Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;
Parallel translations
- WEB “Son of man, tell a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel;
- BSB “Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel
- NKJV “Son of man, pose a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel,
- NASB “Son of man, ask a riddle and present a parable to the house of Israel,
- NLT “Son of man, give this riddle, and tell this story to the people of Israel.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God tells Ezekiel to pose a riddle and parable to rebellious Israel. Vivid imagery is used to pierce dull hearts with truth.
Overview
The 'riddle' and 'parable' engage the imagination so the hearers will wrestle with its meaning. Such figurative teaching both reveals and conceals, rewarding the attentive and humbling the proud. Jesus would later teach in parables for similar reasons (Matthew 13).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ezek 20:49Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?
- Matt 13:35That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
- 1 Cor 13:12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
- Matt 13:13–14Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
- Ezek 24:3And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it:
- Hos 12:10I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.
- Mark 4:33–34And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
- 2 Sam 12:1–4And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
- Judg 9:8–15The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.
- Judg 14:12–19And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 17:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.