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Ezekiel 3
Ezekiel 3:1
General Information:
Ezekiel continues to tell about the vision that he saw.
He said to me
The word "He" refers to the "one who looked like a man" (Ezekiel 1:26).
Son of man
"Son of a human being" or "Son of humanity." God calls Ezekiel this to emphasize that Ezekiel is only a human being. God is eternal and powerful, but humans are not. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 2:1. Alternate translation: "Mortal person" or "Human"
what you have found
This refers to the scroll that God was giving him (Ezekiel 2:9).
the house of Israel
The word "house" is a metonym for the family that lives in the house, in this case the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob over many years. Alternate translation: "the Israelites" or "the Israelite people group" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Ezekiel 3:2
that scroll
Many versions have "the scroll" or "this scroll."
Ezekiel 3:3
feed your belly and fill your stomach with this scroll
The word "belly" refers to the part of the body people can see from the outside. The word "stomach" refers to the internal organs inside the belly.
it was as sweet as honey
Honey tastes sweet, and the scroll tasted sweet.
Ezekiel 3:4
General Information:
Ezekiel continues to tell about the vision that he saw.
he said to me
If your language has to identify the one speaking, it would be best to identify the speaker as the "one who looked like a man" (Ezekiel 1:26). It was not "the Spirit."
the house of Israel
The word "house" is a metonym for the family that lives in the house, in this case the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob over many years. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 3:1. Alternate translation: "the Israelites" or "the Israelite people group" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Ezekiel 3:5
General Information:
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Ezekiel 3:6
of strange speech or a difficult language
"who speak a strange or difficult language"
not to many peoples of strange speech
"I am not sending you to a mighty nation whose people speak a strange language"
if I sent you to them, they would have listened to you
This is a situation that could have happened, but it did not. Yahweh did not send Ezekiel to people who did not understand his language. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hypo)
if I sent you to them
The word "them" refers to a mighty nation other than Israel.
Ezekiel 3:7
strong browed and hard hearted
These mean basically the same thing. Alternate translation: "very rebellious" or "very stubborn" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublet)
strong browed
This is an idiom. Alternate translation: "unwilling to change" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
hard hearted
This phrase suggests that the people resist God and are unwilling to obey him. The heart is used to describe the place in the body where a person decides what they want to do. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 2:4. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
Ezekiel 3:8
General Information:
The Spirit of God continues speaking to Ezekiel.
Behold!
The word "Behold" here alerts Ezekiel to pay attention to the surprising information that follows.
I have made your face as hard as their faces
A hard face is a metaphor for being stubborn. Alternate translation: "I have made you as stubborn as they are" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
I have made ... your brow as hard as their brows
The "brow" is the forehead or eyebrow and is a metonym for what the person thinks. Alternate translation: "I have made ... you strong so you will not stop doing what you are doing" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Ezekiel 3:9
I have made your brow like a diamond, harder than flint
"I have made your brow like the hardest stone, harder than flint"
flint
a stone that is hard enough to start a fire by hitting it with metal or another stone
house
This is a metonym for the family that lives in the house, in this case the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob over many years. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 2:5. Alternate translation: "people group" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Ezekiel 3:10
take them into your heart and hear them with your ears
Here "heart" represents a person's mind. Alternate translation: "remember them and listen carefully" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Ezekiel 3:11
Then go to the captives
The word "captives" refers to the people of Israel who were living in Babylon.
your people
"your people group." Ezekiel had lived in Judah before the Babylonians took him to Babylon.
Lord Yahweh
See how you translated this in Ezekiel 2:4.
Ezekiel 3:12
General Information:
Ezekiel continues telling about the vision he saw.
I heard behind me the sound of a great earthquake: "Blessed be the glory of Yahweh from his place!"
Some versions take "Blessed ... place!" as a words that the "great earthquake" spoke: "I heard behind me the sound of a great earthquake, which said, 'Blessed be the glory of Yahweh from his place!'" Others understand the sound of the earthquake as the sound of the glory of Yahweh leaving his place, "as the glory of Yahweh left its place, I heard behind me the sound of a great earthquake."
the sound of a great earthquake
It is not clear if the sound came from an earthquake, from a voice that was loud like an earthquake, or from the wings and wheels. Alternate translation: "a sound like the sound of a great earthquake" or "a voice speaking; the voice sounded like a great earthquake" or "a loud rumbling noise"
the glory of Yahweh
See how you translated this in Ezekiel 1:28.
the sound of a great earthquake
"a loud, deep and powerful rumbling sound like the sound of an earthquake"
Ezekiel 3:13
General Information:
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Ezekiel 3:14
General Information:
Ezekiel seems to have been angry because Yahweh had sent him to speak to the Israelite exiles, thus rebelling against Yahweh himself. Though he was supposed to speak to them, he sat in silence for seven days, even though he could feel the anger of Yahweh "powerfully pressing on" him.
away, and I went with bitterness in my spirit's rage
The words "bitterness" and "rage" are types of anger. This can be stated as a separate sentence. Alternate translation: "away. I was bitter and my spirit was full of anger" or "away. I was very bitter and angry"
bitterness
Ezekiel speaks of his anger at Yahweh as if there were a bad taste in his mouth because Yahweh had forced him to eat something that tasted bad. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
for the hand of Yahweh was powerfully pressing on me
Ezekiel speaks of being sad and tired because Yahweh had commanded him to do things he did not want to do as if Yahweh were pushing him down into the ground. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
the hand of Yahweh
Possible meanings are 1) the word "hand" is often used to refer to someone's power or action. Alternate translation: "the power of Yahweh" or 2) Ezekiel knew that Yahweh was angry with him because he was not obeying Yahweh by speaking to the Israelite exiles. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Ezekiel 3:15
Tel Abib
A town in Babylon, about 80 kilometers southeast of the main city, which was also called Babylon. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-names)
the Kebar Canal
This is a river that people in Chaldea had dug to give water to their gardens. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 1:1.
overwhelmed in amazement
"unable to do anything because I was so amazed"
Ezekiel 3:16
General Information:
Ezekiel tells about his experience at Tel Abib.
the word of Yahweh came
This is an idiom that is used to introduce something that God told his prophets or his people. Alternate translation: "Yahweh spoke this message" or "Yahweh spoke these words" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
Ezekiel 3:17
watchman
God told Ezekiel to warn the people of Israel just as a watchman would warn the people of a city if enemies were coming, so that they could prepare and be safe. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
the house of Israel
The word "house" is a metonym for the family that lives in the house, in this case the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob over many years. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 3:1. Alternate translation: "the Israelites" or "the Israelite people group" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Ezekiel 3:18
the wicked
"wicked people"
require his blood from your hand
This is an idiom for holding someone responsible or guilty of murder. Alternate translation: "treat you as if you had murdered him" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
Ezekiel 3:19
he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked deeds
The phrase "wicked deeds" means the same thing as "wickedness." Alternate translation: "he does not stop doing wicked things" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-doublet)
Ezekiel 3:20
set a stumbling block before him
Possible meanings are 1) "make something bad happen to him" or 2) "cause him to sin openly." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor)
he will die in his sin
"he will die as a sinner" or "he will die as a guilty person because he has disobeyed me"
I will require his blood from your hand
This is an idiom for holding someone responsible or guilty of murder. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 3:18. Alternate translation: "I will treat you as if you had murdered him" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
Ezekiel 3:21
since he was warned
This can be translated in active form. Alternate translation: "since you warned him" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-activepassive)
Ezekiel 3:22
the hand of Yahweh
The word "hand" is often used to refer to someone's power or action. Alternate translation: "the power of Yahweh" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Ezekiel 3:23
the glory of Yahweh
See how you translated this in Ezekiel 1:28.
the Kebar Canal
This is a river that people in Chaldea had dug to give water to their gardens. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 1:1.
I fell on my face
"I bowed down to the ground" or "I lay on the ground." Ezekiel did not fall by accident. He went down to the ground to show that he respected and feared Yahweh. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 1:28. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom)
Ezekiel 3:24
he spoke with me
If your language has to identify the one speaking, it would be best to identify the speaker as the "one who looked like a man" (Ezekiel 1:26). It was not "the Spirit."
Ezekiel 3:25
they will place ropes upon you and tie you so you cannot go out among them
This is best translated literally.
Ezekiel 3:26
General Information:
The Spirit continues speaking to Ezekiel.
the roof of your mouth
"the top of your mouth"
you will be mute
"you will not be able to speak"
house
This is a metonym for the family that lives in the house, in this case the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob over many years. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 2:5. Alternate translation: "people group" (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy)
Ezekiel 3:27
I will open your mouth
"I will make you able to speak"
the one who will not listen will not listen
"the one who refuses to listen will not listen"
Lord Yahweh
See how you translated this in Ezekiel 2:4.