What does Ezechiel Chapter 2 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Prostration and the entering spirit precede a commission. Fear is forbidden while audience response remains conditional. A book written on both sides is presented with an eating command.

Chapter breakdown

Ezechiel 2 identifies the preceding vision as the likeness of the Lord's glory. Ezechiel falls on his face and hears a voice commanding him, as son of man, to stand. After the voice speaks, the spirit enters and sets him on his feet. He is sent to Israel, a rebellious people whose fathers and descendants have transgressed the covenant to this day.

Hard faces and obstinate hearts accompany the command to say Thus saith the Lord God. Whether they hear or forbear, they will know a prophet has been among them. He must not fear their words or be dismayed at their looks; unbelievers, destroyers and scorpions describe his surroundings. He must speak the Lord's words, with the possibility that they hear and forbear. These instructions do not say resistance is guaranteed or define a universal ministry success metric.

Ezechiel must hear the instructions and avoid provoking the Lord as the house does. He is told to open his mouth and eat what is given. A sent hand holds a rolled book and spreads it before him, written within and without with lamentations, canticles and woe. The manuscript's extent, an entirely covered surface and somber character of every canticle are not specified. Eating is commanded here but not yet narrated.

The story inside

Opening: Prostration and the entering spirit precede a commission. Development: Fear is forbidden while audience response remains conditional. Conclusion: A book written on both sides is presented with an eating command.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Prostration and the entering spirit precede a commission.
2
Fear is forbidden while audience response remains conditional.
3
A book written on both sides is presented with an eating command.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 91397–91403
2:1. This was the vision of the likeness of the glory of the Lord, and I saw, and I fell upon my face, and I heard the voice of one that spoke, and he said to me: Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak to thee. 2:2. And the spirit entered into me after that he spoke to me, and he set me upon my feet: and I heard him speaking to me,
Lines 91409–91415
2:4. And they to whom I send thee are children of a hard face, and of an obstinate heart: and thou shalt say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: 2:5. If so be they at least will hear, and if so be they will forbear, for they are a provoking house: and they shall know that there hath been a prophet in the midst of them.
Lines 91429–91432
2:9. And I looked, and behold, a hand was sent to me, wherein was a book rolled up: and he spread it before me, and it was written within and without: and there were written in it lamentations, and canticles, and woe.