Ezekiel 3:11
New International Version
Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen.”

New Living Translation
Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says!’ Do this whether they listen to you or not.”

English Standard Version
And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ whether they hear or refuse to hear.”

Berean Standard Bible
Go to your people, the exiles; speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says,’ whether they listen or refuse to listen.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’ whether they hear, or whether they refuse.”

New American Standard Bible
Go to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether they listen or not, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’”

NASB 1995
“Go to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether they listen or not, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’”

NASB 1977
“And go to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and speak to them and tell them, whether they listen or not, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’”

Legacy Standard Bible
And go now, come to the exiles, to the sons of your people, and you shall speak to them and say to them, whether they listen or whether they refuse, ‘Thus says Lord Yahweh.’”

Amplified Bible
Go to the [Jewish] exiles [in Babylon], to the children of your people, and speak to them, whether they listen or not, and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’”

Christian Standard Bible
Go to your people, the exiles, and speak to them. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says,’ whether they listen or refuse to listen.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Go to your people, the exiles, and speak to them. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says,’ whether they listen or refuse to listen.”

American Standard Version
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 Jehovah; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

Contemporary English Version
Then go to the people who were brought here to Babylonia with you and tell them you have a message from me, the LORD God. Do this, whether they listen to you or not.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Go to the exiles, to your people. Whether they listen or not, tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says.'"

Good News Translation
Then go to the people of your nation who are in exile and tell them what I, the Sovereign LORD, am saying to them, whether they pay attention to you or not."

International Standard Version
then go immediately to the exiles; that is, to your people's descendants, and tell them, 'This is what the Lord GOD says…' whether they listen or not."

Majority Standard Bible
Go to your people, the exiles; speak to them and tell them, ?This is what the Lord GOD says,? whether they listen or refuse to listen.?

NET Bible
Go to the exiles, to your fellow countrymen, and speak to them--say to them, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says,' whether they pay attention or not."

New Heart English Bible
And go to the exiles, to the children of your people, and speak to them, and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD'; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

Webster's Bible Translation
And depart, go to them of the captivity, to the children of thy people, and speak to them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

World English Bible
Go to them of the captivity, to the children of your people, and speak to them, and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Yahweh says,’ whether they will hear, or whether they will refuse.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and go forth, go to the expulsion, to the sons of your people, and you have spoken to them, and have said to them: Thus said Lord YHWH; whether they hear, or whether they refrain.”

Young's Literal Translation
and go, enter in unto the Removed, unto the sons of thy people, and thou hast spoken unto them, and hast said unto them: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: whether they hear, or whether they forbear.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And go, come to the captivity, to the sons of my people, and speak to them, and say to them, Thus said the Lord Jehovah; if they will hear, and if they will desist.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And go get thee in to them of the captivity, to the children of thy people, and thou shalt speak to them, and shalt say to them: Thus saith the Lord: If so be they will hear and will forbear.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And go forth and enter to those of the transmigration, to the sons of your people. And you shall speak to them. And you shall say to them: ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ Perhaps it may be that they will listen and be quieted.”

New American Bible
Now go to the exiles, to your own people, and speak to them. Say to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear: Thus says the LORD God!

New Revised Standard Version
then go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them. Say to them, “Thus says the Lord GOD”; whether they hear or refuse to hear.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And go and get you to them of the captivity, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, Thus says the LORD God; perhaps they will listen, and tremble.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And go enter the captivity to the children of your people and speak with them and say to them: ‘Thus says THE LORD OF LORDS.’ Perhaps they shall hear and they shall be moved
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And go thy way, go in to the captivity, to the children of thy people, and thou shalt speak to them, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ezekiel Eats the Scroll
10“Son of man,” He added, “listen carefully to all the words I speak to you, and take them to heart. 11 Go to your people, the exiles; speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says,’ whether they listen or refuse to listen.” 12Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me: ‘Blessed be the glory of the LORD in His dwelling place!’…

Cross References
Jeremiah 1:7
But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For to everyone I send you, you must go, and all that I command you, you must speak.

Jeremiah 7:27
When you tell them all these things, they will not listen to you. When you call to them, they will not answer.

Acts 20:20-21
I did not shrink back from declaring anything that was helpful to you as I taught you publicly and from house to house, / testifying to Jews and Greeks alike about repentance to God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 18:6
But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

Matthew 10:6-7
Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. / As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’

Matthew 15:24
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

John 1:11
He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

Acts 13:46
Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: “It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. But since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.

Isaiah 6:9-10
And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Isaiah 55:11
so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.

Luke 9:5
If anyone does not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that town, as a testimony against them.”

Luke 10:10-11
But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare, / ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off as a testimony against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’

John 12:48
There is a judge for the one who rejects Me and does not receive My words: The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

2 Timothy 4:2
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction.

Jeremiah 26:2
“This is what the LORD says: Stand in the courtyard of the house of the LORD and speak all the words I have commanded you to speak to all the cities of Judah who come to worship there. Do not omit a word.


Treasury of Scripture

And go, get you to them of the captivity, to the children of your people, and speak to them, and tell them, Thus said the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

get

Ezekiel 3:15
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.

Ezekiel 11:24,25
Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me…

Daniel 6:13
Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

the children

Ezekiel 33:2,12,17,30
Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: …

Ezekiel 37:18
And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?

Exodus 32:7
And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:

speak

Ezekiel 3:27
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.

Ezekiel 2:5,7
And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them…

Acts 20:26,27
Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men

Jump to Previous
Captivity Children Countrymen Depart Enter Exile Exiles Fail Forbear Hear Prisoners Refuse Removed Sovereign Speak Whether
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Captivity Children Countrymen Depart Enter Exile Exiles Fail Forbear Hear Prisoners Refuse Removed Sovereign Speak Whether
Ezekiel 3
1. Ezekiel eats the scroll
4. God encourages him
15. God shows him the rule of prophecy
22. God shuts and opens the prophet's mouth














Go to your people
In this phrase, the directive is clear and personal. The Hebrew word for "go" is "halak," which implies movement with purpose. Ezekiel is being sent to his own people, the Israelites, who are in exile. This highlights the personal responsibility and connection Ezekiel has with his audience. Historically, the Israelites were in Babylonian captivity, a period of great distress and identity crisis. Ezekiel's mission is to bring God's message to them, emphasizing the importance of community and the prophet's role within it.

the exiles
The term "exiles" refers to the Israelites who were taken captive by the Babylonians. The Hebrew word "gola" is used here, which denotes those who have been carried away from their homeland. This context is crucial as it underscores the sense of loss and displacement experienced by the people. Theologically, it reflects the consequences of Israel's disobedience to God, yet it also sets the stage for messages of hope and restoration that Ezekiel will later deliver.

to the children of your people
This phrase reiterates the familial and national connection Ezekiel has with his audience. The Hebrew word "ben" (children) signifies not just biological offspring but also descendants and members of a community. Ezekiel is not an outsider; he is one of them, which adds weight to his message. It also reflects the covenant relationship between God and Israel, where the people are often referred to as God's children.

and speak to them
The command to "speak" is central to Ezekiel's prophetic role. The Hebrew word "dabar" means to declare or proclaim. This is not a casual conversation but a divine mandate to deliver God's message. The act of speaking is powerful in the biblical context, as it is through words that God created the world and through words that prophets convey God's will.

and tell them
The repetition of the command to communicate underscores the importance of the message. The Hebrew word "amar" is used here, which can mean to say, speak, or command. This emphasizes the authority and urgency of the message Ezekiel is to deliver. It is not merely a suggestion but a directive from God that must be conveyed to the people.

‘This is what the Lord GOD says,’
This phrase is a standard prophetic formula that asserts the divine origin of the message. The use of "Lord GOD" (YHWH Elohim) combines the covenant name of God with a title that denotes His supreme authority. It assures the audience that the message is not Ezekiel's own but comes directly from God. This divine endorsement is crucial for the credibility and seriousness of the prophetic message.

whether they listen or refuse to listen
This concluding phrase acknowledges the potential resistance of the audience. The Hebrew words "shama" (listen) and "chadal" (refuse) highlight the choice given to the people. Despite their response, Ezekiel's duty is to deliver the message faithfully. This reflects a recurring biblical theme of human free will and responsibility. It also underscores the prophet's role as a watchman, accountable to God for delivering the message, regardless of the people's reaction.

(11) Get thee to them of the captivity.--Ezekiel's mission is now made more definite. In Ezekiel 3:10 he has been told in plain terms what had already been symbolically conveyed under the figure of the roll, and now he is further informed that his immediate mission to the house of Israel is limited to that part of it which, like himself, was already in captivity. At this time, and for several years to come, this was a comparatively small part of the whole nation; but before Ezekiel's ministrations were finished it embraced the mass of them. (See Introd., III.) It is noticeable that God directs him to go, not to My, but to thy people; just as in Ezekiel 2:3 He speaks of them as heathen, so here He refuses to recognise them in their present state as really His people. (Comp. Exodus 32:7; Ezekiel 33:2; Ezekiel 33:12; Ezekiel 33:17; Daniel 9:24; Daniel 10:14.) At the same time, there is thus indirectly suggested to the prophet a reminder that he is himself one of the same people, and needs therefore to be on his guard against the sin and obduracy which characterise them. . . . Verse 11. - Get thee to them of the Captivity, etc. In Ezekiel 2:3 and Ezekiel 3:1, 4 the mission had been to "the house of Israel" generally; now it is specialized. He is sent "to them of the Captivity." They are the rebellious house. There is an obvious significance in the phrase, "thy people." Jehovah can no longer recognize them as his. The words of Ezekiel 2:7 are repeated. Here also, even among the exiles, who were better than those that remained in Judah, he was to expect partial failure, but he was not, on that account, to shirk the completion of his task. Thus saith the Lord God; Adonai Jehovah, as in Ezekiel 2:4.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Go
בֹּ֤א (bō)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

your people,
בְּנֵ֣י (bə·nê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

the exiles;
הַגּוֹלָה֙ (hag·gō·w·lāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1473: Exile, exiles

speak
וְדִבַּרְתָּ֤ (wə·ḏib·bar·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

to them
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

and tell
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ (wə·’ā·mar·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

them,
אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם (’ă·lê·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

‘This is what
כֹּ֥ה (kōh)
Adverb
Strong's 3541: Like this, thus, here, now

the Lord
אֲדֹנָ֣י (’ă·ḏō·nāy)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 136: The Lord

GOD
יְהֹוִ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3069: YHWH

says,’
אָמַ֖ר (’ā·mar)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

whether
אִֽם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

they listen
יִשְׁמְע֖וּ (yiš·mə·‘ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

or
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

refuse to listen.”
יֶחְדָּֽלוּ׃ (yeḥ·dā·lū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 2308: To be flabby, desist, be lacking, idle


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 3:11 Go get you to them (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 3:10
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