But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel isn't just being told to speak; God is stating He will open his mouth, implying it's a divine enablement, not just a permission. The closing statement, "He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse," is a profound declaration of God's sovereignty over human hearts and a confirmation that the prophet’s role is to deliver the message, regardless of the reception, because the house is fundamentally rebellious.
But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God has just been explaining to Ezekiel the overwhelming resistance he will face as a prophet to the rebellious Israelites, even describing him as being bound until the fall of Jerusalem. Now, God promises that when He speaks to Ezekiel, He will enable him to speak, and to declare His word with authority, leaving the people to choose whether to listen or refuse, knowing they are a stubborn house.
God is about to speak through Ezekiel, but not just any words. What makes these messages so significant, and why must Ezekiel deliver them in a specific way?
God emphatically instructs Ezekiel to preface his messages with "Thus says the Lord GOD." This isn't just a formality; it's a divine stamp of approval and authority. Every word that follows comes directly from the Creator of the universe, carrying His power, His judgment, and His sovereign will. This phrase appears over eighty times in Ezekiel's prophecy, underscoring that the prophet is merely a vessel for God's unadulterated message. It’s a stark reminder that when God speaks, it demands attention and carries eternal weight.
Ezekiel's message is blunt: 'He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse.' What does this stark declaration reveal about God and the people He addresses?
This phrase, 'He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse,' is a profound statement about human responsibility. God isn't forcing obedience. Instead, He is presenting His truth and leaving the choice with the individual. This isn't a passive statement; it's an acknowledgment of a hardened heart. For the 'rebellious house' of Israel, their refusal to listen has already set them on a path of severe consequences. God’s message is clear: choose to hear and live, or choose to refuse and face the judgment that naturally follows such rebellion. The prophet has delivered the word; the people must now face their decision.
Ask a follow-up
Ezekiel is told his mouth will be opened to speak, but the response from the people is predicted to be rejection. What is the ultimate purpose of his ministry in the face of such opposition?
God's command to Ezekiel doesn't hinge on the people's willingness to listen. Even when facing a 'rebellious house' that will refuse to hear, God opens Ezekiel's mouth. This signifies that the prophet's role is to deliver God's message faithfully, regardless of the outcome. The prophecy will be fulfilled, the judgment will come, and Ezekiel’s task is to be God's authoritative voice. This ministry is not about guaranteed success in converting the listeners, but about obedience to God and bearing witness to His truth, even if that truth leads to deeper conviction for the rebellious or eventual judgment. The prophet’s 'dumbness' (as implied in the context) is lifted by God, and he speaks His powerful word.
Understand the original words
Adonai YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The title Adonai Yahweh, emphasizing both God's sovereign authority as Master/Lord and His covenantal faithfulness as the self-existent I AM.
shama · Hebrew Verb
The act of listening with the intent of internalizing and obeying God's message; biblical hearing is inseparable from a response of submission.
chadal · Hebrew Verb
The act of consciously disregarding or turning away from divine authority, signifying a hardening of the heart and the exercise of human free will in rejecting God.
This verse comes at the very beginning of Ezekiel's ministry in exile. God is about to commission him with challenging messages for a rebellious people who are already experiencing the devastating consequences of their sin. The stark reality of their situation is central to understanding Ezekiel's role and the defiant tone of his message.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports Judean elites, including Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile and the weakening of the kingdom of Judah.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation
Jerusalem falls to Nebuchadnezzar, and Jehoiachin the king along with thousands of Judeans are deported to Babylon. Ezekiel is among this group.
c. 595 BC— this verse
Ezekiel's Call to Prophesy
Ezekiel receives his prophetic commission in Babylon, marked by a vision of God's glory. He is appointed as a watchman to the rebellious house of Israel.
c. 587/586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, ending the kingdom of Judah and intensifying the exile. This event confirms Ezekiel's prophecies.
c. 586-570 BC
Prophecies of Restoration
Following Jerusalem's fall, Ezekiel delivers messages of hope and future restoration, including prophecies about the rebuilding of the Temple and the return of God's people.
Like Ezekiel, Jeremiah was told by God not to fear the people he was sent to, and that God would put His words in his mouth, highlighting a pattern of divine empowerment for reluctant prophets facing hardened hearts.
Amos 3:7-8This passage echoes Ezekiel's situation, stating that God does nothing without revealing His plan to His prophets, and when God speaks, the prophet must prophesy, emphasizing the divine compulsion to speak God's word regardless of the audience's receptiveness.
John 12:37-40This New Testament passage speaks to the same hardened hearts and willful blindness that Ezekiel faced, explaining that despite Jesus' signs, many refused to believe, illustrating that God's message can be rejected, leading to a divine hardening.
Ezekiel 33:7-9This later passage from Ezekiel's own prophecy reiterates the prophet's duty as a watchman, stating that if he warns the wicked and they don't turn, their blood is on their own hands, reinforcing the responsibility and the ultimate accountability of the hearer.
pooleEzekiel 3:27: "But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house."
When I speak with thee; whenever I shall reveal any thing to thee; or, when I shall have discovered all to thee which thy people should be informed in; then I will open thy lips, and loose they tongue, and give thee power to speak. Thou shalt say unto them; in point of du…
barnesEzekiel 3:27: "But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious house."
He that heareth ... - The judicial blindness of which Ezekiel speaks had already fallen upon the great body of the nation ( Ezekiel 14:4 . Compare Revelation 2:7 ; Revelation 22:11 ).
Ezekiel isn't just being told to speak; God is stating He will open his mouth, implying it's a divine enablement, not just a permission. The closing statement, "He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse," is a profound declaration of God's sovereignty over human hearts and a confirmation that the prophet’s role is to deliver the message, regardless of the reception, because the house is fundamentally rebellious.
God has just been explaining to Ezekiel the overwhelming resistance he will face as a prophet to the rebellious Israelites, even describing him as being bound until the fall of Jerusalem. Now, God promises that when He speaks to Ezekiel, He will enable him to speak, and to declare His word with authority, leaving the people to choose whether to listen or refuse, knowing they are a stubborn house.
God has just been explaining to Ezekiel the overwhelming resistance he will face as a prophet to the rebellious Israelites, even describing him as being bound until the fall of Jerusalem. Now, God promises that when He speaks to Ezekiel, He will enable him to speak, and to declare His word with authority, leaving the people to choose whether to listen or refuse, knowing they are a stubborn house.
"But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ He who will hear, let him hear; and he who will refuse to hear, let him refuse, for they are a rebellious house." — Ezekiel isn't just being told to speak; God is stating He will open his mouth, implying it's a divine enablement, not just a permission. The closing statement, "He who will hear, let him hear; and…
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Last reviewed October 2026