Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezekiel 2

Son of man. —The voice that now came to Ezekiel was articulate, and spoke to him in words which he could understand. It is not said who it was that spoke, but the “He” in connection with the vision before him could be none other than the Most High, whose glory that vision was given to reveal. The phrase “son of man” is common enough throughout the Scriptures, as meaning simply man, but is never used in an address to a prophet, except to Ezekiel and Daniel. To Daniel it is used only once (Daniel 8:17), while to Ezekiel it is used above ninety times.

The reason is, doubtless, that since he was the prophet of the captivity he was addressed in the common terms of the language where he lived. “Son of man” for “man” is so common in the Aramaic languages that it is even used of Adam himself in the Syriac version of 1 Corinthians 15:45–47. The address to Ezekiel here as “man,” just as under similar circumstances to Daniel when he had fallen upon his face through awe of the supernatural presence (Daniel 8:17), is doubtless in compassion to his weakness. And then comes the strengthening command, Stand upon your feet, that he may be able to receive the communication God is about to make to him.

And the spirit entered into me.— Divine strength is always granted to the prophets when they are overcome in this way by the glory of their visions. (Daniel 8:18; Daniel 10:15–19; Revelation 1:17.) There can be no doubt, therefore, that the spirit here is the Spirit of God, and not merely the prophet’s own human vigor and courage; and this is made even clearer in Ezekiel 3:24.

It was this which “set him upon his feet,” and enabled him in the midst of such surroundings of awe to receive the word spoken to him; for while the revelation by vision still remained before him , he was now to be instructed also by the clearer revelation of the direct voice from heaven. We are not to think of any physical force exerted upon the prophet, but of all these things as still taking place in vision.

I send thee to the children of Israel. Here the distinct commission of the prophet properly begins. After the captivity of the ten tribes, the two forming the kingdom of Judah, with such remnants of the others as had been induced by Hezekiah and others to cast in their lot with them, are constantly spoken of as “Israel” . The continuity of the whole nation was considered to be preserved in the remnant; consequently, this same mode of expression passed into the New Testament . It is only when there is a special occasion to distinguish between the two parts of the nation, as in Ezekiel 4:5-6, that the name Israel is used in contrast with that of Judah.

A rebellious nation. This is literally, as noted in the margin, rebellious nations. The word used is the same as that commonly employed distinctively for the heathen, so the children of Israel are here described as “rebellious heathen.” No epithet could impress more forcibly upon the mind of an Israelite the state of antagonism in which he had placed himself against his God (compare the “Lo-ammi” of Hosea 1:9, and also the discourse of our Lord in John 8:39). Yet, the God from whom they had turned away was even now sending His prophet to them, seeking to win them back to His love and obedience, in true correspondence with the vision of the bow in the cloud surrounding the majesty on high.

The following verses expand, with a variety of epithets and repetitions, on the hard-heartedness and perverseness of the people. This had always been the character of the Israelites from the time of Moses (Exodus 33:3; Exodus 33:5, and other passages), and it continued to be so until the end ; so entirely without ground is the allegation that they were chosen as a people particularly inclined to what is right. It is to such a people that Ezekiel is to be sent, and he needed to be prepared and encouraged for his work.

Impudent children. —Literally, as in margin, hard of face. The epithet is repeated in Ezekiel 3:7, and it is with reference to this that in Ezekiel 3:7-8 the prophet’s face is to be made strong, and his forehead harder than flint. “The Lord God” is in the original “the Lord Jehovah,” the second name taking the pointing of, and being translated “God,” because of the word “Lord” preceding.

Whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear. — Compare to Ezekiel 3:11. God’s word remains the same whatever reception man may accord to it; it cannot return unto Him void, but must accomplish that which He pleases (Isaiah 55:11); just as the Apostles remained unto God a sweet savour of Christ alike in them that are saved and in them that perish (2 Corinthians 2:15–16).

But while the mighty power of the Divine word must thus produce its effect, the character of the effect depends upon those to whom it comes; to the one we are a savour of death unto death, and to the other the savour of life unto life. So it would be among the captives by the Chebar: some would be brought back to their allegiance to their God, and would constitute the remnant through whom He would bless His people and the world; and some, resisting the offered grace, would be thus made more obdurate than ever.

In either case, they could not remain as before. Whether for gain or for loss, they would know that there hath been a prophet among them, by the change his ministrations would produce among them. The offer of grace, imposing the responsibility of accepting or rejecting it, thus always becomes a great and terrible day of the Lord. (Malachi 4:5, compared with Matthew 17:12; Acts 2:16–22.)

A rebellious house. — Literally: a house of rebellion. This phrase, used in Ezekiel about eleven times, seems to be more than a simple epithet; it is a significant substitute for the name in which they gloried. Instead of house of Israel, the prince of God, they had come to be the house of rebellion.