God specifically sent Ezekiel to address people who shared his language and cultural background but often resisted listening to divine counsel.
“nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. But I have sent you to them who should listen to you;” (Ezekiel 3:6) In this passage, the LORD clarifies to Ezekiel that his audience is not a distant nation whose language and dialect he would be unable to comprehend. Instead, God points out that the very people Ezekiel has been called to speak to are those who should be receptive to his prophetic message. Historically, Ezekiel was a priest and prophet ministering during the Babylonian exile (circa 593-571 BC), a period when many Israelites were taken from their homeland of Judah to live near the Kebar River in ancient Babylonia. This verse underscores that no language barrier should impede Ezekiel’s message from reaching these fellow exiles—a people who spoke the same Hebrew tongue and were intimately acquainted with the rituals and the covenant of the LORD.
“nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand.” (v.6) This statement suggests that God intends Ezekiel’s primary ministry for Israel, not for foreign nations whose language and culture would be unfamiliar to him (though the LORD would at times direct prophets to such other peoples, as seen with Jonah’s mission to Nineveh in the 8th century BC). By highlighting the clarity of speech, God removes any argument that the people could not hear or perceive His words. The refusal to listen, if it arises, will not be due to linguistic confusion but rather stubbornness of heart, which the broader context of Ezekiel indicates was a prevailing issue among the exiles. This emphasis reminds believers even today that understanding God’s message is often more a matter of open-hearted receptivity rather than strict intellectual or cultural capacity (see Matthew 13:14-15 for a New Testament parallel on spiritual hardness).
“But I have sent you to them who should listen to you;” (v.6) reflects God’s sovereign commissioning of Ezekiel to speak truth amidst a people who, in theory, would comprehend him. It points to the strong accountability that arises from knowledge—having an accessible message means the hearers cannot claim ignorance. This also sets the stage for Ezekiel’s role as a watchman, a key theme in the surrounding chapters, where he must warn Israel according to God’s directives (Ezekiel 3:17-21). Thus, the verse highlights God’s intention for His people to hear prophetically delivered truths and to respond in obedience, a principle ultimately fulfilled when Jesus the Messiah came with words of life to anyone willing to receive them (John 6:68).
Set to dark mode
Ezekiel 3:6 meaning
“nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. But I have sent you to them who should listen to you;” (Ezekiel 3:6) In this passage, the LORD clarifies to Ezekiel that his audience is not a distant nation whose language and dialect he would be unable to comprehend. Instead, God points out that the very people Ezekiel has been called to speak to are those who should be receptive to his prophetic message. Historically, Ezekiel was a priest and prophet ministering during the Babylonian exile (circa 593-571 BC), a period when many Israelites were taken from their homeland of Judah to live near the Kebar River in ancient Babylonia. This verse underscores that no language barrier should impede Ezekiel’s message from reaching these fellow exiles—a people who spoke the same Hebrew tongue and were intimately acquainted with the rituals and the covenant of the LORD.
“nor to many peoples of unintelligible speech or difficult language, whose words you cannot understand.” (v.6) This statement suggests that God intends Ezekiel’s primary ministry for Israel, not for foreign nations whose language and culture would be unfamiliar to him (though the LORD would at times direct prophets to such other peoples, as seen with Jonah’s mission to Nineveh in the 8th century BC). By highlighting the clarity of speech, God removes any argument that the people could not hear or perceive His words. The refusal to listen, if it arises, will not be due to linguistic confusion but rather stubbornness of heart, which the broader context of Ezekiel indicates was a prevailing issue among the exiles. This emphasis reminds believers even today that understanding God’s message is often more a matter of open-hearted receptivity rather than strict intellectual or cultural capacity (see Matthew 13:14-15 for a New Testament parallel on spiritual hardness).
“But I have sent you to them who should listen to you;” (v.6) reflects God’s sovereign commissioning of Ezekiel to speak truth amidst a people who, in theory, would comprehend him. It points to the strong accountability that arises from knowledge—having an accessible message means the hearers cannot claim ignorance. This also sets the stage for Ezekiel’s role as a watchman, a key theme in the surrounding chapters, where he must warn Israel according to God’s directives (Ezekiel 3:17-21). Thus, the verse highlights God’s intention for His people to hear prophetically delivered truths and to respond in obedience, a principle ultimately fulfilled when Jesus the Messiah came with words of life to anyone willing to receive them (John 6:68).