Ezekiel’s Commission to Prophesy

1Then he told me, “Son of Man, eat! Eat what you seea —this scroll—and then go talk to the house of Israel.” 2So I opened my mouth and he fed meb the scroll.

3Then he told me, “Son of Man, fill your stomach and digest this scroll that I’m giving you.” So I ate it, and it was like sweet honey in my mouth.

4Then he told me, “Son of Man, go to the house of Israel and tell them what I have to say to them, 5because you’re not going to a people whose speech you cannot understand or whose language is difficult to speak. Instead, you’re going to the house of Israel. 6This isn’t a large group of people whose speech is unintelligible to you or whose language is difficult for you to comprehend. Frankly, if I had sent you to that kind of people,c they would certainly have listened to you! 7But the house of Israel won’t listen to you, since they weren’t willing to listen to me. That’s because the entire house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted. 8So pay attention! I’m going to make you just as obstinated and unyielding as they are.e 9I’m making you harder than flint—like diamond! So you are not to fear them or be intimidated by how they look at you,f since they’re a rebellious group.”

Ezekiel is Commissioned to Speak

10Next, he told me, “Son of Man, take to heart every word that I’m telling you. Listen carefully, 11then go immediatelyg 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.”h

12Then the Spirit lifted me up and I heard a great earthquake behind me and the glory of the LORD arose from his place, 13accompanied by the sound of the wings of the living creatures gently touching each other and with the sound of the wheels emanating from the front, accompanied by a great earthquake.

Ezekiel Addresses the Israelis

14Then the Spirit lifted me up and carried me away. I went bitterly with an angry attitude as the hand of the LORD rested on me. 15I came to the exiles at Tel-abib by the Chebar River and sat down among them for seven days, appalled. 16At the end of the seven days, this message from the LORD came to me: 17“Son of Man,” he said,i “I’ve appointed you to be a watchmanj over the house of Israel. Therefore when you hear a message that comes from me, you are to warn them for me.

18“So when I say to a wicked person, ‘You’re about to die,’ if you don’t warn or instruct that wicked person that his behaviork is wicked so he can live, that wicked person will die in his sin, but I’ll hold you responsible for his death.l 19If you warn the wicked person, and he doesn’t repent of his wickedness or of his wicked behavior,m he’ll die in his sin, but you will have saved your own life.

20“When a righteous man abandons his righteousness to practice unrighteousness, I’ll set a stumbling block before him. He’ll die. If you don’t warn him, he’ll die in his sin and the righteous deeds that he had practiced won’t be remembered, but you’ll be held responsible for his death.n 21If you warn the righteous person, so that heo doesn’t commit sin, then he’ll live, since he had been warned. And you will have saved your life.”

Ezekiel Sees God in the Valley

22The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he told me, “Get up! Go to the valley, and I’ll speak with you there.” 23So I got up, went to the valley, and there was the glory of the LORD, standing there just likep I had seen at the Chebar River. So I fell on my face.

24The Spirit entered me, rested on me, caused me to stand on my feet, and then he spoke to me. This is what he had to say: “Go barricade yourself in your house. 25Now pay attention! They’re going to bind you with ropes, tying you up right in their midst, so you won’t be able to circulate freely among them. 26Meanwhile, I’ll make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you’ll be mute and unable to reprove them, since they’re a rebellious group.q 27But when I speak with you, I’ll open your mouth so you can say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says:

“As for those who will listen,

‘Let them listen,’

but as for those who refuse,

‘Let them refuse,’

since they’re a rebellious group.”’”r