New Living Translation
Ezekiel 2:4
4They are a stubborn and hard-hearted people. But I am sending you to 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
2The Spirit came into me as he spoke, and he set me on my feet. I listened carefully to his words. 3“Son of man,” he said, “I am sending you to the nation of Israel, a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have been rebelling against me to this very day. They are a stubborn and hard-hearted people. But I am sending you to say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ 5And whether they listen or refuse to listen—for remember, they are rebels—at least they will know they have had a prophet among them. 6“Son of man, do not fear them or their words. Don’t be afraid even though their threats surround you like nettles and briers and stinging scorpions. Do not be dismayed by their dark scowls, even though they are rebels.
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 people of Israel won’t listen to you any more than they listen to me! For the whole lot of them are hard-hearted and stubborn.
- Deuteronomy 10:16Therefore, change your hearts and stop being stubborn.
- Deuteronomy 31:27For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Even now, while I am still alive and am here with you, you have rebelled against the Lord. How much more rebellious will you be after my death!
- 2 Chronicles 30:8Do not be stubborn, as they were, but submit yourselves to the Lord. Come to his Temple, which he has set apart as holy forever. Worship the Lord your God so that his fierce anger will turn away from you.
- 2 Chronicles 36:13He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, even though he had taken an oath of loyalty in God’s name. Zedekiah was a hard and stubborn man, refusing to turn to the Lord, the God of Israel.
- Psalms 95:8The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness.
- Isaiah 48:4For I know how stubborn and obstinate you are. Your necks are as unbending as iron. Your heads are as hard as bronze.
- Jeremiah 3:3That’s why even the spring rains have failed. For you are a brazen prostitute and completely shameless.
- Jeremiah 5:3Lord, you are searching for honesty. You struck your people, but they paid no attention. You crushed them, but they refused to be corrected. They are determined, with faces set like stone; they have refused to repent.
- Jeremiah 6:15Are they ashamed of their disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them,” says the Lord.
- Jeremiah 8:12Are they ashamed of these disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them, says the Lord.
- Matthew 10:16“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.
- Proverbs 21:29The wicked bluff their way through, but the virtuous think before they act.
- 1 Kings 22:14But Micaiah replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say.”
- Jeremiah 26:2“This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard in front of the Temple of the Lord, and make an announcement to the people who have come there to worship from all over Judah. Give them my entire message; include every word.
- Acts 20:26I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault,
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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