Ezekiel 3:1
New International Version
And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people 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.”

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.”

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.”

King James Bible
Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto 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 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.”

NASB 1995
Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”

NASB 1977
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.”

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.”

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.”

Holman 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.”

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.

Contemporary English Version
The LORD said, "Ezekiel, son of man, after you eat this scroll, go speak to the people 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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The LORD said to me, "Son of man, eat what you find. Eat this scroll. Then speak to the people of Israel."

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

International Standard Version
Then he told me, "Son of Man, eat! Eat what you see —this scroll—and then go talk to the house of Israel."

Majority 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.?

NET Bible
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 Heart 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."

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.

World English Bible
He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And He says to me, “Son of man, eat that which you find, 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.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will say to me, Son of man, eat what thou shalt find; eat this roll, and go speak to the house of Israel.
Catholic Translations
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said to me: “Son of man, eat whatever you will find; eat this scroll, and, going forth, speak to the sons of Israel.”

New American Bible
He said to me: Son of man, eat what you find here: eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of Israel.

New Revised Standard Version
He said to me, O mortal, eat what is offered to you; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
MOREOVER he said to me, Son of man, eat that which you find; eat this scroll, and go speak to the house of Israel.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he said to me: “Son of man, eat the thing that you find. Eat this scroll and go speak with those of the household of the children of Israel”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 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.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he said to me, Son of Man, eat this volume, and go and speak to the children of Israel.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ezekiel Eats the Scroll
1“Son of man,” He said to me, “eat what you find here. Eat this scroll, then go and speak to the house of Israel.” 2So I opened my mouth, and He fed me the scroll.…

Cross References
Revelation 10:9-10
And 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.” / So I took the small scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach turned bitter.

Jeremiah 15:16
Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.

Revelation 10:8
Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the small scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel standing on the sea and on the land.”

Jeremiah 1:9
Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

Psalm 119:103
How sweet are Your words to my taste—sweeter than honey in my mouth!

John 6:53-58
So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you. / Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. / For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink. ...

Matthew 4:4
But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Revelation 2:17
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone inscribed with a new name, known only to the one who receives it.

John 4:32-34
But He told them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” / So the disciples asked one another, “Could someone have brought Him food?” / Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.

Hebrews 5:12-14
Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food! / For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness. / But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, / so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.

Isaiah 55:1-3
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost! / Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods. / Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant—My loving devotion promised to David.

Proverbs 9:5
“Come, eat my bread and drink the wine I have mixed.


Treasury of Scripture

Moreover he said to me, Son of man, eat that you find; eat this roll, and go speak to the house of Israel.

eat.

Ezekiel 3:10
Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.

Ezekiel 2:8,9
But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee…

1 Timothy 4:15
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

go

Ezekiel 3:11,15,17-21
And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear…

Ezekiel 2:3
And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

Jeremiah 24:1-7
The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon…

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Ezekiel 3
1. Ezekiel eats the scroll
4. God encourages him
15. God shows him the rule of prophecy
22. God shuts and opens the prophet's mouth














Son of man,
This title, used frequently in Ezekiel, emphasizes the prophet's humanity and mortality in contrast to God's divinity. It is a reminder of Ezekiel's role as a representative of humanity. The term "Son of Man" is also significant in the New Testament, where it is used by Jesus to refer to Himself, highlighting His role as the representative and redeemer of humanity.

He said to me,
The speaker is God, who directly communicates with Ezekiel. This divine communication underscores the authority and authenticity of the message Ezekiel is to deliver. It reflects the prophetic tradition where God speaks to His chosen messengers, as seen with other prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah.

eat what you find here.
This command symbolizes the internalization of God's message. Eating the scroll represents taking in God's words fully, making them a part of oneself. This act is similar to the experience of John in Revelation 10:9-10, where he is also instructed to eat a scroll, signifying the acceptance and proclamation of God's message.

Eat this scroll,
The scroll contains God's words, likely filled with lamentation and warning for Israel. The act of eating signifies the prophet's acceptance and understanding of the message. In ancient Near Eastern culture, scrolls were the primary medium for recording important texts, emphasizing the significance of the message Ezekiel is to deliver.

then go and speak to the house of Israel.
Ezekiel's mission is to deliver God's message to the Israelites, who are in exile in Babylon. This reflects the historical context of the Babylonian Exile, a period of great turmoil and reflection for the Jewish people. The phrase underscores the prophetic duty to convey God's words to His people, regardless of their receptiveness, as seen in the ministries of other prophets like Jeremiah.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezekiel
A prophet and priest during the Babylonian exile, called by God to deliver His messages to the Israelites.

2. God
The divine speaker who commands Ezekiel to eat the scroll, symbolizing the internalization of His words.

3. Scroll
Represents the word of God, containing messages of lamentation, mourning, and woe (as described in the previous chapter).

4. House of Israel
The intended audience of Ezekiel's prophetic messages, representing the people of Israel in exile.

5. Babylonian Exile
The historical context in which Ezekiel prophesied, a period of great trial and reflection for the Israelites.
Teaching Points
Internalization of God's Word
Just as Ezekiel was commanded to eat the scroll, believers are called to internalize Scripture, allowing it to transform their hearts and minds.

Obedience to God's Call
Ezekiel's willingness to consume the scroll and speak to Israel demonstrates the importance of obedience in fulfilling God's mission for our lives.

The Bittersweet Nature of God's Message
God's word can be both comforting and convicting, offering hope and warning. Believers must be prepared to embrace and share the full counsel of God.

Preparation for Ministry
Before speaking to others, one must first be nourished by God's word, ensuring that their message is rooted in divine truth.

Faithfulness in Difficult Circumstances
Ezekiel's mission to a rebellious people reminds us of the need for perseverance and faithfulness, even when faced with resistance or indifference.Verse 1. - Eat that thou findest, etc. The iteration of the command of Ezekiel 2:8 seems to imply, like the words, "be not thou rebellious," in that verse, some reluctance on the prophet's part. In substance the command was equivalent to that of Revelation 22:18, 19. The true prophet does not choose his message (Acts 4:20); his "meat" is to do his Lord's will (John 4:34), and he takes what he "finds" as given to him by that will.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of man,”
אָדָ֕ם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

He said
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to me,
אֵלַ֔י (’ê·lay)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“eat
אֱכ֑וֹל (’ĕ·ḵō·wl)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 398: To eat

what
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

you find here.
תִּמְצָ֖א (tim·ṣā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

Eat
אֱכוֹל֙ (’ĕ·ḵō·wl)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 398: To eat

this
הַזֹּ֔את (haz·zōṯ)
Article | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

scroll,
הַמְּגִלָּ֣ה (ham·mə·ḡil·lāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4039: A scroll

then go
וְלֵ֥ךְ (wə·lêḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

and speak
דַּבֵּ֖ר (dab·bêr)
Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the house
בֵּ֥ית (bêṯ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1004: A house

of Israel.”
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 3:1 He said to me Son of man (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 2:10
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