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Ezekiel 3:8

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Ezekiel 3:8 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Behold, I have made thy face hard against their faces, and thy forehead hard against their foreheads.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Behold, I have made thy face hard against their faces, and thy forehead hard against their foreheads.
Ezekiel 3:8 — American Standard Version

Context — Ezekiel 3

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
5For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of a hard language, but to the house of Israel;
6not to many peoples of a strange speech and of a hard language, 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 hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are of 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, though 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 Lord Jehovah; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.
← Ezekiel 3:7Ezekiel 3:9 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Behold, I have made the, face strong against their faces, &c.] Not that the prophet should have the same sort of impudence and confidence they had; but that God would “give”f61 him such a face, as it is in the Hebrew text, such spirit and courage, that he should neither be ashamed of the words of the Lord, nor afraid to speak them to this people; so that he should be a match for them; they should not be able to outface him, or look him out of countenance; he should behave with an undaunted spirit, and with great intrepidity, amidst all opposition made to him: the Lord fits his ministers for the people he sends them to, and gives them courage and strength proportionate to the opposition they…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Ezekiel means one "strengthened by God." Such he was in godly firmness, in spite of his people's opposition, according to the divine command to the priest tribe to which he belonged (Deu 33:9).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“I have made ... thy forehead strong - I have given thee a strength superior to theirs; a metaphor taken from horned animals. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“I have - I have given thee, constancy, and manly carriage. The more impudent wicked people are in their opposition to religion, the more openly and resolutely should God's people appear in the practice and defence of it. Ezekiel 3:11”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“3:8-9 God would make Ezekiel as thoroughly persistent in presenting God’s message as the people were in rejecting it.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Exo 4:15, Exo 4:16, Exo 11:4-8; Kg1 21:20; Isa 50:7; Jer 1:18, Jer 15:20; Mic 3:8; Act 7:51-56; Heb 11:27, Heb 11:32-37 Ezekiel 3:9”
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Related study paths

Read Ezekiel 3 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification