The Meaning of Ezekiel 2:4 Explained

Ezekiel 2:4

KJV: For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.

YLT: And the sons are brazen-faced and hard-hearted to whom I am sending thee, and thou hast said unto them: Thus said the Lord Jehovah:

Darby: and these children are impudent and hard-hearted: I am sending thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah.

ASV: And the children are impudent and stiffhearted: I do sent thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For [they are] impudent  children  and stiffhearted.  I do send  thee unto them; and thou shalt say  unto them, Thus saith  the Lord  GOD. 

What does Ezekiel 2:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The people to whom God was sending Ezekiel were stubborn and obstinate (lit. hard-faced and hard-hearted), as children often are. The prophet was to announce to them what their master Yahweh said. Ezekiel used the title "Lord God" (Heb. "adonay Yahweh, Sovereign Yahweh) 217 times. It emphasizes both God"s sovereign authority and His covenant-keeping faithfulness. [1]

Context Summary

Ezekiel 2:1-10 - A Hard Commission
The people were impudent and stiff-hearted; their words as briars and thorns; their speech like the poison of scorpions; but the prophet was commissioned to go on with his divine mission, undeterred by their opposition. Under such circumstances we must be sure of a Thus saith the Lord. But no man can stand against the continual opposition of his fellows, unless his strength is renewed, as Ezekiel's was, by eating that which God gives. Open thy mouth, and eat that which I give thee, Ezekiel 2:8. Let us specially consider the divine denunciations of sin, that our words may be sharper than any two-edged sword. Nothing makes us so strong as feeding perpetually upon the roll of the Book, and especially on the Word within the words. We must eat the flesh and drink in the life of the Son of man, if we can deal aright with the needs of the sons of men. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 2

1  Ezekiel's commission
6  His instruction
9  The scroll of his heavy prophecy

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 2:4 mean?

For [they are] children stubborn impudent and strong of heart I am sending you to them and you shall say to them thus says the Lord GOD
וְהַבָּנִ֗ים קְשֵׁ֤י פָנִים֙ וְחִזְקֵי־ לֵ֔ב אֲנִ֛י שׁוֹלֵ֥חַ אוֹתְךָ֖ אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהֹוִֽה

וְהַבָּנִ֗ים  For  [they  are]  children 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
קְשֵׁ֤י  stubborn 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: קָשֶׁה  
Sense: hard, cruel, severe, obstinate.
פָנִים֙  impudent 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
וְחִזְקֵי־  and  strong 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: חָזָק  
Sense: strong, stout, mighty.
לֵ֔ב  of  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
שׁוֹלֵ֥חַ  am  sending 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣  and  you  shall  say 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
כֹּ֥ה  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֖ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֲדֹנָ֥י  the  Lord 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
יְהֹוִֽה  GOD 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.