Ezekiel 3
Geneva Study Bible
Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.
Moreover he said to me, Son of man, eat what thou findest; {a} eat this scroll, and go speak to the house of Israel.

(a) By which is meant that no one is fit to be God's messenger before he has received the word of God in his heart, as in Eze 3:10 and has a zeal to it, and delight in it, as in Jer 15:16, Re 10:10.

So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.
So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.
And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.
And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.
And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.
And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.
For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel;
For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel;
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.
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.
But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.
But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted.
Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
Behold, I have made thy {b} face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.

(b) God promises his assistance to his ministers, and that he will give them boldness and constancy in their calling, Isa 50:7, Jer 1:18, Mic 3:8.

As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.
Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.
Moreover he said to me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to thee {c} receive in thy heart, and hear with thy ears.

(c) He shows what is meant by the eating of the book, which is that the ministers of God may speak nothing from themselves, but only that which they have received from the Lord.

And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.
And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.
Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his place.
Then the spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, {d} Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his place.

(d) By which he signifies that God's glory would not be diminished, although he departed out of his temple, for this declared that the city and temple would be destroyed.

I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing.
I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing.
So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.
So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I {e} went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.

(e) This shows that there is always an infirmity of the flesh which can never be ready to render full obedience to God, and also God's grace who ever assists his, and overcomes their rebellious affections.

Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.
Then I came to them of the captivity at {f} Telabib, that dwelt by the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there overwhelmed among them {g} seven days.

(f) Which was a place by Euphrates where the Jews were prisoners.

(g) Declaring here that God's ministers must with advisement and deliberation utter his judgments.

And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
Son of man, I have made thee a {h} watchman to the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

(h) Of this read Eze 33:2.

When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Again, When a {i} righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a {k} stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his {l} righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thy hand.

(i) If he that has been instructed in the right way turn back.

(k) I will give him up to a reprobate mind, Ro 1:28.

(l) Which seemed to have been done in faith, and was not.

Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
And the hand of the LORD was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee.
And the {m} hand of the LORD was there upon me; and he said to me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee.

(m) That is, the Spirit of prophecy.

Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face.
Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the {n} glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar: and I fell on my face.

(n) Meaning, the vision of the cherubims and the wheels.

Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thine house.
Then the spirit entered into me, and {o} set me upon my feet, and spoke with me, and said to me, Go, {p} shut thyself within thy house.

(o) Read Jer 2:2.

(p) Signifying that not only would he not profit, but they would grievously trouble and afflict him.

But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them:
But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them:
And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house.
And I will make thy tongue {q} cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house.

(q) Which declares the terrible plague of the Lord, when God stops the mouths of his ministers and that all such are the rods of his vengeance that do it.

But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.
But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.
The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599]

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