Chapter 3

Moreover he said⁴ unto me, Son of man, eat³ that thou findest;⁴ eat³ this roll, and go³ speak¹⁶ unto the house of Israel.

So I opened⁴ my mouth, and he caused me to eat⁵⁵ that roll.

And he said⁴ unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat,⁵⁵ and fill¹⁷ thy bowels with this roll that I give⁶ thee. Then did I eat⁴ [it]; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.

And he said⁴ unto me, Son of man, go,³ get³ thee unto the house of Israel, and speak¹⁴ with my words unto them.

For thou [art] not sent⁷ to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, [but] to the house of Israel;

Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand.⁴ Surely, had I sent¹ thee to them, they would have hearkened⁴ unto thee.

But the house of Israel will⁴ not hearken² unto thee; for they will⁶ not hearken² unto me: for all the house of Israel [are] impudent ⁴⁶⁹⁶ and hardhearted. ³⁸²⁰

Behold, I have made¹ thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.

As an adamant harder than flint have I made¹ thy forehead: fear⁴ them not, neither be dismayed¹¹ at their looks, though they [be] a rebellious house.

Moreover he said⁴ unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak¹⁷ unto thee receive³ in thine heart, and hear³ with thine ears.

And go,³ get³ thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak¹⁴ unto them, and tell¹ them, Thus saith¹ the Lord GOD; whether they will hear,⁴ or whether they will forbear.⁴

Then the spirit took me up,⁴ and I heard⁴ behind me a voice of a great rushing, [saying], Blessed⁷ [be] the glory of the LORD from his place.

[I heard] also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched⁵⁶ one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing.

So the spirit lifted me up,¹ and took me away,⁴ and I went⁴ in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong¹ upon me.

Then I came⁴ to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt⁶ by the river of Chebar, and I sat⁴ where they sat,⁶ and remained⁴ there astonished⁵⁶ among them seven days.

And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,²

Son of man, I have made¹ thee a watchman⁶ unto the house of Israel: therefore hear¹ the word at my mouth, and give them warning⁵² from me.

When I say² unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely² die;⁴ and thou givest him not warning,⁵² nor speakest¹⁴ to warn⁵³ the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life;¹⁵ the same wicked [man] shall die⁴ in his iniquity; but his blood will I require¹⁷ at thine hand.

Yet if thou warn⁵² the wicked, and he turn¹ not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die⁴ in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered⁵² thy soul.

Again, When a righteous [man] doth turn² from his righteousness, and commit¹ iniquity, and I lay¹ a stumblingblock before him, he shall die:⁴ because thou hast not given him warning,⁵² he shall die⁴ in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done¹ shall not be remembered;¹¹ but his blood will I require¹⁷ at thine hand.

Nevertheless if thou warn⁵² the righteous [man], that the righteous sin² not, and he doth not sin,¹ he shall surely² live,⁴ because he is warned;¹² also thou hast delivered⁵² thy soul.

And the hand of the LORD was there upon me; and he said⁴ unto me, Arise,³ go forth³ into the plain, and I will there talk¹⁷ with thee.

Then I arose,⁴ and went forth⁴ into the plain: and, behold, the glory of the LORD stood⁶ there, as the glory which I saw¹ by the river of Chebar: and I fell⁴ on my face.

Then the spirit entered⁴ into me, and set⁵⁵ me upon my feet, and spake¹⁷ with me, and said⁴ unto me, Go,³ shut¹⁰ thyself within thine house.

But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put¹ bands upon thee, and shall bind¹ thee with them, and thou shalt not go out⁴ among them:

And I will make thy tongue cleave⁵⁵ to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb,⁸ and shalt not be to them a reprover: ^{3198 56} for they [are] a rebellious house.

But when I speak¹⁵ with thee, I will open⁴ thy mouth, and thou shalt say¹ unto them, Thus saith¹ the Lord GOD; He that heareth,⁶ let him hear;⁴ and he that forbeareth, let him forbear:⁴ for they [are] a rebellious house.