⁴ He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my words to them. ⁵ For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech^[a] and difficult language,^[b] but^[c] to the house of Israel— ⁶ not to many peoples of unintelligible speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand.^[d] Surely if^[e] I had sent you to them, they would listen to you! ⁷ But the house of Israel is unwilling to listen to you,^[f] because they are not willing to listen to me,^[g] for the whole house of Israel is hardheaded and hardhearted.^[h]

⁸ “I have made your face adamant^[i] to match their faces, and your forehead hard to match their foreheads. ⁹ I have made your forehead harder than flint—like diamond!^[j] Do not fear them or be terrified of the looks they give you,^[k] for they are a rebellious house.”

¹⁰ And he said to me, “Son of man, take all my words that I speak to you to heart and listen carefully. ¹¹ Go to the exiles, to your fellow countrymen,^[l] and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’ whether they pay attention or not.”