“Son of man,” He said to me, “eat what you find here. Eat this scroll, then go and speak to the house of Israel.”
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”
- KJV Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.
- NKJV Moreover He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”
- NASB Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”
- NLT 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.”
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 commands Ezekiel to eat the scroll and then go speak to Israel. He must consume God's word before he proclaims it.
Overview
Eating the scroll symbolizes thoroughly receiving and internalizing God's message. Only after taking the word in is Ezekiel sent to speak it to the house of Israel. True proclamation flows from a heart filled with God's word. This models how every preacher must first be nourished by the word he delivers.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Rev 10:9–10And I went to the angel and said, “Give me the small scroll.” “Take it and eat it,” he said. “It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.”
- Ezek 3:17–21“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, give them a warning from Me.
- Ezek 2:8–9And you, son of man, listen to what I tell you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I give you.”
- 1 Tim 4:15Be diligent in these matters and absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.
- Ezek 3:15I came to the exiles at Tel-abib who dwelt by the River Kebar. And for seven days I sat where they sat and remained there among them, overwhelmed.
- Jer 24:1–7After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, as well as the officials of Judah and the craftsmen and metalsmiths from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon, the LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the LORD.
- Ezek 2:3“Son of man,” He said to me, “I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me. To this very day they and their fathers have rebelled against Me.
- Ezek 3:10–11“Son of man,” He added, “listen carefully to all the words I speak to you, and take them to heart.
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 3:1 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.