The Responsibility of the Prophet

3 Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; ^(A)eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” ² So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that scroll.

³ And He said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you.” So I ^(B)ate, and it was in my mouth ^(C)like honey in sweetness.

⁴ Then He said to me: “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. ⁵ For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel, ⁶ not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, ^(D)had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. ⁷ But the house of Israel will not listen to you, ^(E)because they will not listen to Me; ^(F)for all the house of Israel are ^[a]impudent and hard-hearted. ⁸ Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. ^9 (G)Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; ^(H)do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.”

¹⁰ Moreover He said to me: “Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears. ¹¹ And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, ^(I)‘Thus says the Lord God,’ whether they hear, or whether they refuse.”

²⁴ Then ^(A)the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet, and spoke with me and said to me: “Go, shut yourself inside your house. ²⁵ And you, O son of man, surely ^(B)they will put ropes on you and bind you with them, so that you cannot go out among them. ^26 (C)I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and ^(D)not be ^[a]one to rebuke them, ^(E)for they are a rebellious house. ^27 (F)But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ^(G)‘Thus says the Lord God.’ He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.