The Prophet’s Call

¹Then He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet and I will speak to you.” ² Then as He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me. ³ And He said to me, “I am sending you, son of man, to the children of Israel, to a rebellious people [in both the north and the south] that have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have sinned and revolted against Me to this very day. ⁴ I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord ^[a]God.’ ⁵ As for them, whether they listen or refuse [to listen]—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know and be fully aware of the fact that there has been a prophet among them. ⁶ And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words; though briars and thorns are all around you and you sit among scorpions, neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house. ⁷ But you shall speak My words to them whether they will listen or refuse [to listen], for they are [most] rebellious.

⁸ “As for you, son of man, listen to what I say to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.” ⁹ Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out toward me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. ¹⁰ And He spread it before me, and it was written on the front and on the back, and written on it were [words of] lamentation (funeral songs) and mourning and woe.