2So I opened my mouth and he fed me the scroll. 3He said to me, “Son of man, feed your stomach and fill your belly with this scroll I am giving to you.” So I ate it, and it was sweet like honey in my mouth.
Read all of Ezekiel 3Ezekiel 3:1 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־תִּמְצָ֖א אֱכ֑וֹל אֱכוֹל֙ אֶת־הַמְּגִלָּ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את וְלֵ֥ךְ דַּבֵּ֖ר אֶל־בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Moreover he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto me, Sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- that thou findestמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- this rollמְגִלָּהmegillâh · scrollH4039
- and goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- unto the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for Ezekiel 3:1
- Ezekiel 3:10And he said to me, “Son of man, take all my words that I speak to you to heart and listen carefully.
- Ezekiel 2:8As for you, son of man, listen to what I am saying to you: Do not rebel like that rebellious house! Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.”
- 1 Timothy 4:15Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that everyone will see your progress.
- Revelation 10:9So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take the scroll and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”
- Ezekiel 3:11Go to the exiles, to your fellow countrymen, and speak to them – say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says,’ whether they pay attention or not.”
- Ezekiel 2:3He 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.
- Jeremiah 24:1The Lord showed me two baskets of figs sitting before his temple. This happened after King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deported Jehoiakim’s son, King Jeconiah of Judah. He deported him and the leaders of Judah, along with the craftsmen and metal workers, and took them to Babylon.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 3:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Eat this roll, and go speak - This must have passed in vision; but the meaning is plain. Receive my word - let it enter into thy Soul; digest it - let it be thy nourishment; and let it be thy meat and drink to do the will of thy Father who is in heaven.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Before, there was a direct commission, now there is a symbolic action. John has the same vision (Revelation 10:8 ff), but there that is expressed, which is here left to be inferred, namely, that “as soon as he had eaten it his belly was bitter.” The sweetness in the mouth denoted that it was good to be a messenger of the Lord (compare the margin reference), but the bitterness which accompanied it, denoted that the commission brought with it much sorrow.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1The preparation of the prophet for his work. (Ezek 3:1-11) His office, as that of a watchman. (Ezek 3:12-2) The restraining and restoring his speech. (Ezek 3:22-27) Verses 1-11 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…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1The scroll contained so many words of judgment that writing covered both sides. This showed how serious the message was. Ezekiel had to announce the curses for breaking the covenant (God’s promises and commands) to a rebellious people (see Deuteronomy 28:15–68; compare Zechariah 5:2–4). This scroll full of judgment is a clear picture of the message in Ezekiel 1–24.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-271. eat ... and ... speak--God's messenger must first inwardly appropriate God's truth himself, before he "speaks" it to others (see on Eze 2:8). Symbolic actions were, when possible and proper, performed outwardly; otherwise, internally and in spiritual vision, the action so narrated making the naked statement more intuitive and impressive by presenting the subject in a concentrated, embodied form.Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 3:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 3
- 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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