Bible Strands
Ezekiel 3:8
Behold, I will make your face as hard as their faces, and your forehead as hard as their foreheads.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God addresses Ezekiel immediately after declaring the house of Israel's refusal to listen. This declaration occurs at the prophet's commissioning, positioning him to confront a rebellious community.
The words — נָתַ֧תִּי (na.Ta.ti) means "I make" and חֲזָקִ֖ים (cha.za.Kim) means "hard," describing God's action of making Ezekiel's face and forehead correspond to those of his audience.
The thread — The imagery of unyielding resolve and fortified resistance runs through Jeremiah 1:18's iron and bronze walls and Acts 7:51's charge of stiff-necked opposition.
Why it lands — The text states that God will harden the prophet's face and forehead to match his listeners, requiring Ezekiel to deliver the message without fear or personal concession.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 1:18 Now behold, this day I have made you like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land.
- Acts 7:51 You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.
- Exodus 4:15 You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. I will help both of you to speak, and I will teach you what to do.
- Exodus 11:4 So Moses declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,
- 1 Kings 21:20 When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.” He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD.
- Isaiah 50:7 Because the Lord GOD helps Me, I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set My face like flint, and I know that I will not be put to shame.
- Micah 3:8 As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the LORD, with justice and courage, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.
- Hebrews 11:27 By faith Moses left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.
- Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets,
- Jeremiah 15:20 Then I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to save and deliver you, declares the LORD.