Ezekiel 3:27

27 But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’ Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.

Ezekiel 3:27 in Other Translations

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.

27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.'He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.

27 But when I give you a message, I will loosen your tongue and let you speak. Then you will say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says!’ Those who choose to listen will listen, but those who refuse will refuse, for they are rebels.

27 "But then when the time is ripe, I'll free your tongue and you'll say, 'This is what God, the Master, says: . . .' From then on it's up to them. They can listen or not listen, whichever they like. They are a bunch of rebels!

27 But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house.

27 But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth. You will tell them, 'This is what the Almighty LORD says.' Some will listen, and some will refuse to listen. They are rebellious people."

27 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you will say to them: This is what the Lord God says. Let the one who listens, listen, and let the one who refuses, refuse-for they are a rebellious house.

27 "But later I will speak to you. I will open your mouth. Then you will tell them, 'Here is what the LORD and King says.' Those who listen will listen. And those who refuse to listen will refuse. They always refuse to obey me.

Ezekiel 3:27 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 3:27

But when I speak with thee
Either when I have made an end of speaking to thee, when I have told thee all my mind, and have given thee all the instructions and prophecies thou art to deliver out; or when I shall speak to thee again, and give thee orders to speak: I will open thy mouth;
loose thy tongue, cause thee to break silence, and thou shall speak freely and fully all that I command thee; fulness of matter, and freedom of speech, are both from the Lord; liberty and opportunity of speaking are at his pleasure; and when he speaks his servants must prophesy, ( Amos 3:8 ) ; and thou shalt say unto them, thus saith the Lord God;
so and so, whatsoever he is pleased to order to be spoken; not that the following words are what were to be said to the people; but they are said to the prophet for his own use, that he might not be uneasy at the unfruitfulness and failure of his ministry: he that heareth, let him hear;
if any will hearken to what is sent to them, as few of them will, it is very well: and he that forbeareth, let him forbear;
or, "he that ceaseth, let him cease" ^F25; he that ceaseth from hearing, let him do so, do not mind it, or be discouraged at it: for they [are] a rebellious house; (See Gill on Ezekiel 2:5). The Targum is,

``he that receiveth, let him receive instruction; and he that ceaseth, let him cease from sinning, for it is a rebellious people.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (ldxy ldxhw) "et qui cessat cesset", Pagninus, Tigurine version, Starckius; "qui desistere volet desistat", Piscator; "qui desistit [audire], desistet". So some in Vatablus.

Ezekiel 3:27 In-Context

25 And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people.

26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, for they are a rebellious people.

27 But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’ Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.

Cross References

• 1. ver 11
• 2. Ezekiel 2:5; Ezekiel 12:3; Ezekiel 24:27; Ezekiel 29:21; Ezekiel 33:22; Revelation 22:11