The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Ezekiel 3

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Nevi'im — the Prophets

Ezekiel chapter 3 — part of the Nevi'im — the Prophets in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “And He said unto me: 'Son of man, eat that which thou findest; eat this roll, and go, speak unto the house of Israel.'” — the complete text of all 27 verses is below, free to read online.

1And He said unto me: 'Son of man, eat that which thou findest; eat this roll, and go, speak unto the house of Israel.'

2So I opened my mouth, and He caused me to eat that roll.

3And He said unto me: 'Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee.' Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.

4And He said unto me: 'Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with My words unto them.

5For thou art not sent to a people of an unintelligible speech and of a slow tongue, but to the house of Israel;

6not to many peoples of an unintelligible speech and of a slow tongue, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, if I sent thee to them, they would hearken unto thee.

7But the house of Israel will not consent to hearken unto thee; for they consent not to hearken unto Me; for all the house of Israel are of a hard forehead and of a stiff heart.

8Behold, I have made thy face hard against their faces, and thy forehead hard against their foreheads.

9As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead; fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.'

10Moreover He said unto me: 'Son of man, all My words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thy heart, and hear with thine ears.

11And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them: Thus saith the L-rd GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.'

12Then a spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great rushing: 'Blessed be the glory of HaShem from His place';

13also the noise of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, even the noise of a great rushing.

14So a spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit, and the hand of HaShem was strong upon me.

15Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel-abib, that dwelt by the river Chebar, and I sat where they sat; and I remained there appalled among them seven days.

16And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of HaShem came unto me, saying:

17'Son of man, I have appointed thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; and when thou shalt hear a word at My mouth, thou shalt give them warning from Me.

18When I say unto the wicked: Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hand.

19Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

20Again, when a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, I will lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die; because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thy hand.

21Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and thou hast delivered thy soul.'

22And the hand of HaShem came there upon me; and He said unto me: 'Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there speak with thee.'

23Then I arose, and went forth into the plain; and, behold, the glory of HaShem stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face.

24Then spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet; and He spoke with me, and said unto me: 'Go, shut thyself within thy house.

25But thou, son of man, behold, bands shall be put upon thee, and thou shalt be bound with them, and thou shalt not go out among them;

26and I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover; for they are a rebellious house.

27But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them: Thus saith the L-rd GOD; he that heareth, let him hear, and he that forbeareth, let him forbear; for they are a rebellious house.

27 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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