Ezekiel 2

1 And he said to me, Thou, son of man, stand on feet, and I shall speak with thee. [And he said to me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I shall speak with thee.]

2 And the spirit entered into me, after that he spake to me, and setted me on my feet. And I heard one speaking to me,

3 and saying, Son of man, I send thee to the sons of Israel, to folks apostates, either (those) going aback from faith, that went away from me; the fathers of them brake my covenant till to this day. (and saying, Son of man, I send thee to the Israelites, to an apostate nation, or those who went away from the faith, that went away from me; their forefathers broke my covenant, as they do unto this day.)

4 And the sons be of hard face, and of unchastiseable heart, to whom I send thee (And the people be stubborn, and with undisciplined hearts/and with willful hearts, to whom I send thee). And thou shalt say to them, The Lord God saith these things;

5 if peradventure namely they hear, and if peradventure they rest, for it is an house stirring to wrath. And they shall know, that a prophet is in the midst of them. (whether they shall listen to you or not, for it is a house stirring me to anger. And they shall know, that a prophet is in their midst.)

6 Therefore thou, son of man, dread not them, neither dread thou the words of them; for unbelieveful men and destroyers be with thee, and thou dwellest with scorpions. Dread thou not the words of them, and dread thou not the faces of them, for it is an house stirring to wrath. (And so thou, son of man, do not thou fear them, nor fear thou their words; though unbelieving people and destroyers be with thee, and thou livest with scorpions. Fear thou not their words, and fear thou not their faces, though it is a house stirring me to anger.)

7 Therefore thou shalt speak my words to them, if peradventure they hear, and rest, for they be stirrers to wrath. (And so thou shalt speak my words to them, whether they shall listen to you or not, for they be a house stirring me to anger/for they be stirrers to anger.)

8 But thou, son of man, hear whatever things I shall speak to thee; and do not thou be a stirrer to wrath, as the house of Israel is a stirrer to wrath. Open thy mouth, and eat whatever things I give to thee. (But thou, son of man, listen to whatever I say to thee; and do not thou be a stirrer, or a provoker, to anger, like the house of Israel is a stirrer to anger. Open thy mouth, and eat whatever things I give thee.)

9 And I saw, and lo! an hand was sent to me, in which a book was folded together. (And I saw, and lo! a hand was sent to me, holding a folded up book, or a folio/holding a rolled up scroll.)

10 And he spreaded abroad it before me, that was written within and withoutforth. And lamentations, and song, and woe, were written therein. (And he spread it out before me/And he unrolled it before me, and it was written on both sides, that is, the inside, and the outside. And lamentations, and songs, and woes, were written on it.)

Ezekiel 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

The prophet is directed what he is to do. (1-5) And encouraged to be resolute, faithful, and devoted. (6-10)

Verses 1-5 Lest Ezekiel should be lifted up with the abundance of the revelations, he is put in mind that still he is a son of man, a weak, mortal creature. As Christ usually called himself the Son of man, it was also an honourable distinction. Ezekiel's posture showed reverence, but his standing up would be a posture of greater readiness and fitness for business. God will speak to us, when we stand ready to do what he commands us. As Ezekiel had not strength of his own, the Spirit entered into him. God is graciously pleased to work in us whatever he requires of us. The Holy Spirit sets us upon our feet, by inclining our wills to our duty. Thus, when the Lord calls upon the sinner to awake, and attend to the concerns of his soul, the Spirit of life and grace comes with the call. Ezekiel is sent with a message to the children of Israel. Many might treat his message with contempt, yet they should know by the event that a prophet had been sent to them. God will be glorified, and his word made honourable, whether it be a savour of life unto life, or of death unto death.

Verses 6-10 Those who will do any thing to purpose in the service of God, must not fear men. Wicked men are as briers and thorns; but they are nigh unto cursing, and their end is to be burned. The prophet must be faithful to the souls of those to whom he was sent. All who speak from God to others, must obey his voice. The discoveries of sin, and the warnings of wrath, should be matter of lamentation. And those acquainted with the word of God, will clearly perceive it is filled with woe to impenitent sinners; and that all the precious promises of the gospel are for the repenting, believing servants of the Lord.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 2

This chapter contains me prophet's call, commission, and instruction to prophesy. The preparation to it is in Eze 2:1,2; being fallen upon his face, he is bid to stand upon his feet, with a promise to speak to him; and the Spirit entering into him, he is set by him on his feet, and he hears what is spoken to him; then follows his mission to the children of Israel, who are described as rebellious, impudent, and stiff-hearted; and to whom he is sent, to render them inexcusable, Eze 2:3-5; and he is exhorted not to be afraid of their words, nor dismayed at their looks, however fierce and furious they might be; but faithfully declare his message, and not be discouraged, should it be without success, Eze 2:6,7; and he is instructed not to be rebellious, as they were; but open his mouth and eat what should be given him, Eze 2:8; when, in a visionary way, a hand was seen, and a roll in it, and this spread before him, written within and without, full of lamentation, mourning, and woes, as a symbol of the substance of his prophecy, Eze 2:9,10.