Eat the Scroll and Stand Your Ground.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם אֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־תִּמְצָ֖א אֱכ֑וֹל אֱכוֹל֙ אֶת־הַמְּגִלָּ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את וְלֵ֥ךְ דַּבֵּ֖ר אֶל־בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

And he said to me, “Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”

וָאֶפְתַּ֖ח אֶת־פִּ֑י וַיַּ֣אֲכִלֵ֔נִי אֵ֖ת הַמְּגִלָּ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃

[2] So I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י בֶּן־אָדָם֙ בִּטְנְךָ֤ תַֽאֲכֵל֙ וּמֵעֶ֣יךָ תְמַלֵּ֔א אֵ֚ת הַמְּגִלָּ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י נֹתֵ֣ן אֵלֶ֑יךָ וָאֹ֣כְלָ֔ה וַתְּהִ֥י בְּפִ֖י כִּדְבַ֥שׁ לְמָתֽוֹק׃ פ

[3] And he said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey.

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑י בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם לֶךְ־בֹּא֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְדִבַּרְתָּ֥ בִדְבָרַ֖י אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

[4] And he said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them.

כִּ֡י לֹא֩ אֶל־עַ֨ם עִמְקֵ֥י שָׂפָ֛ה וְכִבְדֵ֥י לָשׁ֖וֹן אַתָּ֣ה שָׁל֑וּחַ אֶל־בֵּ֖ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

[5] For you are not sent to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel—

לֹ֣א׀ אֶל־עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים עִמְקֵ֤י שָׂפָה֙ וְכִבְדֵ֣י לָשׁ֔וֹן אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־תִשְׁמַ֖ע דִּבְרֵיהֶ֑ם אִם־לֹ֤א אֲלֵיהֶם֙ שְׁלַחְתִּ֔יךָ הֵ֖מָּה יִשְׁמְע֥וּ אֵלֶֽיךָ׃

[6] not to many peoples of foreign speech and a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to such, they would listen to you.

וּבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֹ֤א יֹאבוּ֙ לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ אֵלֶ֔יךָ כִּֽי־אֵינָ֥ם אֹבִ֖ים לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ אֵלָ֑י כִּ֚י כָּל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל חִזְקֵי־מֵ֥צַח וּקְשֵׁי־לֵ֖ב הֵֽמָּה׃

[7] But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart.

הִנֵּ֨ה נָתַ֧תִּי אֶת־פָּנֶ֛יךָ חֲזָקִ֖ים לְעֻמַּ֣ת פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וְאֶֽת־מִצְחֲךָ֥ חָזָ֖ק לְעֻמַּ֥ת מִצְחָֽם׃

[8] Behold, I have made your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.

כְּשָׁמִ֛יר חָזָ֥ק מִצֹּ֖ר נָתַ֣תִּי מִצְחֶ֑ךָ לֹֽא־תִירָ֤א אוֹתָם֙ וְלֹא־תֵחַ֣ת מִפְּנֵיהֶ֔ם כִּ֛י בֵּֽית־מְרִ֖י הֵֽמָּה׃ פ

[9] Like emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.”

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵלָ֑י בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם אֶת־כָּל־דְּבָרַי֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲדַבֵּ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יךָ קַ֥ח בִּֽלְבָבְךָ֖ וּבְאָזְנֶ֥יךָ שְׁמָֽע׃

[10] Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears.

וְלֵ֨ךְ בֹּ֤א אֶל־הַגּוֹלָה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י עַמֶּ֔ךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֤ אֲלֵיהֶם֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִֹ֑ה אִֽם־יִשְׁמְע֖וּ וְאִם־יֶחְדָּֽלוּ׃

[11] And go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God ,’ whether they hear or refuse to hear.”

וַתִּשָּׂאֵ֣נִי ר֔וּחַ וָאֶשְׁמַ֣ע אַחֲרַ֔י ק֖וֹל רַ֣עַשׁ גָּד֑וֹל בָּר֥וּךְ כְּבוֹד־יְהוָ֖ה מִמְּקוֹמֽוֹ׃

[12] Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great earthquake: “Blessed be the glory of the Lord from its place!”

וְק֣וֹל׀ כַּנְפֵ֣י הַחַיּ֗וֹת מַשִּׁיקוֹת֙ אִשָּׁ֣ה אֶל־אֲחוֹתָ֔הּ וְק֥וֹל הָאוֹפַנִּ֖ים לְעֻמָּתָ֑ם וְק֖וֹל רַ֥עַשׁ גָּדֽוֹל׃

[13] It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, and the sound of a great earthquake.

וְר֥וּחַ נְשָׂאַ֖תְנִי וַתִּקָּחֵ֑נִי וָאֵלֵ֥ךְ מַר֙ בַּחֲמַ֣ת רוּחִ֔י וְיַד־יְהוָ֥ה עָלַ֖י חָזָֽקָה׃

[14] The Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the Lord being strong upon me.

וָאָב֨וֹא אֶל־הַגּוֹלָ֜ה תֵּ֣ל אָ֠בִיב הַיֹּשְׁבִ֤ים אֶֽל־נְהַר־כְּבָר֙ ׳וָאֲשֶׁר׳ ״וָֽאֵשֵׁ֔ב״ הֵ֖מָּה יוֹשְׁבִ֣ים שָׁ֑ם וָאֵשֵׁ֥ב שָׁ֛ם שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים מַשְׁמִ֥ים בְּתוֹכָֽם׃

[15] And I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who were dwelling by the Chebar canal, and I sat where they were dwelling. And I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.

וַיְהִ֕י מִקְצֵ֖ה שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים פ וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

[16] And at the end of seven days, the word of the Lord came to me:

בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם צֹפֶ֥ה נְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֤ מִפִּי֙ דָּבָ֔ר וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֥ אוֹתָ֖ם מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

[17] “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.

בְּאָמְרִ֤י לָֽרָשָׁע֙ מ֣וֹת תָּמ֔וּת וְלֹ֣א הִזְהַרְתּ֗וֹ וְלֹ֥א דִבַּ֛רְתָּ לְהַזְהִ֥יר רָשָׁ֛ע מִדַּרְכּ֥וֹ הָרְשָׁעָ֖ה לְחַיֹּת֑וֹ ה֤וּא רָשָׁע֙ בַּעֲוֺנ֣וֹ יָמ֔וּת וְדָמ֖וֹ מִיָּדְךָ֥ אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃

[18] If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.

וְאַתָּה֙ כִּֽי־הִזְהַ֣רְתָּ רָשָׁ֔ע וְלֹא־שָׁב֙ מֵֽרִשְׁע֔וֹ וּמִדַּרְכּ֖וֹ הָרְשָׁעָ֑ה ה֚וּא בַּעֲוֺנ֣וֹ יָמ֔וּת וְאַתָּ֖ה אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֥ הִצַּֽלְתָּ׃ ס

[19] But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul.

וּבְשׁ֨וּב צַדִּ֤יק מִצִּדְקוֹ֙ וְעָ֣שָׂה עָ֔וֶל וְנָתַתִּ֥י מִכְשׁ֛וֹל לְפָנָ֖יו ה֣וּא יָמ֑וּת כִּ֣י לֹ֤א הִזְהַרְתּוֹ֙ בְּחַטָּאת֣וֹ יָמ֔וּת וְלֹ֣א תִזָּכַ֗רְןָ צִדְקֹתָו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וְדָמ֖וֹ מִיָּדְךָ֥ אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃

[20] Again, if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and commits injustice, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds that he has done shall not be remembered, but his blood I will require at your hand.

וְאַתָּ֞ה כִּ֧י הִזְהַרְתּ֣וֹ צַדִּ֗יק לְבִלְתִּ֥י חֲטֹ֛א צַדִּ֖יק וְה֣וּא לֹא־חָטָ֑א חָי֤וֹ יִֽחְיֶה֙ כִּ֣י נִזְהָ֔ר וְאַתָּ֖ה אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֥ הִצַּֽלְתָּ׃ ס

[21] But if you warn the righteous person not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and you will have delivered your soul.”

וַתְּהִ֥י עָלַ֛י שָׁ֖ם יַד־יְהוָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י ק֥וּם צֵא֙ אֶל־הַבִּקְעָ֔ה וְשָׁ֖ם אֲדַבֵּ֥ר אוֹתָֽךְ׃

[22] And the hand of the Lord was upon me there. And he said to me, “Arise, go out into the valley, and there I will speak with you.”

וָאָקוּם֮ וָאֵצֵ֣א אֶל־הַבִּקְעָה֒ וְהִנֵּה־שָׁ֤ם כְּבוֹד־יְהוָה֙ עֹמֵ֔ד כַּכָּב֕וֹד אֲשֶׁ֥ר רָאִ֖יתִי עַל־נְהַר־כְּבָ֑ר וָאֶפֹּ֖ל עַל־פָּנָֽי׃

[23] So I arose and went out into the valley, and behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, like the glory that I had seen by the Chebar canal, and I fell on my face.

וַתָּבֹא־בִ֣י ר֔וּחַ וַתַּעֲמִדֵ֖נִי עַל־רַגְלָ֑י וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר אֹתִי֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י בֹּ֥א הִסָּגֵ֖ר בְּת֥וֹךְ בֵּיתֶֽךָ׃

[24] But the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and he spoke with me and said to me, “Go, shut yourself within your house.

וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם הִנֵּ֨ה נָתְנ֤וּ עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ עֲבוֹתִ֔ים וַֽאֲסָר֖וּךָ בָּהֶ֑ם וְלֹ֥א תֵצֵ֖א בְּתוֹכָֽם׃

[25] And you, O son of man, behold, cords will be placed upon you, and you shall be bound with them, so that you cannot go out among the people.

וּלְשֽׁוֹנְךָ֙ אַדְבִּ֣יק אֶל־חִכֶּ֔ךָ וְנֶֽאֱלַ֔מְתָּ וְלֹא־תִֽהְיֶ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם לְאִ֣ישׁ מוֹכִ֑יחַ כִּ֛י בֵּ֥ית מְרִ֖י הֵֽמָּה׃

[26] And I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be mute and unable to reprove them, for they are a rebellious house.

וּֽבְדַבְּרִ֤י אֽוֹתְךָ֙ אֶפְתַּ֣ח אֶת־פִּ֔יךָ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִֹ֑ה הַשֹּׁמֵ֤עַ׀ יִשְׁמָע֙ וְהֶחָדֵ֣ל׀ יֶחְדָּ֔ל כִּ֛י בֵּ֥ית מְרִ֖י הֵֽמָּה׃ ס

[27] 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.