5. You aren’t being sent to a people whose language and speech are difficult and obscure but to the house of Israel.
6. No, not to many peoples who speak difficult and obscure languages, whose words you wouldn’t understand. If I did send you to them, they would listen to you.
7. But the house of Israel—they will refuse to listen to you because they refuse to listen to me. The whole house of Israel is hardheaded and hard-hearted too.
8. I’ve now hardened your face so that you can meet them head-on.
9. I’ve made your forehead like a diamond, harder than stone. Don’t be afraid of them or shrink away from them, because they are a household of rebels.
10. He said to me: Human one, listen closely, and take to heart every word I say to you.
11. Then go to the exiles, to your people’s children. Whether they listen or not, speak to them and say: The Lord God proclaims!
12. Then a wind lifted me up, and I heard behind me a great quaking sound from his place. Blessed is the Lord’s glory!
13. The sound was the creatures’ wings beating against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them; it was a great rumbling noise.
14. Then the wind picked me up and took me away. With the Lord’s power pressing down against me I went away, bitter and deeply angry,
15. and I came to the exiles who lived beside the Chebar River at Tel-abib. I stayed there among them for seven desolate days.
16. At the end of the seven days, the Lord’s word came to me:
17. Human one, I’ve made you a lookout for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from me, deliver my warning.