And he said to me, (A)“Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them. For you are not sent to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel— not to many peoples of foreign speech and a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. (B)Surely, if I sent you to such, they would listen to you. (C)But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel (D)have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. (E)Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. Like (F)emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. (G)Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.” 10 Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, (H)all my words that I shall speak to you receive (I)in your heart, and hear with your ears. 11 And go to the exiles, (J)to your people, and speak to them and say to them, (K)‘Thus says the Lord God,’ (L)whether they hear or refuse to hear.”

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Then he said, “Son of man, go to the people of Israel and give them my messages. I am not sending you to a foreign people whose language you cannot understand. No, I am not sending you to people with strange and difficult speech. If I did, they would listen! But the people of Israel won’t listen to you any more than they listen to me! For the whole lot of them are hard-hearted and stubborn. But look, I have made you as obstinate and hard-hearted as they are. I have made your forehead as hard as the hardest rock! So don’t be afraid of them or fear their angry looks, even though they are rebels.”

10 Then he added, “Son of man, let all my words sink deep into your own heart first. Listen to them carefully for yourself. 11 Then go to your people in exile and say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ Do this whether they listen to you or not.”

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