⁴ Then he said to me, “·Human [^TSon of man; 2:1], go to the ·people [^Lhouse] of Israel, and speak my words to them. ⁵ [^LFor; Because] You are not being sent to people ·whose speech you can’t understand [of obscure/foreign language; ^Ldeep of lip], ·whose language is difficult [^Land heavy tongue]. You are being sent to [^Lthe house of] Israel. ⁶ You are not being sent to many nations ·whose speech you can’t understand [of obscure/foreign language; ^Ldeep of lip], ·whose language is difficult [^Land heavy tongue], whose words you cannot understand. If I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. ⁷ But the ·people [^Lhouse] of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, because they are not willing to listen to me. Yes, all the ·people [^Lhouse] of Israel are ·stubborn [hardheaded] and ·will not obey [hardhearted]. ⁸ ·See [^TBehold], I now make ·you as stubborn [^Lyour face as strong as their face] and ·as hard as they are [^Lyour forehead as strong as their forehead]. ⁹ I am making ·you [^Lyour forehead] as hard as ·a diamond [or flint; or the hardest stone], harder than ·stone [or flint]. Don’t be afraid of them or be ·frightened [terrified; dismayed] by them, though they are a ·people who turn against me [^Lrebellious house].”

¹⁰ Also, he said to me, “·Human [^TSon of man; 2:1], ·believe [^Ltake in your heart] all the words I will speak to you, and ·listen carefully to them [^Lhear with your ears]. ¹¹ Then go to the ·captives [exiles], ·your own [^Lthe sons of your] people, and say to them, ‘The Lord God says this.’ Tell them this whether they listen or not.”