Ezekiel 2:3

“And he said unto me, son of man, &c.] Now follow his mission and commission, and an account of the persons to whom he was sent: I send thee to the children of Israel; that were captives in Babylon, in Jehoiakim’s captivity; so Christ was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, (<401524>Matthew 15:24); to a rebellious nation, that hath rebelled against me; or, “rebellious Gentiles”,f44; not the nations of the earth, though Ezekiel did prophesy many things concerning them; but the Jews, the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin; or the twelve tribes of Israel, called Gentiles, because they joined with them in their idolatries; and, as Kimchi says, were divided in their evil works; some…”

“nation--rather, "nations"; the word usually applied to the heathen or Gentiles; here to the Jews, as being altogether heathenized with idolatries. So in Isa 1:10, they are named "Sodom" and "Gomorrah." They were now become "Lo-ammi," not the people of God (Hos 1:9).”

“Nation - literally, as in the margin - the word which usually distinguishes the pagan from God’s people. Here it expresses that Israel is cast off by God; and the plural is used to denote that the children of Israel are not even “one nation,” but scattered and disunited. Translate: “I send thee to the children of Israel, the rebellious nation that have rebelled against Me (they and their fathers have transgressed against Me, even to this very day), and the children impudent and stiff-hearted: I do send thee unto them.” return to 'Top of Page'”

“2:3 The Lord addressed Ezekiel regularly as son of man (Hebrew ben-’adam, “son of Adam”). This phrase reminded Ezekiel that he was profoundly different from the heavenly beings before whom he stood. In contrast to them, he was a child of the dust, a mere mortal. It also marked him out from the nation of Israel (literally the sons of Israel). They were a rebellious nation, true descendants of Jacob, whose defining characteristic was striving with God and man (Gen 32:28). As a son of Adam, Ezekiel represented a new community of faith, empowered by the Spirit to form a life of radical obedience. He was a sign of hope to the exiles. Jesus is the ultimate son of man who combines in himself the…”

“I send: Eze 3:4-8; Ch2 36:15, Ch2 36:16; Isa 6:8-10; Jer 1:7, Jer 7:2, Jer 25:3-7, Jer 26:2-6, Jer 36:2; Mar 12:2-5; Luk 24:47, Luk 24:48; Joh 20:21, Joh 20:22; Rom 10:15 a rebellious nation: Heb. rebellious nations, Ezek. 16:1-63, 20:1-49, 23:1-49 rebelled: Eze 20:18-30; Num 20:10, Num 32:13, Num 32:14; Deu 9:24, Deu 9:27; Sa1 8:7, Sa1 8:8; Kg2 17:17-20; Ezr 9:7; Neh 9:16-18, Neh 9:26, Neh 9:33-35; Psa 106:16-21, Psa 106:28, Psa 106:32-40; Jer 3:25; Jer 16:11, Jer 16:12, Jer 44:21; Dan 9:5-13; Act 7:51 Ezekiel 2:4”

“The calling of the prophet begins with the Lord describing to Ezekiel the people to whom He is sending him, in order to make him acquainted with the difficulties of his vocation, and to encourage him for the discharge of the same. Eze 2:3. And He said to me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to the rebels who have rebelled against me: they and their fathers have fallen away from me, even until this very day. Eze 2:4. And the children are of hard face, and hardened heart. To them I send thee; and to them shalt thou speak: Thus says the Lord Jehovah. Eze 2:5. And they - they may hear thee or fail (to do so); for they are a stiff-necked race - they shall experience that a…”