Ezekiel 3:1-11

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.”

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.

4He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my words to them.

5For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel –

6not to many peoples of unintelligible speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand – surely if I had sent you to them, they would listen to you!

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.

8“I have made your face adamant to match their faces, and your forehead hard to match their foreheads.

9I have made your forehead harder than flint – like diamond! Do not fear them or be terrified of the looks they give you, for they are a rebellious house.”

10And he said to me, “Son of man, take all my words that I speak to you to heart and listen carefully.

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.”