Yechezkel - Chapter 3

1. And He said to me; "Son of man, that which you find, eat; eat this scroll and go, speak to the house of Israel."

2. So I opened my mouth, and He fed me this scroll.

3. And He said to me, "Feed your stomach and fill your bowels with this scroll, which I give you"; so I ate, and in my mouth it was as sweet as honey.

4. And He said to me; "Son of man, go, come to the house of Israel and speak to them with My words.

5. For it is not to a people of an unfathomable language and a heavy tongue that you are sent, [but] to the house of Israel.

6. Not to many peoples, of deep language and heavy tongue, whose words you do not understand-had I sent you to them, I swear they would hearken to you!

7. But the house of Israel will not be willing to hearken to you, because they are not willing to hearken to Me; for all the house of Israel are brazen and of stubborn heart.

8. Behold I have set your face hard against their face and your forehead hard against their forehead.

9. As shamir, stronger than flint, I have set your forehead; fear them not, neither shall you be intimidated by them, for they are a rebellious house."

10. And He said to me; "Son of man, all My words which I shall speak to you, take into your heart, and hearken with your ears.

11. And go, come to the exile, to the children of your people, and speak to them, and say to them, 'So said the Lord God,' whether they will listen or whether they will forbear."

12. And a wind lifted me up, and I heard behind me the sound of a great uproar: "Blessed is the glory of the Lord from His place."

13. Then the sound of the wings of the living beings were [heard] touching one another, and the sound of the wheels opposite them, and the sound of a great uproar.

14. And a wind lifted me and took me, and I went, embittered in the wrath of my spirit, and the hand of the Lord became strong upon me.

15. And I came to the exiled, to Tel Aviv, who dwelt by the river Chebar, and I dwelt where they were dwelling, and I sat there seven days bewildered among them.

16. And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

17. "Son of man, I have made you a lookout for the house of Israel, and you shall hear a word from My mouth, and you shall give them warning from Me.

18. If I say to the wicked man, 'You will die,' and you do not exhort him, nor speak to exhort a wicked man [to repent] of his wicked way, to save his life, he is guilty; he will die because of his iniquity, and I shall require his blood from your hand.

19. But you-if you do warn the wicked man, and he does not repent of his wickedness and of his evil way, he will die because of his iniquity, and you-you will have saved your soul.

20. And when a righteous man repents of his righteousness and commits injustice, I shall place a stumbling block before him-he will die; if you do not warn him, he will die because of his sin, and his righteous deeds that he performed will not be remembered, but I shall require his blood from your hand.

21. But you, if you warn him-the righteous man-that a righteous man should not sin, and he does not sin-he will live because he took heed, and you-you will have saved your soul."

22. The hand of the Lord came upon me there, and He said to me, "Arise, go out to the plain, and there I shall speak with you."

23. So I arose and went out to the plain and behold, there the glory of the Lord was standing, like the glory that I saw by the river Chebar, and I fell on my face.

24. And a spirit entered into me and stood me up on my feet, and He spoke with me and said to me, "Come, confine yourself within your house.

25. And you, son of man, behold they have placed ropes upon you and have bound you with them, and you shall not go out among them.

26. And I shall cause your tongue to cling to your palate, and you shall become dumb, and you shall not be a reprover to them, for a house of rebellion are they.

27. And when I speak with you, I shall open your mouth, and you shall say to them, 'So said the Lord God.' He who listens will listen, and he who forbears will forbear, for a house of rebellion are they.