Ezekiel 3:5

Ezekiel 3:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel;
• New International Version (NIV)You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel—
• English Standard Version (ESV)For you are not sent to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel—
• New King James Version (NKJV)For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel,

Context of Ezekiel 3:5

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. For 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.

Ezekiel 3:5 word by word

כִּ֡י לֹא֩ אֶל־עַ֨ם עִמְקֵ֥י שָׂפָ֛ה וְכִבְדֵ֥י לָשׁ֖וֹן אַתָּ֣ה שָׁל֑וּחַ אֶל־בֵּ֖ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• not sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• to a peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• of a strangeעָמֵק‛âmêq · unfathomableH6012
• speechשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lip: wordsH8193
• and of an hardכָּבֵדkâbêd · heavyH3515
• languageלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongue: languageH3956
• to the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for Ezekiel 3:5

• Jonah 1:2“Go immediately to Nineveh, that large capital city, and announce judgment against its people because their wickedness has come to my attention.”
• Jonah 3:2“Go immediately to Nineveh, that large city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.”
• Acts 26:17I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you
• Ezekiel 3:6not 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!
• Psalms 81:5He decreed it as a regulation in Joseph, when he attacked the land of Egypt. I heard a voice I did not recognize.
• Isaiah 33:19You will no longer see a defiant people whose language you do not comprehend, whose derisive speech you do not understand.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 3:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Thou 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 the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-7Ezekiel was sent to the people of Israel, who were expected to eagerly listen to the Lord. However, it would have been easier for the prophet if he had been sent to people with a strange and difficult language who could not understand him. This stubborn community refused to obey the Lord.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. See Margin, Hebrew, "deep of lip, and heavy of tongue," that is, men speaking an obscure and unintelligible tongue. Even they would have listened to the prophet; but the Jews, though addressed in their own tongue, will not hear him.Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 3:5

• Impenitence

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Hard
• Living creatures
• Warning
• Agabus
• Creature
• Hard; Hardiness; Harddiness; Hardly
• Sent

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