New Living Translation
Ezekiel 3:6
6No, I am not sending you to people with strange and difficult speech. If I did, they would listen!
Ezekiel 3:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.
- New International Version (NIV)not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you.
- English Standard Version (ESV)not to many peoples of foreign speech and a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to such, they would listen to you.
- New King James Version (NKJV)not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you.
Context of Ezekiel 3:6
4Then he said, “Son of man, go to the people of Israel and give them my messages. 5I am not sending you to a foreign people whose language you cannot understand. No, I am not sending you to people with strange and difficult speech. If I did, they would listen! 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. 8But look, I have made you as obstinate and hard-hearted as they are.
Read all of Ezekiel 3Ezekiel 3:6 word by word
לֹ֣א׀ אֶל־עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים עִמְקֵ֤י שָׂפָה֙ וְכִבְדֵ֣י לָשׁ֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־תִשְׁמַ֖ע דִּבְרֵיהֶ֑ם אִם־לֹ֤א אֲלֵיהֶם֙ שְׁלַחְתִּ֔יךָ הֵ֖מָּה יִשְׁמְע֥וּ אֵלֶֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Not to manyרַבrab · manyH7227
- peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- of a strangeעָמֵק‛âmêq · unfathomableH6012
- speechשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lip: wordsH8193
- and of an hardכָּבֵדkâbêd · heavyH3515
- languageלָשׁוֹןlâshôn lâshôn leshônâh · tongue: languageH3956
- whose wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- thou canst not understandשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: understandH8085
- Surely, had I sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- thee to them, they would have hearkenedשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
Cross-references for Ezekiel 3:6
- Jonah 3:5The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.
- Matthew 11:20Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God.
- Matthew 12:41“The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent.
- Luke 11:20But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.
- Acts 27:28They dropped a weighted line and found that the water was 120 feet deep. But a little later they measured again and found it was only 90 feet deep.
- Romans 9:30What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 3:6
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6To many people - To various nations using diverse languages. Surely - The thought is that expressed by our Saviour Himself (margin reference). Some render it: “but I have sent thee unto these; they can hearken” etc.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. 66. many people--It would have increased the difficulty had he been sent, not merely to one, but to "many people" differing in tongues, so that the missionary would have needed to acquire a new tongue for addressing each. The after mission of the apostles to many peoples, and the gift of tongues for that end, are foreshadowed (compare 1Co 14:21 with Is 28:11). had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened--(Mt 11:21, 23).Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 3:6
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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