1Moreover he said unto me, Son of man , eat that thou findest ; eat this roll , and go speak unto the house of Israel . 2So I opened my mouth , and he caused me to eat that roll . 3And he said unto me, Son of man , cause thy belly to eat , and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness .
The Hardness of Israel's Heart
4And he said unto me, Son of man , go , get thee unto the house of Israel , and speak with my words unto them. 5For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language , but to the house of Israel ; 6Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language , whose words thou canst not understand . Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee. 7But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted .
The Role of a Watchman
8Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces , and thy forehead strong against their foreheads . 9As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead : fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks , though they be a rebellious house . 10Moreover he said unto me, Son of man , all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart , and hear with thine ears . 11And 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 .
Ezekiel's Response and the Spirit's Guidance
12Then the spirit took me up , and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing , saying , Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his place . 13I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another , and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing . 14So the spirit lifted me up , and took me away , and I went in bitterness , in the heat of my spirit ; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me. 15Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib , that dwelt by the river of Chebar , and I sat where they sat , and remained there astonished among them seven days . 16And it came to pass at the end of seven days , that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying , 17Son of man , I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel : therefore hear the word at my mouth , and give them warning from me. 18When I say unto the wicked , Thou shalt surely die ; and thou givest him not warning , nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way , to save his life ; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity ; but his blood will I require at thine hand . 19Yet if thou warn the wicked , and he turn not from his wickedness , nor from his wicked way , he shall die in his iniquity ; but thou hast delivered thy soul . 20Again , When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness , and commit iniquity , and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die : because thou hast not given him warning , he shall die in his sin , and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered ; but his blood will I require at thine hand . 21Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man , that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin , he shall surely live , because he is warned ; also thou hast delivered thy soul . 22And the hand of the LORD was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise , go forth into the plain , and I will there talk with thee. 23Then I arose , and went forth into the plain : and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar : and I fell on my face . 24Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet , and spake with me, and said unto me, Go , shut thyself within thine house . 25But thou, O son of man , behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them: 26And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth , that thou shalt be dumb , and shalt not be to them a reprover : for they are a rebellious house . 27But 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 .