are children of a hard face, and of an
obstinate heart: and thou shalt say to them: Thus saith the Lord God:

2:5. If so be they at least will hear, and if so be they will forbear,
for they are a provoking house: and they shall know that there hath been
a prophet in the midst of them.

2:6. And thou, O son of man, fear not, neither be thou afraid of their
words: for thou art among unbelievers and destroyers, and thou dwellest
with scorpions. Fear not their words, neither be thou dismayed at their
looks: for they are a provoking house.

2:7. And thou shalt speak my words to them, if perhaps they will hear,
and forbear: for they provoke me to anger.

2:8. But thou, O son of man, hear all that I say to thee: and do not
thou provoke me, as that house provoketh me: open thy mouth, and eat
what I give thee.

2:9. And I looked, and behold, a hand was sent to me, wherein was a book
rolled up: and he spread it before me, and it was written within and
without: and there were written in it lamentations, and canticles, and
woe.

Ezechiel Chapter 3

The prophet eats the book, and receives further instructions: the office
of a watchman.

3:1. And he said to me: Son of man, eat all that thou shalt find: eat
this book, and go speak to the children of Israel.

Eat this book, and go speak to the children of Israel... By this eating
of the book was signified the diligent attention and affection with
which we are to receive, and embrace the word of God; and to let it, as
it were, sink into our interior by devout meditation.

3:2. And I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that book:

3:3. And he said to me: Son of man, thy belly shall eat, and thy bowels
shall be filled with this book, which I give thee, and I did eat it: and
it was sweet as honey in my mouth.

3:4. And he said to me: Son of man, go to the house of Israel, and thou
shalt speak my words to them.

3:5. For thou art not sent to a people of a profound speech, and of an
unknown tongue, but to the house of Israel:

3:6. Nor to many nations of a strange speech, and of an unknown tongue,
whose words thou canst not understand: and if thou wert sent to them,
they would hearken to thee.

3:7. But the house of Israel will not hearken to thee: because they will
not hearken to me: for all the house of Israel are of a hard forehead
and an obstinate heart.

3:8. Behold I have made thy face stronger than their faces: and thy
forehead harder than their foreheads.