THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL

 

Ezekiel Chapter 3

1 ¶ He then said to me, Son of man, eat what you find in this book; eat this scroll, then go and speak to the house of Israel.

2 So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat the scroll.

3 And he said to me, Son of man, eat this scroll that I am giving you, and fill your stomach with it. So I ate it; and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.

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

5 For you are not being sent to a people whose language is hard to understand and difficult to speak, but to the house of Israel;

6 Not to many peoples with strange speech and a difficult language, whose words you can not understand. Had I sent you to them, they certainly would have listened to you.

7 But the house of Israel will not listen to you; because they will not listen to me: for all the people of Israel are defiant and stubborn.

8 So now I am going to make you as determined as they are, and your will as strong as theirs.

9 I will make your determination like a diamond, harder than flint: do not be afraid of them, or let their looks terrify you, for they are a rebellious house.

10 He then said to me, Son of man, take everything I tell you to heart, and listen closely with your ears.

11 Go to the children of your people who are in captivity, and talk to them, and tell them, This is what the Lord GOD says; whether they listen, or refuse to listen.

12 Then the spirit lifted me up, and I heard a sound like a great rushing sound behind me, as the glory of the LORD went up from its place.

13 I also heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures brushing against each another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, as well as the noise of a great earthquake.

14 So the spirit lifted me up, and carried me away, and I left in bitterness, and an angry spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.

15 Then I came to the exiles at Telabib, who lived by the river Chebar, and I sat there among them, and remained there for seven days quite stunned.

16 ¶ And at the end of seven days, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

17 Son of man, I have made you a watchman over the house of Israel: therefore listen to what I say, and give them the warning from me.

18 When I say to the wicked, You will surely die; but you do not give him that warning, or say anything to warn him to give up his wicked way, to save his life; that wicked man will die for his sin; but I will require his blood at your hand.

19 But if you warn that wicked person, and he does not turn from his wickedness, and evil behavior, he will die for his sin; but you have saved your life.

20 Again, When a righteous man turns away from righteousness, and does evil, and I place a stumbling-block before him, he will die: because you did not give him the warning, he will die in his sin, and any righteousness that he has done will not be remembered; but I will hold you responsible.

21 But if you warn the righteous man, that he should not sin, and he does not sin, he will surely live, because he was warned; and you will have saved your life.

22 ¶ Then the hand of the LORD was upon me there; and he said to me, Get up, go out on the plain, and there I will talk with you.

23 So I got up, and went out on the plain: and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, like the glory that I saw by the river Chebar: and I fell on my face.

24 Then the spirit entered into me, and set me on my feet, and talked with me, and said, Go, shut yourself up in your house.

25 But know, O son of man, that ropes will be put on you, and you will be bound with them, and you will not go out among them:

26 And I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you will be mute, and will not be able to reprove them: for they are a rebellious house.

27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you will say to them, The Lord GOD says this; Let he who will listen, listen; and let he who refuses to listen, refuse: for they are a rebellious house.