1 The Lord said, “Ezekiel, son of man, after you eat this scroll, go and speak to the people of Israel.”
2-3 He handed me the scroll and said, “Eat this and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate the scroll, and it tasted sweet as honey.
4 The Lord said:Ezekiel, I am sending you to your own people.
5-6 They are Israelites, not strangers who speak a foreign language you can't understand. If I were to send you to foreign nations, they would listen to you.
7 But the people of Israel will refuse to listen, because they have refused to listen to me. All of them are stubborn and hard-headed,
8 so I will make you as stubborn as they are.
9 You will be so determined to speak my message that nothing will stop you. I will make you hard like a diamond, and you'll have no reason to be afraid of those arrogant rebels.