Ezekiel 2:3

And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, [even] unto this very day.

And he said {H559} unto me, Son {H1121} of man {H120}, I send {H7971} thee to the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478}, to a rebellious {H4775} nation {H1471} that hath rebelled {H4775} against me: they and their fathers {H1} have transgressed {H6586} against me, even unto this very {H6106} day {H3117}.

He said, "Human being! I am sending you to the people of Isra'el, that nation of rebels who have rebelled against me - they and their ancestors have been transgressing against me to this very day.

“Son of man,” He said to me, “I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me. To this very day they and their fathers have rebelled against Me.

And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to nations that are rebellious, which have rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me even unto this very day.

Commentary

Ezekiel 2:3 marks a pivotal moment in the prophet Ezekiel's divine commission, as God explicitly states the challenging nature of the people he is being sent to. This verse immediately follows God's awe-inspiring appearance to Ezekiel and the command for him to stand upon his feet, signifying readiness for service.

Context

The prophet Ezekiel is among the Jewish exiles in Babylon, specifically by the Chebar river (modern-day Iraq), during the Babylonian captivity. God's powerful call to Ezekiel (detailed in Ezekiel 1) culminates in this direct instruction. Here, God defines the prophetic mission and the difficult audience: the exiled "children of Israel," who, despite their current suffering, remain spiritually resistant and disobedient to God's will.

Key Themes

  • Divine Commission: God sovereignly chooses and sends Ezekiel with a specific message, underscoring the divine origin of true prophecy. The phrase "I send thee" highlights God's initiative and authority.
  • Israel's Persistent Rebellion: The verse starkly identifies Israel as a "rebellious nation." This isn't a new or isolated instance of sin, but a deep-seated, generational pattern of disobedience that has continued "unto this very day." This theme of Israel's spiritual stubbornness is pervasive throughout the prophetic books.
  • The Prophet's Burden: Ezekiel is sent to a people who are not merely ignorant, but actively defiant. This foreshadows the immense difficulty and potential rejection he will face in his ministry.

Linguistic Insights

The address "Son of man" (Hebrew: ben-adam) is God's primary way of addressing Ezekiel throughout the book. It emphasizes Ezekiel's humanity and mortality in contrast to the divine majesty of God. While later famously adopted by Jesus as a title for Himself (e.g., Daniel 7:13), here it serves to humble Ezekiel and remind him of his place as a mere mortal delivering a divine message.

The term "rebellious" (Hebrew: meri) strongly conveys a sense of obstinacy, defiance, and open revolt against legitimate authority. It paints a vivid picture of Israel's spiritual state, not just as erring, but as actively resisting God's commands and covenant.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 2:3 reminds us that God continues to speak truth, even to those who are resistant or rebellious. It highlights:

  • The ongoing nature of human sin and the need for repentance across generations, as seen in Jeremiah 7:25.
  • The challenging nature of delivering God's truth, especially when it confronts deeply ingrained rebellion.
  • God's unwavering faithfulness in sending messengers, even when their message is difficult to hear and their audience is unwelcoming. For us today, it underscores the importance of listening to God's word and responding in obedience, rather than persisting in rebellion.
Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Jeremiah 3:25

    We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.

  • 1 Samuel 8:7

    And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

  • 1 Samuel 8:8

    According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

  • Daniel 9:5

    We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:

  • Daniel 9:13

    As [it is] written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.

  • Deuteronomy 9:24

    Ye have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you.

  • Ezekiel 3:4

    And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.
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