Ezekiel receives his mission
1 He said to me, “Son of man, stand up for I am about to speak to you.”
2 A spirit came upon me as he spoke and kept me standing and then I heard him speak,
3 “Son of man, I am sending you to the Is raelites, to a people who have rebelled against me; they and their fathers have sinned against me to this day.
4 Now I am sending you to these defiant and stubborn people to tell them ‘this is the Lord Yah weh’s word.’
5 So, whether they listen or not this set of rebels will know there is a prophet among them.
6 But you, son of man, do not fear them or what they say, for they will be as thorns for you and you will be sitting on a nest of scorpions. Don’t be afraid of their words when you are facing this set of rebels.
7 Tell them what I say whether they choose to listen or not, for they are rebels.
8 Listen then, son of man, to what I say and don’t be a rebel among rebels. Open your mouth and take in what I’m about to say.”
9 I looked and saw a hand stretched out in front of me holding a scroll.
10 He unrolled it before me; on both sides were written lamentations, groan ings and woes.