Commentary for Ezekiel 3:30

so I ate, and in my mouth, etc. I accepted it, and its words were in my mouth as sweet honey.

of an unfathomable language Who have a deep language, which you do not understand.

to the house of Israel But to the house of Israel I send you, whose language is like your language.

had I sent you to them, etc. [lit. had I not sent you to them, they would hearken to you.] This is an expression of an oath: Had I sent you to themas I live, if they would not hearken to you! [i.e.,] this is a transposed verse.

As shamir It is a kind of worm, to which they show a stone, and it [the stone] splits in front of it. [Gloss: Another explanation: Shumir is a term for a strong rock, and in Targum Yerushalmi it is used as the translation of צוּר, rock, and so too is the Targum of מִצוּר הָחֲלָמִישּׂ as מִשְּׂמִיר טִנָרָא “out of the flinty rock” (Deut. 8:15). Shamir also means the strongest iron. For just as the strongest rock is called shamir, so is the [element] iron called shamir because of its strength. [This does not appear in all editions.]

So said the Lord God this prophecy, to say it to you.

whether they will listen or they will forbear you say it to them.

And a wind lifted me up After He finished His words, He commanded the wind to carry me to the place where the people of the exile were.

touching Heb. מַשִּׁיקוֹת, an expression of kissing (נְשִּׁיקָה). They would knock one against the other, and a song was heard with their knocking, as he said above (1:24): “And I heard the sound of their wings.”

and I went, embittered because it was distasteful to me to chide the children of my people.

and the hand of the Lord became strong upon me His coercion and His strength to lead me against my will.

Tel Aviv To Tel Aviv, a place name.

bewildered Heb. מַשְּׁמִים, bewildered, a man silenced and unable to speak.

I have made you a lookout Why are you silent? Is it not as a lookoutone who is appointed over the towers to see to it that if armies come to the city, the shofar shall be sounded to warn the people to gather and strengthen themselves—that I have appointed you; to warn them to beware of retribution, so that I need not bring it upon them.

I shall place a stumbling block before him When he does his deeds in secret and displays himself as a righteous man, I place an overt sin before him in order to reveal his deeds, and when I bring evil upon him, they will not question Me.

and his righteous deeds...will not be remembered Our Rabbis explained this as referring to one who regrets his first oneshe regrets the first righteous deeds that he performed.

and behold, there the glory of the Lord we standing He went there before me, [thereby demonstrating] a trait of extreme humility, such as is not conventional for a flesh and blood person to practice: [As a rule,] the disciple awaits the Master, whereas here, the Master awaits the disciple.

confine yourself within your house to show them that they are not worthy of reproof.

behold they have placed ropes upon you Be imprisoned in your house as if you were bound with ropes. This is also how Jonathan paraphrases it: Behold the decree of My words upon you is like the binding of ropes, etc.

And when I speak with you When I shall wish to speak with you, I shall send you to them.

and you shall say to them, “So said the Lord God” all the words of My message.

He who listens will listen This is not part of the mission. Rather, the holy spirit told the prophet, “You tell them My message, and as for them, he who listens will listen, and he who forbears will forbear, for I know that not all of them will listen, for they are a rebellious house.”