For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel;
Ezekiel was not sent to foreigners of unfamiliar speech and hard language, but to the house of Israel, his own people whose words he could understand. His commission was to his own people rather than to foreign nations, to speak God's words to Israel rather than among people speaking a foreign tongue. The verse belongs to his appointment as watchman to hear the word at God's mouth and give warning from God. That appointment required him to warn the wicked to turn from his wicked way to save his life, and to warn the righteous not to sin. If the wicked was left unwarned he would die in his iniquity and his past righteousness would be forgotten, yet the watchman who gave warning would deliver his own soul, while bearing bloodguilt if he withheld it.
The verse sets up a contrast that had Ezekiel been sent to those foreign peoples they would have listened to him. But the house of Israel would not listen to him because they would not listen to God, being impudent and hardhearted. The difficulty of his mission was therefore not communication or a language barrier. Israel's refusal to listen came from hardheartedness and refusal to hear God and heed His message, a hard-hearted rejection of God rather than inability to understand.
The warning was directed to hard, unthankful, unsubdued hearts, whether or not they would heed it. The chapter containing the verse teaches complete dependence on God while recognizing that God works through human agents. It teaches God's servants to depend on God and faithfully carry out the work entrusted to them. The charge and its warning apply to people who firmly resist the Lord's messages, for God deals with His people now as He did in the past.
Ezekiel was not sent to foreigners of unfamiliar speech and hard language, but to the house of Israel, his own people whose words he could understand. His commission was to his own people rather than to foreign nations, to speak God's words to Israel rather than among people speaking a foreign tongue. The verse belongs to his appointment as watchman to hear the word at God's mouth and give warning from God. That appointment required him to warn the wicked to turn from his wicked way to save his life, and to warn the righteous not to sin. If the wicked was left unwarned he would die in his iniquity and his past righteousness would be forgotten, yet the watchman who gave warning would deliver his own soul, while bearing bloodguilt if he withheld it.
The verse sets up a contrast that had Ezekiel been sent to those foreign peoples they would have listened to him. But the house of Israel would not listen to him because they would not listen to God, being impudent and hardhearted. The difficulty of his mission was therefore not communication or a language barrier. Israel's refusal to listen came from hardheartedness and refusal to hear God and heed His message, a hard-hearted rejection of God rather than inability to understand.
The warning was directed to hard, unthankful, unsubdued hearts, whether or not they would heed it. The chapter containing the verse teaches complete dependence on God while recognizing that God works through human agents. It teaches God's servants to depend on God and faithfully carry out the work entrusted to them. The charge and its warning apply to people who firmly resist the Lord's messages, for God deals with His people now as He did in the past.