Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 3:8
Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
I have made … thy forehead strong – I have given thee a strength superior to theirs; a metaphor taken from horned animals.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
This may be to remove the objection of the prophet, who might plead the softness of his own metal, and pretend shameless sinners will scoff a young prophet out of countenance. Behold, says God, consider.
I have made; given. They have given themselves this impudent countenance; I have given thee true courage, constancy, and manly carriage.
Thy forehead strong; the same answer in words very little varying. God will qualify and gift him for this work among this people, and edge his own tools to cut into the hardest metal. So Isa 1:7; Jer 1:18; Mic 3:8.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. Ezekiel means one”strengthened by God.” Such he was in godly firmness, inspite of his people’s opposition, according to the divine command tothe priest tribe to which he belonged (De33:9).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Behold, I have made the, face strong against their faces,…. Not that the prophet should have the same sort of impudence and confidence they had; but that God would “give” n him such a face, as it is in the Hebrew text, such spirit and courage, that he should neither be ashamed of the words of the Lord, nor afraid to speak them to this people; so that he should be a match for them; they should not be able to outface him, or look him out of countenance; he should behave with an undaunted spirit, and with great intrepidity, amidst all opposition made to him: the Lord fits his ministers for the people he sends them to, and gives them courage and strength proportionate to the opposition they meet with; as their day is, their strength is; and all that invincible courage, boldness, and strength, with which they are endowed, it is all from the Lord, and a gift of his:
and thy forehead strong against their foreheads; which is the same thing in different words.
n “dedi faciem tuam”, V. L. Vatablus, Cocceius, Starckius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Ezekiel was forewarned of the obstinacy of the people, yea, even of their desperate wickedness. Now God strengthens him lest he should despair when he saw that he must contend with such abandoned and reckless men; for what else was it than contending with stones? If Ezekiel had been commanded to strike a mountain, it would have been just the same as contending with such a people. He had need then of this strengthening, viz., his forehead should be adamant against the hardness of the people If he had hoped for more fruit from his labor, perhaps that facility had been the cause of negligence: for confidence makes us more remiss when the work in hand is neither laborious nor difficult. The Prophet, therefore, would have been colder, if, certainly persuaded that the people would be docile, he had approached them more carelessly. God, therefore, excites him when he speaks of their obstinacy. As then it was useful that the Prophet should comprehend how arduous was the duty to the discharge of which he was called, so also he ought to be armed with the strength of God, for otherwise he would have been easily overcome by its difficulty. This is the reason why God adds, that he had given him a stout front and a brazen aspect against the face and front of the people Besides, in this way he was admonished that fortitude was to be hoped for from some other quarter, that he might not spend his strength in vain, but allow himself to be governed by the Spirit of God. For when we think only on the quality and quantity of our own powers, they may easily flow away, and disperse, and even become vapid, unless we discharge our duty with manliness. God, therefore, recalls his Prophet when he says, that he had given him a face, as if he would say, that the Prophet did not make war in his own strength, but was armed with celestial virtue. Although, therefore, this seems to have been spoken once for Ezekiel’s private use, yet it belongs to us all. Let us learn, then, when God calls us to the office of teaching, never to measure the effect of our work by the standard of our own capacity, nor yet to consider our own powers, but to repose on some communicated strength which God here extols in no empty praises. Whoever, therefore, shall acknowledge that God is sufficient for overcoming all obstacles, will gird himself bravely for his work; but he who delays for calculating his own strength is not only weakened but is almost overcome. Besides, we see that we are here instructed in humility and modesty, lest we should claim anything as due to our own strength. Hence it happens, that many are so full, yea so puffed out with confidence, that they bring forth nothing but wind. Hence, let us learn to seek from God alone that fortitude which we need: for we are not stronger than Ezekiel, and if he needed to be strengthened by the Spirit of God, much more do we at this time need it.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(8) Thy face strong against their faces.The word strong is the same here as that rendered impudent (marg. stiff) in Eze. 3:7. Of course it must have a different shade of meaning in its application to the rebellious people and to the prophet; but the main thought is taken from the figure of horned animals in their contests, and God promises Ezekiel to make him in the struggle stronger than those who oppose him. The same thing is expressed by another figure in Eze. 3:9.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8, 9. Jehovah declares that though the people to whom he will speak “are stiff-faced” and “hard of heart,” he himself will make the prophet as strong and persistent as they, with a forehead hard as adamant, or “diamond” (Kautzsch; see also Jer 17:1). He need not fear them nor their looks, “for they are a rebellious house.” Loyalty is stronger than rebellion, and righteousness may well be braver than sin. (Compare Isa 50:7.)
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“Behold I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads. I have made you forehead as an adamant, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.”
There is a play on words here for the words for ‘hard’ and ‘harder’ come from the same verbal root as ‘Ezekiel’ (‘God hardens’). God will enable him to stand firm and resist all attempts to silence him. The word translated ‘adamant’ means literally a thorn bush, but then something pointed and hard (a diamond for engraving – Jer 17:1). Thus here it indicates something hard, ‘harder than flint’. Thus he need not be afraid of them, or be distraught at the looks they give him. And he must indeed expect it because they are rebels against God, Who is the head of their household.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 3:8 Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
Ver. 8. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces. ] I have steeled thy forehead and strengthened thine heart, that thou shalt budge for none of them. I have rendered thee insuperable.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.
strong = strong, or hard (for endurance). Hebrew. hazak. Same as “harder “(Eze 3:9). Compare the name Ezekiel in Title.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Exo 4:15, Exo 4:16, Exo 11:4-8, 1Ki 21:20, Isa 50:7, Jer 1:18, Jer 15:20, Mic 3:8, Act 7:51-56, Heb 11:27, Heb 11:32-37
Reciprocal: 1Ki 18:18 – I have not Jer 1:8 – not afraid Jer 6:27 – General Eze 2:6 – be not
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 3:8. This verse means that God was to give Ezekiel the boldness necessary to face the threatening looks of the people who would diBlike the warnings offered.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
3:8 Behold, I have made thy {b} face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.
(b) God promises his assistance to his ministers, and that he will give them boldness and constancy in their calling, Isa 50:7, Jer 1:18, Mic 3:8 .
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The Lord had made Ezekiel as hard-nosed as the Israelites; he would not give up speaking to them any more than they would refuse to listen to him. Therefore the prophet should not fear his audience. The meaning of Ezekiel’s name, "God strengthens (or hardens)," reminded the prophet and others that the Lord would strengthen him and harden him against the attacks of his critical enemies.