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Ezekiel’s Call and Commission

“Stand up, son of man,” said the voice. “I want to speak with you.” The Spirit came into me as he spoke, and he set me on my feet. I listened carefully to his words. “Son of man,” he said, “I am sending you to the nation of Israel, a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have been rebelling against me to this very day. They are a stubborn and hard-hearted people. But I am sending you to say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ And whether they listen or refuse to listen—for remember, they are rebels—at least they will know they have had a prophet among them.

“Son of man, do not fear them or their words. Don’t be afraid even though their threats surround you like nettles and briers and stinging scorpions. Do not be dismayed by their dark scowls, even though they are rebels. You must give them my messages whether they listen or not. But they won’t listen, for they are completely rebellious! Son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not join them in their rebellion. Open your mouth, and eat what I give you.”

Then I looked and saw a hand reaching out to me. It held a scroll, 10 which he unrolled. And I saw that both sides were covered with funeral songs, words of sorrow, and pronouncements of doom.

Ezekiel's Call

And he said to me, (A)“Son of man,[a] (B)stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” And as he spoke to me, (C)the Spirit entered into me and (D)set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to (E)nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. (F)They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. The descendants also are (G)impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ And (H)whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are (I)a rebellious house) (J)they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, (K)be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, (L)though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on (M)scorpions.[b] Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. And you shall speak my words to them, (N)whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.

“But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. (O)Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and (P)eat what I give you.” And when I looked, behold, (Q)a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, (R)a scroll of a book was in it. 10 And he spread it before me. And it had writing (S)on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe.

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 2:1 Or Son of Adam; so throughout Ezekiel
  2. Ezekiel 2:6 Or on scorpion plants