Ezekiel 3 27

Ezekiel 3:27 kjv

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

Ezekiel 3:27 nkjv

But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.' He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

Ezekiel 3:27 niv

But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.' Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.

Ezekiel 3:27 esv

But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD.' He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.

Ezekiel 3:27 nlt

But when I give you a message, I will loosen your tongue and let you speak. Then you will say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says!' Those who choose to listen will listen, but those who refuse will refuse, for they are rebels.

Ezekiel 3 verses

Ezekiel 3 27 meaning

Ezekiel 3:27 conveys God's sovereign control over His prophet Ezekiel's message and the crucial human responsibility in receiving it. After a period of enforced silence, God promises to "open Ezekiel's mouth" at the divine timing, enabling him to deliver the unadulterated word of the Lord. The message itself comes with absolute divine authority. The verse then declares that the choice to hear or reject this message lies with the individual listener, underscoring their personal accountability, even as it realistically acknowledges that many in Israel, being a "rebellious house," will likely refuse to listen.

Ezekiel 3 27 Context

Ezekiel chapter 3 builds directly on the prophet's call in chapter 1 and his commissioning in chapter 2. Following a profound divine encounter and consuming a scroll filled with lamentations and woes (2:8-3:3), Ezekiel is told to go to the exiles in Tel-abib by the Chebar Canal. Initially, he enters a seven-day period of deep contemplation or astonishment (3:15). Subsequently, God imposes a period of muteness upon him (3:26), binding him with cords to his house, preventing him from going out freely or publicly addressing the people at will. Ezekiel 3:27 directly follows this command for temporary silence and enforced reclusion, signaling that his public ministry would only begin precisely when God willed it and under God's explicit empowerment. This verse specifically relates to the lifting of that silence for particular moments, for a specific divine purpose.

Historically, this takes place during the Babylonian exile after Jerusalem's first major siege and deportation in 597 BC. The exiles harbored false hopes of an imminent return to Judah, fed by false prophets. God commissions Ezekiel to counteract these delusions with harsh realities, highlighting Israel's ongoing idolatry and rebellion despite their present suffering, emphasizing personal accountability and the coming full destruction of Jerusalem. The "rebellious house" refers to the spiritual condition of the Israelite exiles, deeply entrenched in their disobedience against God, echoing a consistent theme throughout biblical history regarding God's people.

Ezekiel 3 27 Word analysis

• But when I speak with you (וּבְדַבְּרִי אֹתָךְ - ūḃəḏabərî ʾōṯāḵ): This phrase underscores the divine initiative and timing. God dictates when and if Ezekiel is to speak, emphasizing God's sovereign control over the prophetic word. The prophet is not acting on his own will or timing.
• I will open your mouth (אֶפְתַּח אֶת-פִּיךָ - ʾefṯaḥ ʾeṯ-pîḵā): The Hebrew word for "open" is pathach (פָּתַח). This is a pivotal command, directly contrasting the enforced muteness of verse 26. It signifies divine empowerment for prophecy. Ezekiel's ability to speak is entirely dependent on God. This act releases him from his temporary physical and prophetic restraint, enabling him to articulate the divine message. It implies not just the physical ability to speak, but the spiritual and intellectual capacity to convey God's truth.
• and you shall say to them (וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם - wəʾāmarəttā ʾălêhem): A direct command affirming Ezekiel's role as a divine messenger. He is to speak directly to them, indicating confrontation and a public declaration of God's word.
• ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ (כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה - kōh ʾāmar ʾăḏōnāy Yəhwih): This is the quintessential prophetic formula, signifying the direct, absolute authority of the message. Adonai Yahweh (Lord GOD) combines God's universal sovereignty (Adonai, Master) with His covenant relationship and redemptive name (Yahweh), indicating that the message is from the supreme ruler who is also in covenant with His people.
• He who hears, let him hear (הַשֹּׁמֵעַ יִשְׁמָע - haššōmēaʿ yišmāʿ): An emphatic, repeated phrase (imperative "let him hear"). It places the full responsibility of responding to the message squarely on the listener. Hearing implies not just physical auditory perception, but spiritual attentiveness and obedience. It highlights the choice given to each individual.
• and he who refuses to hear, let him refuse (וְהֶחָדֵל יֶחְדָּל - wəheḥāḏēl yeḥdāl): The Hebrew verb ḥāḏal (חָדַל) means to cease, refrain, or hold back, here signifying a deliberate refusal or rejection of the message. This too is an emphatic, repeated imperative. It emphasizes the active, conscious choice of rebellion against God's word. It acknowledges that such refusal will happen and that it too has consequences that rest with the individual.
• for they are a rebellious house (כִּי בֵּית-מֶרִי הֵמָּה - kî bêṯ-mərî hēmmâ): The Hebrew mərî (מֶרִי) means rebellion, disobedience, or obstinacy. This clause provides the reason and justification for the earlier warning about refusing to hear. It characterizes Israel's fundamental spiritual state – ingrained rebellion against God – which predisposes many to reject the prophet's message. It explains why a call to hearing would even need a corresponding warning of refusal.

• "But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth...": This grouping signifies that the prophet's entire ministry is subject to divine timing and enablement. He is not self-appointed, nor does he speak of his own accord; he is merely God's mouthpiece, activated by divine command.
• "'Thus says the Lord GOD.'": This declaration encapsulates the divine origin and absolute authority of Ezekiel's prophetic utterances. It establishes that his words are not merely human opinions but are God's direct message to His people.
• "He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses to hear, let him refuse;": This powerful couplet places the weight of responsibility for the message's reception on the individual. The effectiveness of prophecy isn't judged by the prophet's success in convincing, but by his faithfulness in delivering. The choice of faith or disobedience rests solely with the hearer. This is a recurring biblical motif.
• "for they are a rebellious house.": This concluding phrase provides the stark reality check for Ezekiel's ministry. It tempers any expectation of widespread acceptance and underscores the pervasive spiritual condition of Israel. God, however, still commands the message to be given, even to a resistant audience, because the message serves as both a warning and a testament.

Ezekiel 3 27 Bonus section

The concept of God "opening a prophet's mouth" or "closing" it is a powerful recurring motif in Ezekiel, often linked to significant turns in his ministry or God's unfolding judgment. Ezekiel 3:26 previously details God "binding" Ezekiel's tongue, enforcing muteness, and physical confinement (binding with cords) upon him. This verse, 3:27, clarifies that his muteness would not be absolute or permanent but rather selectively lifted by divine timing. He would speak only when God spoke with him, meaning for specific, divinely ordained pronouncements. This ensures that every word from Ezekiel would carry the weight of being direct revelation from the Almighty, distinct from personal opinions or emotions. This also connects to the idea of the "watchman" in verses 17-21, where the watchman is held accountable if he fails to speak when he should. Therefore, Ezekiel 3:27 reveals the watchman's dependency on God not just for the message, but for the very ability and permission to deliver it, highlighting God's meticulous governance over the prophetic office.

Ezekiel 3 27 Commentary

Ezekiel 3:27 is a profoundly significant verse in the prophet's commissioning. It underscores two crucial theological truths: divine sovereignty and human responsibility. After imposing a period of silence and confinement, God asserts full control over Ezekiel's voice and message. The "opening of the mouth" signifies that God will directly enable Ezekiel to speak His precise words, removing any human filters or interpretations. This guarantees the divine authority of the message – "Thus says the Lord GOD." The prophet is purely a conduit, not a source.

Secondly, the verse confronts the exiles with their unavoidable individual accountability. Despite their corporate identity as a "rebellious house," each person faces a clear, urgent choice: to listen with an open heart or to stubbornly reject the divine warning. God, through Ezekiel, makes no demands for outward compliance without first demanding an inward hearing. The reality that many will refuse to listen due to their ingrained rebellion does not absolve them, nor does it diminish the prophet's duty. Rather, it emphasizes the seriousness of their choice and their coming judgment. This verse therefore sets the stage for Ezekiel's arduous ministry, forewarning him of widespread rejection while reassuring him that the ultimate outcome rests with the listener's free will and God's sovereign judgment.