Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Ezekiel 2:6

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Ezekiel 2:6. Be not afraid of them — They will maltreat thee for thy message; but let not the apprehension of this induce thee to suppress it. Though they be rebels, fear them not; I will sustain and preserve thee.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Sent to a stubborn people (2:1-3:15)

In contrast to the glorious and almighty God, Ezekiel is addressed merely as ‘son of man’. This was a Hebrew phrase which here simply means ‘man’ (GNB: mortal man) and which is used consistently throughout the book when Ezekiel is addressed (2:1-2). God was going to send Ezekiel with his message to his rebellious people (3). Ezekiel was warned that he might suffer cruel treatment at the hands of his countrymen, but he had to persevere. Whether they heeded his words or not, they would at least know that he was God’s prophet, because the power of God would be at work in him (4-7).
Ezekiel was not to share the stubborn attitude of the people. He had to declare all that God told him to declare, even when the message was one of ‘lamentation, mourning and woe’. He had to eat the scroll containing God’s message, thereby signifying that he made God’s message his own before giving it to others (8-10). When, in obedience to God, Ezekiel ate the scroll, he unexpectedly found it a sweetly satisfying experience (3:1-3).
God reminded Ezekiel, however, that the exiles would not listen to him. Foreign nations might heed God’s word, but not Israel (4-7). God gave Ezekiel a special toughness, so that he would not give in when he came against the hardened opposition of Israel (8-11).
The vision now ended. Ezekiel felt God’s power upon him and heard the sound of God’s chariot-throne as it departed. God’s word within him was changing his attitude as he began to see Israel’s sin from God’s viewpoint. His heart became heavy as he returned to the camp (12-14). He waited seven days for God’s word to have its full effect on him before he began to pass it on to the exiles (15).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"And the children are impudent and stiffhearted: I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear (for they are a rebellious house), yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with thee, and thou must dwell among scorpions: nor be not dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house. And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear; for they are most rebellious."

"Thus saith the Lord Jehovah" Throughout Ezekiel this double name of God appears no less than 200 times.Ibid. This Biblical usage of two different names for God, namely, [~Adonay], and [~Yahweh] is a dramatic contradiction of the radical critics' notion that the several names of God indicate various "sources," a foolish allegation upon which is built by critical Biblical enemies their entire theory of such things as "The Documentary Thesis of the Pentateuch."

Ezekiel is not the only inspired writer who denies that whole evil hypothesis by his using a double name for God throughout his prophecy; for the patriarch Jacob himself used four different names for God in the blessing of his sons (Genesis 49:24-25).

We shall repeat briefly here a challenge which we have frequently made publicly and in our commentaries.

"If there had really ever been in existence a single one of all those `documents' such as the Elohist, the Jehovist, the Priestly, etc, which occupy such a prominent place in the imagination of Biblical enemies, and if the great Lawgiver Moses had access to any of them in his production of the Pentateuch, then whatever happened to them? Why have all the excavations of fragments of writings from all the nations of antiquity, and the discovery of monuments of many kinds from all the cities of the past - WHY has there never been found even a single reference to any of them, either in the writings or the monuments of all past history? If Bible enemies would be believed, let them prove that such documents existed. Until that is done, we believe that only a fool could believe in those evil theories. They say that Moses used them. If so, they existed; but if they did, what went with them? Why is there no record of them anywhere on earth except in the fertile imaginations of men seeking to discredit the word of God?"

"They shall know that there hath been a prophet among them" Eichrodt described what God was doing here.

"The true Lord of this people is causing his royal fight to rule to be proclaimed aloud in the very place where everyone thought it had died out and had been abolished. However, whatever resistance would flare up, nothing would be able to silence God's Word. It would prove itself stronger than all who might resist it."WE, p. 62.

"Briers… thorns… scorpions" "These expressions are metaphorical descriptions of Ezekiel's uncomfortable position as he prophesied to a people who would have preferred not to hear him."F. F. Bruce in the New Layman's Bible Commentary, p. 866.

"For they are most rebellious" Clearly, Ezekiel's mission was destined to be a very unpopular and difficult one; but expressions such as this were designed to discipline the prophet to expect evil and unappreciative responses from the people. It would be easier for him to bear all this if he would realize that such evil reactions by the Israelites were to be expected. Anything else would have been out of character for them. Such was the shameful status of God's Chosen People at that point in their history.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

Here God again commands his servant to break forth boldly, even if the people deny him all approach through their malice and wickedness. But because we often fail through terror; God arms his Prophet with impregnable confidence against the threats of the people, and then against all discourses of every sort. He brings forward no other reason than they are a rebellious house, or a rebellious and perverse nation. For we said, though at the first glance it might seem cold, yet it suffices to animate the servants of God to know that he commands nothing rashly, and when they acknowledge that God is pleased by their spending their breath upon the deaf, yet they do not cease to discharge their duty, although they fatigue themselves in vain as far as the world is concerned. But now when this thought is added, that God will take care of his own servants, it doubles their confidence and good spirits. Thus it happens, that all threats and terrors being despised, they discharge their duty boldly. For this reason he now says, thou, son of man, do not be afraid of them, nor be terrified at their words By “words,” I do not understand simply threats but calumnies by which we know the servants of God to be oppressed. For hypocrites rise up with great confidence and complain of the injury done to them, and then presumptuously take upon themselves the name of God, as at this time the Papists not only vomit out threats by which they disturb us, but haughtily boast themselves to be the Church, and confirm this by perpetual succession; then they say that the Church never is without the Holy Spirit, and hence it cannot happen that God should ever desert them. We see, therefore, that the domestic enemies of God not only use threats against his servants, but at the same time bring many false pretenses by which they load the true and faithful Prophets with envy and hatred. But, however such calumnies have some appearance of truth when its enemies unjustly press us, God orders us to proceed with unconquered fortitude. Be not afraid, therefore, he says, of either them, or their words And since the same phrase is repeated shortly afterwards, hence we infer that it has no common meaning. It is therefore worthy of observation, that God once, yea twice, pronounces that we ought not to fear their words who boast themselves to be the Church of God, and doubt not petulantly to render that sacred name a laughing-stock by their use of it. Since, therefore, God allows us to despise language of this kind, there is no reason why the Papists of this day should daunt us, when, with inflated cheeks, they thunder out the name of the Church and the Apostolic authority; for just honor is not attributed to God, unless every lofty thing in the world is compelled to obey him, so that the doctrine alone may shine forth which comes direct from the mouth of God.

Now he adjoins, because, (or although, for this causal particle may be resolved adversatively,) however rebellious they may be, and like thorns, however thou mayest dwell among scorpions, yet do not fear their words, and do not be broken down by their appearance, חתת , chetheth, signifies to be rubbed and broken, and it is here transferred to the mind, and is to be metaphorically understood for being broken in spirit, as if it had been said, be thou intrepid in receiving all threats and calumnies, because they are a rebellious house This passage teaches us that none are fit to undertake the prophetic office, unless those who are armed with fortitude and perseverance whatever may happen, so that they do not fear any threats, nor hesitate or vacillate when oppressed by unjust calamities. So Paul says, (2 Corinthians 6:8,) that he persevered through both evil report and good report, although he was unworthily slandered by the wicked. Whoever, therefore, wishes to prepare himself faithfully for undertaking the office of a teacher, should be endued with such constancy that he may oppose, as it were, an iron front to all calumnies and curses, threats and terrors.

We cannot doubt but that the Israelites were much enraged when they heard themselves called thorns and scorpions. But they ought to be thus stung, since if they had been attacking a mortal man only, they would conduct themselves far more petulantly. But when God pronounces them scorpions and thorns, and they see the Prophet performing commands of this kind fearlessly and without hesitation, they are necessarily impelled to either fury or silence. But when they have striven to the very last in their obstinacy and hardness, yet God at length causes them to yield through shame, because truth has prevailed, of which the Prophet was a minister endued with such great fortitude of mind. We also perceive from this passage, that the Prophets often spoke with great asperity when the wickedness of those with whom they had to deal required it: yet they were not hurried away into any excess, or carried forward with intemperance against their adversaries. But they could not in any other way vindicate their doctrine against the wicked, who, impelled by a diabolical fury, strove with even God himself. We must hold, therefore, that although they were cruel and severe in language, yet they breathed pure humanity from the heart. For our Prophet was not a barbarous man, who excited by indignation, vomited out coarse reproaches against his own people, but the Spirit of God dictated, as we see, what might seem too severe to soft and delicate ears.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 2

And he said unto me, Son of man ( Ezekiel 2:1 ),

Now this is a title that Ezekiel uses quite often. It is a title that Jesus uses in the New Testament concerning Himself. It is a title that was used here for Ezekiel, and quite often the Lord refers to Ezekiel as son of man.

He said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet ( Ezekiel 2:1 ),

Now you remember he fell on his face when he saw this whole thing, saw the throne of God and the brightness and the flashes and all. He fell on his face, and he heard a voice of one speaking. And the voice said, "Stand up."

and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me ( Ezekiel 2:1-2 ).

First he saw, now he is hearing this word of the Lord.

And he said unto me, Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: and their father's have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. For they are impudent children, they're stiffhearted. And I send you unto them; and you shall say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah God ( Ezekiel 2:3-4 ).

So, he is now commissioned by God to go, not to the house of Judah only, but to the whole children of Israel.

And they, whether they hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall they know that there has been a prophet among them ( Ezekiel 2:5 ).

I'm going to send you to speak in My name, and whether they listen or not doesn't matter. They are a rebellious people. When you're through, they're going to know that there was a prophet among them.

And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and you do dwell among scorpions: don't be afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house ( Ezekiel 2:6 ).

Now, he's telling him, "Hey, they're not apt to receive you. They're rebellious, they're impudent children, and they may take the thorns and pull the thorns across you. A method by which they would punish people is take these thorns and pull them across a person's body. They have some really heavy thorn bushes over there. But don't worry about that.

For you are to speak my words unto them, whether or not they listen. But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto you; Don't you be rebellious like that rebellious house: open your mouth, and eat that which I give to you. And when I looked, behold, there was a hand that was sent unto me; and, lo, [there was a scroll of a book within it, or] there was a roll of a scroll [actually] therein; And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was writing therein, which were lamentations, and mourning, woe ( Ezekiel 2:7-10 ).

So, the Lord says, "You know, now you're to eat what I set before you." And the Lord sets before him this scroll. And he opens it out and all of these woes and lamentations and mournings are written therein.

The eating of it, of course, is symbolic, even as in the book of John. John was given the scroll and he did eat it. And when it was in his mouth, sweet as honey, but in his belly it was bitter. Here he is told to eat the words. Now, you read of a person devouring a book. We say, "Oh, he really devoured that book." Now you don't mean that he roasted it and put ketchup on it and took his knife and fork and ate the thing. But he absorbed it, and even as your food becomes a part of your being, so words, ideas, thoughts can become a part of your being as you absorb them. They affect your life. So he is told to eat, to digest in a sense, or eat, devour the words that are here.

We are to feast on the Word of God that it might become a part of our lives. We're to have an appetite, a hunger for the Word of God. And as we partake or eat of God's Word, it is as it was to Ezekiel, sweet, it was good, the Word of God. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Ezekiel was not to fear the Israelites to whom he was to minister even though their reactions to him might be as uncomfortable as pricking thorns or stinging scorpions (cf. Joshua 1:9). Their words and actions would not be able to harm him even though they were a rebellious people (cf. Isaiah 6:9-10; Jeremiah 1:18-19).

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. The encouragement in Ezekiel’s ministry 2:6-7

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them,.... Of any of them, the greatest among them, their princes and nobles; who, by their grandeur and authority, their stern looks, and big words, might awe and terrify him; wherefore it follows:

neither be afraid of their words; of their calumnies, revilings, and reproaches, their scoffs and jeers, their menaces and threatenings:

though briers and thorns [be] with thee; that is, men comparable to such; wicked men are like to briers and thorns, 2 Samuel 23:6; are grieving, pricking, and distressing to good men, and are of no worth and value; are useless and unprofitable, and fit fuel for everlasting burning. The Targum is,

"for they are rebellious, and hard against thee;''

so Jarchi and Kimchi explain the first word, סרבים, translated "briers", as signifying rebellious and disobedient; though the former observes, that R. Donesh interprets it of a kind of thorns, of which there are twenty names, and this is one:

and thou dost dwell among scorpions; that is, as the Targum paraphrases it,

"thou dwellest in the midst of a people whose works are like to scorpions.''

Some interpret it, as Kimchi observes, of sharp thorns, of a thorny plant that grows in the form of a scorpion a; but scorpions here are a kind of serpents, subtle, venomous, and mischievous, which have stings in their tails; which, as Pliny says, they are continually thrusting out, and striking with, that they may lose no opportunity of doing hurt b; and fitly describe wicked men their subtlety and mischievous nature,

be not afraid of their words; as before; with which they are like briers, thorns, and scorpions, being very grievous, defamatory, and mischievous:

nor be dismayed at their looks: their frowning furious, and angry countenances; forbidding with which, as well as with their words, the prophet from prophesying unto them:

though, or "for",

they [be] a rebellious house; 2 Samuel 23:6- :.

a Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 21. c. 15. and l. 22. c. 16. b Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 25.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.   7 And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.   8 But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.   9 And when I looked, behold, a hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;   10 And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

      The prophet, having received his commission, here receives a charge with it. It is a post of honour to which he is advanced, but withal it is a post of service and work, and it is here required of him,

      I. That he be bold. He must act in the discharge of this trust with an undaunted courage and resolution, and not be either driven off from his work or made to drive on heavily, by the difficulties and oppositions that he would be likely to meet with in it: Son of man, be not afraid of them,Ezekiel 2:6; Ezekiel 2:6. Note, Those that will do any thing to purpose in the service of God must not be afraid of the face of man; for the fear of men will bring a snare, which will be very entangling to us in the work of God. 1. God tells the prophet what was the character of those to whom he sent him, as before, Ezekiel 2:3; Ezekiel 2:4. They are briers and thorns, scratching, and tearing, and vexing a man, which way soever he turns. They are continually teazing God's prophets and entangling them in their talk (Matthew 22:15); they are pricking briers and grieving thorns. The best of them is as a brier, and the most upright sharper than a thorn-hedge,Micah 7:4. Thorns and briers are the fruit of sin and the curse, and of equal date with the enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. Note, Wicked men, especially the persecutors of God's prophets and people, are as briers and thorns, which are hurtful to the ground, choke the good seed, hinder God's husbandry, are vexatious to his husbandmen; but they are nigh unto cursing and their end is to be burned. Yet God makes use of them sometimes for the correction and instruction of his people, as Gideon taught the men of Succoth with thorns and briers,Judges 8:16. Yet this is not the worst of their character: they are scorpions, venomous and malignant. The sting of a scorpion is a thousand times more hurtful than the scratch of a brier. Persecutors are a generation of vipers, are of the serpent's seed, and the poison of asps is under their tongue; and they are more subtle than any beast of the field. And, which makes the prophet's case the more grievous, he dwells among these scorpions; they are continually about him, so that he cannot be safe nor quiet in his own house; these bad men are his bad neighbours, who thereby have many opportunities, and will let slip none, to do him a mischief. God takes notice of this to the prophet, as Christ to the angel of one of the churches, Revelation 2:13. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is. Ezekiel had been, in vision, conversing with angels, but when he comes down from this mount he finds he dwells with scorpions. 2. He tells him what would be their conduct towards him, that they would do what they could to frighten him with their looks and their words; they would hector him and threaten him, would look scornfully and spitefully at him, and do their utmost to face him down and put him our of countenance, that they might drive him off from being a prophet, or at least from telling them of their faults and threatening them with the judgments of God; or, if they could not prevail in this, that they might vex and perplex him, and disturb the repose of his mind. They were now themselves in subjection, divested of all power, so that they had no other way of persecuting the prophet than with their looks and their words; and so they did persecute him. Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest,Jeremiah 3:5. If they had had more power, they would have done more mischief. They were now in captivity, smarting for their rebellion, and particularly their misusing God's prophets; and yet they are as bad as ever. Though thou brag a fool in a mortar, yet will not his foolishness depart from him; no providences will of themselves humble and reform men, unless the grace of God work with them. But, how malicious soever they were, Ezekiel must not be afraid of them nor dismayed, he must not be deterred from his work, or any part of it, nor be disheartened or dispirited in it by all their menaces, but go on in it with resolution and cheerfulness, assuring himself of safety under the divine protection.

      II. It is required that he be faithful, Ezekiel 2:7; Ezekiel 2:7. 1. He must be faithful to Christ who sent him: Thou shalt speak my words unto them. Note, As it is the honour of prophets that they are entrusted to speak God's words, so it is their duty to cleave closely to them and to speak nothing but what is agreeable to the words of God. Ministers must always speak according to that rule. 2. He must be faithful to the souls of those to whom he was sent: Whether they will hear of whether they will forbear, he must deliver his message to them as he received it. He must bring them to comply with the word, and not study to accommodate the word to their humours. "It is true they are most rebellious, they are rebellion itself; but, however, speak my words to them, whether they are pleasing or unpleasing." Note, The untractableness and unprofitableness of people under the word are no good reason why ministers should leave off preaching to them; nor must we decline an opportunity by which good may be done, though we have a great deal of reason to think no good will be done.

      III. It is required that he be observant of his instructions.

      1. Here is a general intimation what the instructions were that were given him, in the contents of the book which was spread before him,Ezekiel 2:10; Ezekiel 2:10. (1.) His instructions were large; for the roll was written within and without, on the inside and on the outside of the roll. It was as a sheet of paper written on all the four sides. One side contained their sins; the other side contained the judgments of God coming upon them for those sins. Note, God has a great deal to say to his people when they have degenerated and become rebellious. (2.) His instructions were melancholy. He was sent on a sad errand; the matter contained in the book was, lamentations, and mourning, and woe. The idea of his message is taken from the impression it would make upon the minds of those that carefully attended to it; it would set them a weeping and crying out, Woe! and, Alas! Both the discoveries of sin and the denunciations of wrath would be matter of lamentation. What could be more lamentable, more mournful, more woeful, than to see a holy happy people sunk into such a state of sin and misery as it appears by the prophecy of this book the Jews were at this time? Ezekiel echoes to Jeremiah's lamentations. Note, Though God is rich in mercy, yet impenitent sinners will find there are even among his words lamentations and woe.

      2. Here is an express charge given to the prophet to observe his instructions, both in receiving his message and delivering it. He is now to receive it and is here commanded, (1.) To attend diligently to it: son of man, hear what I say unto thee,Ezekiel 2:8; Ezekiel 2:8. Note, Those that speak from God to others must be sure to hear from God themselves and be obedient to his voice: "Be not thou rebellious; do not refuse to go on this errand, or to deliver it; do not fly off, as Jonah did, for fear of disobliging thy countrymen. They are a rebellious house, among whom thou livest; but be not thou like them, do not comply with them in any thing that is evil." If ministers, who are reprovers by office, connive at sin and indulge sinners, either show them not their wickedness or show them not the fatal consequences of it, for fear of displeasing them and getting their ill-will, they hereby make themselves partakers of their guilt and are rebellious like them. If people will not do their duty in reforming, yet let ministers do theirs in reproving, and they will have the comfort of it in the reflection, whatever the success be, as that prophet had, Isaiah 50:5. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious. Even the best of men, when their lot is cast in bad times and places, have need to be cautioned against the worst of crimes. (2.) To digest it in his own mind by an experience of the favour and power of it: "Do not only hear what I say unto thee, but open thy mouth, and eat that which I give thee. Prepare to eat it and eat it willingly and with an appetite." All God's children are content to be at their heavenly father's finding, and to eat whatever he gives them. That which God's hand reached out to Ezekiel was a roll of a book, or the volume of a book, a book or scroll of paper or parchment fully written and rolled up. Divine revelation comes to us from the hand of Christ; he gave it to the prophets, Revelation 1:1. When we look at the roll of thy book we must have an eye to the hand by which it is sent to us. He that brought it to the prophet spread it before him, that he might now swallow it with an implicit faith, but might fully understand the contents of it, and then receive it and make it his own. Be not rebellious, says Christ, but eat what I give thee. If we receive not what Christ in his ordinances and providences allots for us, if we submit not to his word and rod, and reconcile not ourselves to both, we shall be accounted rebellious.