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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Ezekiel 3:1

God said, "Mortal man, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Impenitence;   Thompson Chain Reference - Bible, the;   Leaders;   Ministers;   Religious;   Responsibility;   Rolls, of Prophecy;   Word;   Word of God;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Eating;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Preaching;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Book;   Eating;   Roll;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Water of Jealousy;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ezekiel;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Angel;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Writing;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Book;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Roll;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Bulrush;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Roll;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Writing;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Die;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He said to me: “Son of man, eat what you find here. Eat this scroll, then go and speak to the house of Israel.”
Hebrew Names Version
He said to me, Son of man, eat that which you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Yisra'el.
King James Version
Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.
English Standard Version
And he said to me, "Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel."
New American Standard Bible
Then He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel."
New Century Version
Then the Lord said to me, "Human, eat what you find; eat this scroll. Then go and speak to the people of Israel."
Amplified Bible
He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find [in this book]; eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of Israel."
World English Bible
He said to me, Son of man, eat that which you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Moreouer he saide vnto me, Sonne of man, eate that thou findest: eate this roule, and goe, and speake vnto the house of Israel.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel."
Legacy Standard Bible
Then He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel."
Berean Standard Bible
"Son of man," He said to me, "eat what you find here. Eat this scroll, then go and speak to the house of Israel."
Contemporary English Version
The Lord said, "Ezekiel, son of man, after you eat this scroll, go speak to the people of Israel."
Complete Jewish Bible
He said to me, "Human being, eat what you see in front of you; eat this scroll. Then go and speak to the house of Isra'el."
Darby Translation
And he said unto me, Son of man, eat what thou findest; eat this roll, and go, speak unto the house of Israel.
Easy-to-Read Version
God said to me, "Son of man, eat what you see. Eat this scroll, and then go tell these things to the family of Israel."
George Lamsa Translation
MOREOVER he said to me, Son of man, eat that which you find; eat this scroll, and go speak to the house of Israel.
Lexham English Bible
And he said to me, "Son of man, what you find, eat! Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel."
Literal Translation
And He said to me, Son of man, eat what you find. Eat this roll, and go speak to the house of Israel.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde he vnto me: thou sonne of ma, eate that, what so euer it be: Yee eate that closed boke, and go thy waye, and speake vnto the children off Israel.
American Standard Version
And he said unto me, Son of man, eat that which thou findest; eat this roll, and go, speak unto the house of Israel.
Bible in Basic English
And he said to me, Son of man, take this roll for your food, and go and say my words to the children of Israel.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And He said unto me: 'Son of man, eat that which thou findest; eat this roll, and go, speak unto the house of Israel.'
King James Version (1611)
Moreouer he said vnto me, Sonne of man, eate that thou findest: eate this roule, and goe, speake vnto the house of Israel.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
After this said he vnto me: Thou sonne of man, eate whatsoeuer thou findest, eate this roule, and go thy way and speake vnto the house of Israel.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he said to me, Son of Man, eat this volume, and go and speak to the children of Israel.
English Revised Version
And he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go, speak unto the house of Israel.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to me, Sone of man, ete thou what euer thing thou fyndist, ete thou this volym; and go thou, and speke to the sones of Israel.
Update Bible Version
And he said to me, Son of man, eat that which you find; eat this roll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.
Webster's Bible Translation
Moreover he said to me, Son of man, eat what thou findest; eat this roll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.
New English Translation
He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you see in front of you—eat this scroll—and then go and speak to the house of Israel."
New King James Version
Moreover He said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel."
New Living Translation
The voice said to me, "Son of man, eat what I am giving you—eat this scroll! Then go and give its message to the people of Israel."
New Life Bible
Then He said to me, "Son of man, eat what is in front of you. Eat this book, then go and speak to the people of Israel."
New Revised Standard
He said to me, O mortal, eat what is offered to you; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said he unto me, Son of man What thou findest, eat, - -eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to me: Son of man, eat all that thou shalt find: eat this book, and go speak to the children of Israel.
Revised Standard Version
And he said to me, "Son of man, eat what is offered to you; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel."
Young's Literal Translation
And He saith unto me, `Son of man, that which thou findest eat, eat this roll, and go, speak unto the house of Israel.'
THE MESSAGE
He told me, "Son of man, eat what you see. Eat this book. Then go and speak to the family of Israel."

Contextual Overview

1 God said, "Mortal man, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel." 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. 3 He said, "Mortal man, eat this scroll that I give you; fill your stomach with it." I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey. 4 Then God said, "Mortal man, go to the people of Israel and say to them whatever I tell you to say. 5 I am not sending you to a nation that speaks a difficult foreign language, but to the Israelites. 6 If I sent you to great nations that spoke difficult languages you didn't understand, they would listen to you. 7 But none of the people of Israel will be willing to listen; they will not even listen to me. All of them are stubborn and defiant. 8 Now I will make you as stubborn and as tough as they are. 9 I will make you as firm as a rock, as hard as a diamond; don't be afraid of those rebels." 10 God continued, "Mortal man, pay close attention and remember everything I tell you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

eat: This must have passed in a vision; but the meaning is plain: Receive ny word into thy mind, let it enter into they soul; digest it, let it be they nourishment, they meat and thy drink, to do the will of thy Father who is in heaven. Ezekiel 3:10, Ezekiel 2:8, Ezekiel 2:9, 1 Timothy 4:15, Revelation 10:9, Revelation 10:10

go: Ezekiel 3:11, Ezekiel 3:15, Ezekiel 3:17-21, Ezekiel 2:3, Jeremiah 24:1-7

Reciprocal: Ezra 6:1 - rolls Jeremiah 15:16 - I did Jeremiah 36:2 - a roll Ezekiel 2:1 - Son

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
The Lord God asked the woman, "Why did you do this?" She replied, "The snake tricked me into eating it."
Genesis 3:15
I will make you and the woman hate each other; her offspring and yours will always be enemies. Her offspring will crush your head, and you will bite her offspring's heel."
Ecclesiastes 4:10
If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it's just too bad, because there is no one to help him.
Isaiah 27:1
On that day the Lord will use his powerful and deadly sword to punish Leviathan, that wriggling, twisting dragon, and to kill the monster that lives in the sea.
Matthew 4:3
Then the Devil came to him and said, "If you are God's Son, order these stones to turn into bread."
Matthew 4:6
and said to him, "If you are God's Son, throw yourself down, for the scripture says, ‘God will give orders to his angels about you; they will hold you up with their hands, so that not even your feet will be hurt on the stones.'"
Matthew 4:9
"All this I will give you," the Devil said, "if you kneel down and worship me."
Matthew 10:16
"Listen! I am sending you out just like sheep to a pack of wolves. You must be as cautious as snakes and as gentle as doves.
2 Corinthians 11:14
Well, no wonder! Even Satan can disguise himself to look like an angel of light!
1 Peter 3:7
In the same way you husbands must live with your wives with the proper understanding that they are more delicate than you. Treat them with respect, because they also will receive, together with you, God's gift of life. Do this so that nothing will interfere with your prayers.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Moreover he said unto me,.... The same glorious Person who had been speaking all along in the preceding chapter; and who was seen by the prophet on a sapphire throne, and described in Ezekiel 1:26; the first fifteen verses of this chapter are by Junius and Tremellius made a part of the second:

son of man, eat that thou findest; not anything, but what he found in the hand sent unto him; wherefore the Targum is,

"son of man, receive what is given thee;''

which was the roll, as follows:

eat this roll; not literally, but figuratively, as John is bid to eat the little book, Revelation 10:9; that is, read it, meditate upon the things contained therein; and digest them, that he might be able to impart them, and make them known to others: it is explained in Ezekiel 3:10; by hearing and receiving the words of the prophecy; and so the Targum,

"receive what is written in this roll;''

this is to eat it; as great readers of books are called "helluones librorum", eaters of books, gluttons at them; read them greedily, deeply meditate upon what is in them, and thoroughly digest them; so it becomes all good men to eat the word, to mix it with faith, to receive it in the love of it, and constantly meditate on it, Psalms 1:1; and especially ministers of the Gospel, 1 Thessalonians 4:15;

and go, speak unto the house of Israel; or, as the Targum,

"go, and prophesy to the house of Israel;''

for by eating the roll, in the sense given, he was fit for it; and when ministers of the word have read, and thought of, and digested the truths of the Gospel themselves, then they are prepared to go and enter upon their work, and feed others with knowledge and understanding.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Before, there was a direct commission, now there is a symbolic action. John has the same vision (Revelation 10:8 ff), but there that is expressed, which is here left to be inferred, namely, that “as soon as he had eaten it his belly was bitter.” The sweetness in the mouth denoted that it was good to be a messenger of the Lord (compare the margin reference), but the bitterness which accompanied it, denoted that the commission brought with it much sorrow.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER III

This chapter contains more particular instructions to the

prophet. It begins with repeating his appointment to his

office, 1-3.

Ezekiel is then informed that his commission is, at this time,

to the house of Israel exclusively, 4-6;

that his countrymen would pay little regard to him, 7;

that he must persevere in his duty notwithstanding such great

discouragement; and he is endued with extraordinary courage and

intrepidity to enable him fearlessly to declare to a disobedient

and gainsaying people the whole counsel of God, 8-11.

The prophet is afterwards carried by the spirit that animated

the cherubim and wheels, and by which he received the gift of

prophecy, to a colony of his brethren in the neighbourhood,

where he remained seven days overwhelmed with astonishment,

12-15.

He is then warned of the awful importance of being faithful in

his office, 16-21;

commanded to go forth into the plain that he may have a visible

manifestation of the Divine Presence, 22;

and is again favoured with a vision of that most magnificent

set of symbols described in the first chapter, by which the

glorious majesty of the God of Israel was in some measure

represented, 23.

See also Isaiah 6:1-13; Daniel 10:5-19; and Revelation 1:10-16; Revelation 4:1-11,

for other manifestations of the Divine glory, in all of which

some of the imagery is very similar. The prophet receives

directions relative to his future conduct, 24-27.

NOTES ON CHAP. III

Verse Ezekiel 3:1. Eat this roll, and go speak — This must have passed in vision; but the meaning is plain. Receive my word-let it enter into thy Soul; digest it - let it be thy nourishment; and let it be thy meat and drink to do the will of thy Father who is in heaven.


 
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