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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>Ezekiel 2:5 And whether they listen or refuse to listen--for they are a rebellious house--they will know that a prophet has been among them.</title><link rel="canonical" href="https://biblehub.com/ezekiel/2-5.htm" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/new9.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><meta property="og:image" content="https://biblehub.com/visuals/16/26_Ezk_02_05.jpg" /><meta property="og:title" content="Ezekiel 2:5 - Ezekiel's Call" /><meta property="og:site_name" content="Bible Hub" /><meta property="og:description" content="And whether they listen or refuse to listen--for they are a rebellious house--they will know that a prophet has been among them." /><script 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id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="/ezekiel/2-4.htm" title="Ezekiel 2:4">◄</a> Ezekiel 2:5 <a href="/ezekiel/2-6.htm" title="Ezekiel 2:6">►</a></div></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse"> <a href="#study" class="clickchap2" title="Context and Study Bible"> Audio </a> <a href="#crossref" class="clickchap2" title="Cross References"> Crossref </a> <a href="#commentary" class="clickchap2" title="Commentary"> Comm </a> <a href="#lexicon" class="clickchap2" title="Lexicon"> Hebrew </a> </div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheadingv"><b>Verse</b><a href="/bsb/ezekiel/2.htm" class="clickchap" style="color:#001320" title="Click any translation name for full chapter">  (Click for Chapter)</a></div><div id="par"><span class="versiontext"><a href="/niv/ezekiel/2.htm">New International Version</a></span><br />And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nlt/ezekiel/2.htm">New Living Translation</a></span><br />And whether they listen or refuse to listen—for remember, they are rebels—at least they will know they have had a prophet among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/esv/ezekiel/2.htm">English Standard Version</a></span><br />And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/bsb/ezekiel/2.htm">Berean Standard Bible</a></span><br />And whether they listen or refuse to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/kjv/ezekiel/2.htm">King James Bible</a></span><br />And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they <i>are</i> a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nkjv/ezekiel/2.htm">New King James Version</a></span><br />As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they <i>are</i> a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb_/ezekiel/2.htm">New American Standard Bible</a></span><br />As for them, whether they listen or not—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb/ezekiel/2.htm">NASB 1995</a></span><br />&#8220As for them, whether they listen or not— for they are a rebellious house— they will know that a prophet has been among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nasb77/ezekiel/2.htm">NASB 1977 </a></span><br />“As for them, whether they listen or not—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsb/ezekiel/2.htm">Legacy Standard Bible </a></span><br />As for them, whether they listen or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/amp/ezekiel/2.htm">Amplified Bible</a></span><br />As for them, whether they listen or refuse [to listen]—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know <i>and</i> be fully aware of the fact that there has been a prophet among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/csb/ezekiel/2.htm">Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Whether they listen or refuse to listen —for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hcsb/ezekiel/2.htm">Holman Christian Standard Bible</a></span><br />Whether they listen or refuse to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.&#8221 <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/asv/ezekiel/2.htm">American Standard Version</a></span><br />And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house), yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cev/ezekiel/2.htm">Contemporary English Version</a></span><br />Those rebels may not even listen, but at least they will know that a prophet has come to them. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/erv/ezekiel/2.htm">English Revised Version</a></span><br />And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gwt/ezekiel/2.htm">GOD'S WORD® Translation</a></span><br />Whether these rebellious people listen or not, they will realize that a prophet has been among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/gnt/ezekiel/2.htm">Good News Translation</a></span><br />Whether those rebels listen to you or not, they will know that a prophet has been among them. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/isv/ezekiel/2.htm">International Standard Version</a></span><br />Whether this rebellious group listens to you or not, at least they'll realize that a prophet had appeared in their midst!<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/msb/ezekiel/2.htm">Majority Standard Bible</a></span><br />And whether they listen or refuse to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/net/ezekiel/2.htm">NET Bible</a></span><br />And as for them, whether they listen or not--for they are a rebellious house--they will know that a prophet has been among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nheb/ezekiel/2.htm">New Heart English Bible</a></span><br />They, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house), yet shall know that there has been a prophet among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/wbt/ezekiel/2.htm">Webster's Bible Translation</a></span><br />And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/web/ezekiel/2.htm">World English Bible</a></span><br />They, whether they will hear, or whether they will refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that there has been a prophet among them. <div class="vheading2"><b>Literal Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lsv/ezekiel/2.htm">Literal Standard Version</a></span><br />And they—whether they hear, or whether they refrain, for they [are] a house of rebellion—have known that a prophet has been in their midst.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/ylt/ezekiel/2.htm">Young's Literal Translation</a></span><br /> and they -- whether they hear, or whether they forbear, for a rebellious house they are -- have known that a prophet hath been in their midst.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/slt/ezekiel/2.htm">Smith's Literal Translation</a></span><br />And if they will hear, and if they will desist, (for they a house of contradiction,) and they shall know that a prophet was in the midst of them.<div class="vheading2"><b>Catholic Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/drb/ezekiel/2.htm">Douay-Rheims Bible</a></span><br />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. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/cpdv/ezekiel/2.htm">Catholic Public Domain Version</a></span><br />Perhaps it may be that they will hear, and perhaps they may be quieted. For they are a provoking house. And they shall know that there has been a prophet in their midst.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nabre/ezekiel/2.htm">New American Bible</a></span><br />And whether they hear or resist—they are a rebellious house—they shall know that a prophet has been among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/nrsvce/ezekiel/2.htm">New Revised Standard Version</a></span><br />Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them.<div class="vheading2"><b>Translations from Aramaic</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/lamsa/ezekiel/2.htm">Lamsa Bible</a></span><br />Perhaps they will listen and tremble (for they are a rebellious house), and they shall know that you are a prophet among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/hpbt/ezekiel/2.htm">Peshitta Holy Bible Translated</a></span><br />Perhaps they shall hear and they shall be moved, because they are a rebellious household, and they shall know that you are a Prophet in their midst<div class="vheading2"><b>OT Translations</b></div><span class="versiontext"><a href="/jps/ezekiel/2.htm">JPS Tanakh 1917</a></span><br />And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear--for they are a rebellious house--yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/sep/ezekiel/2.htm">Brenton Septuagint Translation</a></span><br />Whether then indeed they shall hear or fear. (for it is a provoking house,) yet they shall know that thou art a prophet in the midst of them.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/parallel/ezekiel/2-5.htm">Additional Translations ...</a></span></div></div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><a name="study" id="study"></a><div class="vheadingv"><b>Audio Bible</b></div><iframe width="100%" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vET3Gmwku4s?start=331" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="vheadingv"><b>Context</b></div><span class="hdg"><a href="/bsb/ezekiel/2.htm">Ezekiel's Call</a></span><br>…<span class="reftext">4</span>They are obstinate and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you are to say to them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’ <span class="reftext">5</span><span class="highl"><a href="/hebrew/518.htm" title="518: ’im- (Conj) -- If. A primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!">And whether</a> <a href="/hebrew/1992.htm" title="1992: wə·hêm·māh (Conj-w:: Pro-3mp) -- They. Or hemmah; masculine plural from halak; they.">they</a> <a href="/hebrew/8085.htm" title="8085: yiš·mə·‘ū (V-Qal-Imperf-3mp) -- To hear. A primitive root; to hear intelligently.">listen</a> <a href="/hebrew/518.htm" title="518: wə·’im- (Conj) -- If. A primitive particle; used very widely as demonstrative, lo!">or</a> <a href="/hebrew/2308.htm" title="2308: yeḥ·dā·lū (V-Qal-Imperf-3mp) -- To cease. A primitive root; properly, to be flabby, i.e. desist; be lacking or idle.">refuse to listen—</a> <a href="/hebrew/3588.htm" title="3588: kî (Conj) -- That, for, when. ">for</a> <a href="/hebrew/1992.htm" title="1992: hêm·māh (Pro-3mp) -- They. Or hemmah; masculine plural from halak; they.">they</a> <a href="/hebrew/4805.htm" title="4805: mə·rî (N-ms) -- Rebellion. From marah; bitterness, i.e. rebellion; concretely, bitter, or rebellious.">are a rebellious</a> <a href="/hebrew/1004.htm" title="1004: bêṯ (N-msc) -- A house. Probably from banah abbreviated; a house.">house—</a> <a href="/hebrew/3045.htm" title="3045: wə·yā·ḏə·‘ū (Conj-w:: V-Qal-ConjPerf-3cp) -- A primitive root; to know; used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially.">they will know</a> <a href="/hebrew/3588.htm" title="3588: kî (Conj) -- That, for, when. ">that</a> <a href="/hebrew/5030.htm" title="5030: nā·ḇî (N-ms) -- A spokesman, speaker, prophet. From naba'; a prophet or inspired man.">a prophet</a> <a href="/hebrew/1961.htm" title="1961: hā·yāh (V-Qal-Perf-3ms) -- To fall out, come to pass, become, be. A primitive root; to exist, i.e. Be or become, come to pass.">has been</a> <a href="/hebrew/8432.htm" title="8432: ḇə·ṯō·w·ḵām (Prep-b:: N-msc:: 3mp) -- Midst. From an unused root meaning to sever; a bisection, i.e. the centre.">among them.</a> </span><span class="reftext">6</span>But you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns surround you, and you dwell among scorpions. Do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their presence, though they are a rebellious house.…<div class="cred"><a href="//berean.bible">Berean Standard Bible</a> · <a href="//berean.bible/downloads.htm">Download</a></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="crossref" id="crossref"></a><div class="vheading">Cross References</div><div id="crf"><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/1-7.htm">Jeremiah 1:7-8</a></span><br />But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For to everyone I send you, you must go, and all that I command you, you must speak. / Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/6-9.htm">Isaiah 6:9-10</a></span><br />And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/10-14.htm">Matthew 10:14-15</a></span><br />And if anyone will not welcome you or heed your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. / Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/luke/10-10.htm">Luke 10:10-12</a></span><br />But if you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go into the streets and declare, / ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off as a testimony against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.’ / I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/john/12-37.htm">John 12:37-41</a></span><br />Although Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still did not believe in Him. / This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” / For this reason they were unable to believe. For again, Isaiah says: ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/acts/28-25.htm">Acts 28:25-27</a></span><br />They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit was right when He spoke to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: / ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.” / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/7-27.htm">Jeremiah 7:27</a></span><br />When you tell them all these things, they will not listen to you. When you call to them, they will not answer.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/30-9.htm">Isaiah 30:9-11</a></span><br />These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to obey the LORD’s instruction. / They say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions. / Get out of the way; turn off the road. Rid us of the Holy One of Israel!”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/matthew/13-14.htm">Matthew 13:14-15</a></span><br />In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. / For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/mark/6-11.htm">Mark 6:11</a></span><br />If anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that place, as a testimony against them.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_timothy/4-3.htm">2 Timothy 4:3-4</a></span><br />For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires. / So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/jeremiah/25-4.htm">Jeremiah 25:4-7</a></span><br />And the LORD has sent all His servants the prophets to you again and again, but you have not listened or inclined your ear to hear. / The prophets told you, ‘Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways and deeds, and you can dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. / Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.’ ...<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/isaiah/65-2.htm">Isaiah 65:2</a></span><br />All day long I have held out My hands to an obstinate people who walk in the wrong path, who follow their own imaginations,<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/romans/10-21.htm">Romans 10:21</a></span><br />But as for Israel he says: “All day long I have held out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="crossverse"><a href="/2_chronicles/36-15.htm">2 Chronicles 36:15-16</a></span><br />Again and again the LORD, the God of their fathers, sent word to His people through His messengers because He had compassion on them and on His dwelling place. / But they mocked the messengers of God, despising His words and scoffing at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against His people was stirred up beyond remedy.</div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="tsk" id="tsk"><div class="vheading">Treasury of Scripture</div><p class="tsk2">And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there has been a prophet among them.</p><p class="hdg">whether</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/ezekiel/1-7.htm">Ezekiel 1:7</a></b></br> And their feet <i>were</i> straight feet; and the sole of their feet <i>was</i> like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of burnished brass.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/ezekiel/3-10.htm">Ezekiel 3:10,11,27</a></b></br> Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears… </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/matthew/10-12.htm">Matthew 10:12-15</a></b></br> And when ye come into an house, salute it… </p><p class="hdg">yet</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/ezekiel/3-19.htm">Ezekiel 3:19</a></b></br> Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.</p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/ezekiel/33-9.htm">Ezekiel 33:9,33</a></b></br> Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul… </p><p class="tskverse"><b><a href="/luke/10-10.htm">Luke 10:10-12</a></b></br> But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, … </p><div class="vheading">Jump to Previous</div><a href="/lamentations/3-56.htm">Ear</a> <a href="/lamentations/4-17.htm">Fail</a> <a href="/jeremiah/44-5.htm">Forbear</a> <a href="/ezekiel/2-2.htm">Hear</a> <a href="/lamentations/2-7.htm">House</a> <a href="/ezekiel/1-16.htm">Midst</a> <a href="/lamentations/2-20.htm">Prophet</a> <a href="/ezekiel/2-3.htm">Rebellious</a> <a href="/lamentations/3-45.htm">Refuse</a> <a href="/ezekiel/2-3.htm">Uncontrolled</a> <a href="/jeremiah/51-62.htm">Whether</a><div class="vheading2">Jump to Next</div><a href="/ezekiel/2-7.htm">Ear</a> <a href="/ezekiel/2-7.htm">Fail</a> <a href="/ezekiel/2-7.htm">Forbear</a> <a href="/ezekiel/2-7.htm">Hear</a> <a href="/ezekiel/2-6.htm">House</a> <a href="/ezekiel/3-15.htm">Midst</a> <a href="/ezekiel/4-7.htm">Prophet</a> <a href="/ezekiel/2-6.htm">Rebellious</a> <a href="/ezekiel/2-7.htm">Refuse</a> <a href="/ezekiel/2-7.htm">Uncontrolled</a> <a href="/ezekiel/2-7.htm">Whether</a><div class="vheading2">Ezekiel 2</div><span class="reftext">1. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/ezekiel/2-1.htm">Ezekiel's commission</a></span><br><span class="reftext">6. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/ezekiel/2-6.htm">His instruction</a></span><br><span class="reftext">9. </span><span class="outlinetext"><a href="/ezekiel/2-9.htm">The scroll of his heavy prophecy</a></span><br></div></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><br /><br /> </div> </td></tr></table></div></div></div><div id="combox"><div class="padcom"><a name="commentary" id="commentary"></a><div class="vheading"><a href="/study/ezekiel/2.htm">Berean Study Bible</a></div><b>And whether they listen or refuse to listen</b><br />This phrase captures the duality of human response to divine messages. The Hebrew root for "listen" is "שָׁמַע" (shama), which implies not just hearing but also understanding and obeying. The phrase suggests that God's message, delivered through His prophet, demands a response. Historically, Israel often vacillated between obedience and rebellion, reflecting the broader human condition. This duality underscores the freedom God grants humanity to choose their path, yet it also highlights the accountability that comes with such freedom.<p><b>for they are a rebellious house</b><br />The term "rebellious" comes from the Hebrew "מֶרִי" (meri), indicating defiance and resistance against authority. In the context of Israel, this rebellion was not just against a human leader but against God Himself. The phrase "rebellious house" paints a picture of a people who have consistently turned away from God's commandments and covenant. Historically, this rebellion led to consequences such as exile and suffering, serving as a warning to future generations about the dangers of straying from God's path.<p><b>they will know</b><br />The Hebrew word for "know" is "יָדַע" (yada), which implies a deep, intimate understanding, often through experience. This knowledge is not merely intellectual but experiential, suggesting that through the presence and words of the prophet, the people will come to a realization of God's truth and authority. This phrase emphasizes the certainty of God's revelation and the inevitable recognition of His sovereignty, whether through blessing or judgment.<p><b>that a prophet has been among them</b><br />The role of a prophet in Israel was to be God's spokesperson, delivering His messages to the people. The presence of a prophet was a sign of God's ongoing relationship with His people, even in times of rebellion. The phrase underscores the importance of the prophetic office and the weight of responsibility carried by those called to it. Historically, prophets like Ezekiel were often met with resistance, yet their presence was a testament to God's enduring mercy and desire for His people to return to Him. This phrase serves as both a comfort and a warning: comfort in knowing God has not abandoned His people, and a warning of the consequences of ignoring His messengers.<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/ezekiel/2.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(5) <span class= "bld">Whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.</span>--Comp. <a href="/ezekiel/3-11.htm" title="And go, get you to them of the captivity, to the children of your people, and speak to them, and tell them, Thus said the Lord GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.">Ezekiel 3:11</a>. God's word remains the same whatever reception man may accord to it; it cannot return unto Him void, but must accomplish that which He pleases (<a href="/isaiah/55-11.htm" title="So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.">Isaiah 55:11</a>); just as the Apostles remained "unto God a sweet savour of Christ" alike "in them that are saved and in them that perish" (<a href="/context/2_corinthians/2-15.htm" title="For we are to God a sweet smell of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:">2Corinthians 2:15-16</a>). But while the mighty power of the Divine word must thus produce its effect, the character of the effect depends upon those to whom it comes; "to the one we are a savour of death unto death, and to the other the savour of life unto life." So it would be among the captives by the Chebar: some would be brought back to their allegiance to their God, and would constitute the remnant through whom He would bless His people and the world; and some, resisting the offered grace, would be thus made more obdurate than ever. In either case, they could not remain as before. Whether for gain or for loss, they should "know that there hath been a prophet among them," by the change his ministrations should produce among them. The offer of grace, imposing the responsibility of accepting or rejecting it, ever becomes thus "a great and terrible day of the Lord." (See <a href="/joel/2-31.htm" title="The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.">Joel 2:31</a>; <a href="/malachi/4-5.htm" title="Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:">Malachi 4:5</a>, compared with <a href="/matthew/17-12.htm" title="But I say to you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done to him whatever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.">Matthew 17:12</a>; <a href="/context/acts/2-16.htm" title="But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;">Acts 2:16-22</a>.) . . . <div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/ezekiel/2.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 5.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">Whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear,</span> etc. The latter word is used in the sense of "cease" or "desist," as in <a href="/1_corinthians/9-6.htm">1 Corinthians 9:6</a> and <a href="/ephesians/6-9.htm">Ephesians 6:9</a>. The same formula meets us in ver. 7; <a href="/ezekiel/3-11.htm">Ezekiel 3:11, 27</a>. The prophet is warned beforehand of the (at least) probable failure of his mission, wholly or in part. We note the parallelism of thought, though not language, in <a href="/2_corinthians/2-15.htm">2 Corinthians 2:15, 16</a>. Such, at all times, has been the condition of the prophet's work. The expectation is grounded upon the antecedent fact of their being a "rebellious people." There is the consolation that in the end, partly through the fulfilment of his words, partly, it may be, through the witness of their own conscience, they shall know that there has been a prophet among them (comp. <a href="/ezekiel/33-33.htm">Ezekiel 33:33</a>; <a href="/jeremiah/28-9.htm">Jeremiah 28:9</a>). We note that it is the first time that Ezekiel claims that name for himself. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="versiontext"><a href="/commentaries/ezekiel/2-5.htm">Parallel Commentaries ...</a></span><span class="p"><br /><br /><br /></span><a name="lexicon" id="lexicon"></a><div class="vheading">Hebrew</div><span class="word">And whether</span><br /><span class="heb">אִם־</span> <span class="translit">(’im-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunction<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_518.htm">Strong's 518: </a> </span><span class="str2">Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not</span><br /><br /><span class="word">they</span><br /><span class="heb">וְהֵ֙מָּה֙</span> <span class="translit">(wə·hêm·māh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1992.htm">Strong's 1992: </a> </span><span class="str2">They</span><br /><br /><span class="word">listen</span><br /><span class="heb">יִשְׁמְע֣וּ</span> <span class="translit">(yiš·mə·‘ū)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8085.htm">Strong's 8085: </a> </span><span class="str2">To hear intelligently</span><br /><br /><span class="word">or</span><br /><span class="heb">וְאִם־</span> <span class="translit">(wə·’im-)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Conjunction<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_518.htm">Strong's 518: </a> </span><span class="str2">Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not</span><br /><br /><span class="word">refuse to listen—</span><br /><span class="heb">יֶחְדָּ֔לוּ</span> <span class="translit">(yeḥ·dā·lū)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_2308.htm">Strong's 2308: </a> </span><span class="str2">To be flabby, desist, be lacking, idle</span><br /><br /><span class="word">for</span><br /><span class="heb">כִּ֛י</span> <span class="translit">(kî)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunction<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> </span><span class="str2">A relative conjunction</span><br /><br /><span class="word">they</span><br /><span class="heb">הֵ֑מָּה</span> <span class="translit">(hêm·māh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Pronoun - third person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1992.htm">Strong's 1992: </a> </span><span class="str2">They</span><br /><br /><span class="word">are a rebellious</span><br /><span class="heb">מְרִ֖י</span> <span class="translit">(mə·rî)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_4805.htm">Strong's 4805: </a> </span><span class="str2">Bitterness, rebellion, bitter, rebellious</span><br /><br /><span class="word">house—</span><br /><span class="heb">בֵּ֥ית</span> <span class="translit">(bêṯ)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular construct<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1004.htm">Strong's 1004: </a> </span><span class="str2">A house</span><br /><br /><span class="word">they will know</span><br /><span class="heb">וְיָ֣דְע֔וּ</span> <span class="translit">(wə·yā·ḏə·‘ū)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3045.htm">Strong's 3045: </a> </span><span class="str2">To know</span><br /><br /><span class="word">that</span><br /><span class="heb">כִּ֥י</span> <span class="translit">(kî)</span><br /><span class="parse">Conjunction<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_3588.htm">Strong's 3588: </a> </span><span class="str2">A relative conjunction</span><br /><br /><span class="word">a prophet</span><br /><span class="heb">נָבִ֖יא</span> <span class="translit">(nā·ḇî)</span><br /><span class="parse">Noun - masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_5030.htm">Strong's 5030: </a> </span><span class="str2">A spokesman, speaker, prophet</span><br /><br /><span class="word">has been</span><br /><span class="heb">הָיָ֥ה</span> <span class="translit">(hā·yāh)</span><br /><span class="parse">Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_1961.htm">Strong's 1961: </a> </span><span class="str2">To fall out, come to pass, become, be</span><br /><br /><span class="word">among them.</span><br /><span class="heb">בְתוֹכָֽם׃</span> <span class="translit">(ḇə·ṯō·w·ḵām)</span><br /><span class="parse">Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural<br /></span><span class="str"><a href="/hebrew/strongs_8432.htm">Strong's 8432: </a> </span><span class="str2">A bisection, the centre</span><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading">Links</div><a href="/niv/ezekiel/2-5.htm">Ezekiel 2:5 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/ezekiel/2-5.htm">Ezekiel 2:5 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/ezekiel/2-5.htm">Ezekiel 2:5 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/ezekiel/2-5.htm">Ezekiel 2:5 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/ezekiel/2-5.htm">Ezekiel 2:5 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="//bibleapps.com/ezekiel/2-5.htm">Ezekiel 2:5 BibleApps.com</a><br /><a href="//bibliaparalela.com/ezekiel/2-5.htm">Ezekiel 2:5 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="//holybible.com.cn/ezekiel/2-5.htm">Ezekiel 2:5 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="//saintebible.com/ezekiel/2-5.htm">Ezekiel 2:5 French Bible</a><br /><a href="/catholic/ezekiel/2-5.htm">Ezekiel 2:5 Catholic Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/ezekiel/2-5.htm">OT Prophets: Ezekiel 2:5 They whether they will hear or whether (Ezek. Eze Ezk) </a></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="/ezekiel/2-4.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Ezekiel 2:4"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Ezekiel 2:4" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="/ezekiel/2-6.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Ezekiel 2:6"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Ezekiel 2:6" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>