The Meaning of Ezekiel 2:6 Explained

Ezekiel 2:6

KJV: And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

YLT: And thou, son of man, thou art not afraid of them, yea, of their words thou art not afraid, for briers and thorns are with thee, and near scorpions thou art dwelling, of their words thou art not afraid, and of their faces thou art not affrighted, for they are a rebellious house,

Darby: And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, and be not afraid of their words; for briars and thorns are with thee, and thou dwellest among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, and be not dismayed at their faces; for they are a rebellious house.

ASV: And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And thou, son  of man,  be not afraid  of them, neither be afraid  of their words,  though briers  and thorns  [be] with thee, and thou dost dwell  among scorpions:  be not afraid  of their words,  nor be dismayed  at their looks,  though they [be] a rebellious  house. 

What does Ezekiel 2:6 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Ezekiel was not to fear the Israelites to whom he was to minister even though their reactions to him might be as uncomfortable as pricking thorns or stinging scorpions (cf. Joshua 1:9). Their words and actions would not be able to harm him even though they were a rebellious people (cf. Isaiah 6:9-10; Jeremiah 1:18-19).

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 2:6 mean?

And you son of man not do be afraid of them and of their words nor be afraid though briers and thorns [are] with you and among scorpions you dwell of their words do be afraid or by their looks dismayed a house rebellious they [are]
וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־ אָ֠דָם אַל־ תִּירָ֨א מֵהֶ֜ם וּמִדִּבְרֵיהֶ֣ם אַל־ תִּירָ֗א כִּ֣י סָרָבִ֤ים וְסַלּוֹנִים֙ אוֹתָ֔ךְ וְאֶל־ עַקְרַבִּ֖ים אַתָּ֣ה יוֹשֵׁ֑ב מִדִּבְרֵיהֶ֤ם תִּירָא֙ וּמִפְּנֵיהֶ֣ם תֵּחָ֔ת בֵּ֥ית מְרִ֖י הֵֽמָּה

וְאַתָּ֣ה  And  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
בֶן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אָ֠דָם  of  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
תִּירָ֨א  do  be  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
מֵהֶ֜ם  of  them 
Parse: Preposition-m, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.
וּמִדִּבְרֵיהֶ֣ם  and  of  their  words 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אַל־  nor 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
תִּירָ֗א  be  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
כִּ֣י  though 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
סָרָבִ֤ים  briers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: סָרָב  
Sense: brier, rebel.
וְסַלּוֹנִים֙  and  thorns  [are] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: סִלֹּון  
Sense: brier, thorn.
אוֹתָ֔ךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
וְאֶל־  and  among 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
עַקְרַבִּ֖ים  scorpions 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַקְרָב  
Sense: scorpion.
יוֹשֵׁ֑ב  dwell 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
מִדִּבְרֵיהֶ֤ם  of  their  words 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
תִּירָא֙  do  be  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
וּמִפְּנֵיהֶ֣ם  or  by  their  looks 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
תֵּחָ֔ת  dismayed 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: חָתַת  
Sense: to be shattered, be dismayed, be broken, be abolished, be afraid.
בֵּ֥ית  a  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
מְרִ֖י  rebellious 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְרִי  
Sense: rebellion.
הֵֽמָּה  they  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.