Ezekiel 2:4-7

2:4 The people 1  to whom I am sending you are obstinate and hard-hearted, 2  and you must say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says.’ 3  2:5 And as for them, 4  whether they listen 5  or not – for they are a rebellious 6  house 7  – they will know that a prophet has been among them. 2:6 But you, son of man, do not fear them, and do not fear their words – even though briers 8  and thorns 9  surround you and you live among scorpions – do not fear their words and do not be terrified of the looks they give you, 10  for they are a rebellious house! 2:7 You must speak my words to them whether they listen or not, for they are rebellious.

1 tn Heb “sons.” The word choice may reflect treaty idiom, where the relationship between an overlord and his subjects can be described as that of father and son.

2 tc Heb “stern of face and hard of heart.” The phrases “stern of face” and “hard of heart” are lacking in the LXX.

3 tn The phrase “thus says [the Lord]” occurs 129 times in Ezekiel; the announcement is identical to the way messengers often introduced their messages (Gen 32:5; 45:9; Exod 5:10; Num 20:14; Judg 11:15).

4 tn Heb “they”; the phrase “And as for them” has been used in the translation for clarity.

5 tn The Hebrew word implies obedience rather than mere hearing or paying attention.

6 tn This Hebrew adjective is also used to describe the Israelites in Num 17:25 and Isa 30:9.

7 sn The book of Ezekiel frequently refers to the Israelites as a rebellious house (Ezek 2:5, 6, 8; 3:9, 26-27; 12:2-3, 9, 25; 17:12; 24:3).

8 tn The Hebrew term occurs only here in the OT.

9 tn The Hebrew term is found elsewhere in the OT only in Ezek 28:24.

sn Here thorns may be a figure for hostility (Ezek 28:24; Mic 7:4).

10 tn Heb “of their faces.”