Ezekiel 3:25
in Ezekiel 3And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes, and you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But thou, son of man, behold, they shall lay bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them:
KJV
But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them:
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This verse in Ezekiel 3
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Their perversity, like bands, would repress his freedom in preaching; as in 2Co 6:12, Paul calls himself "straitened" because his teaching did not find easy access to them. Or else, it is said to console the prophet for being shut up; if thou wert now at once to announce God's message, they would rush on thee and bind them with "bands" [CALVIN].
This site's exposition
they will tie with ropes
on Ezekiel 3:25-27
Ezekiel will be tied “with ropes” so that he “cannot go out among the people,” and commentators differ over whether the ropes are literal. The Lord will make his “tongue stick to the roof of your mouth,” so he will be “silent.” His mouth opens only when the Lord speaks.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"And look, they will bind you with chains and fetters." That is, the chains that will bind him, so that he might not go out and walk among them, are the Babylonians who encircle Jerusalem and its inhabitants and prevent them from going out and coming in.
(Verse 25, 26.) And you, son of man: behold, chains have been placed upon you, and they will bind you with them, and you shall not go out from among them, and I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth (or throat), and you shall be mute, not speaking as a man who reproaches them: for the house is rebellious. What is enclosed in a house, what is bound with chains, what does not go out to those among whom it dwells, but suffers the solitude of a prison among a multitude of captives, is a sign of siege, as I have said before, that Jerusalem, closed and surrounded by the army of the Chaldeans, will not allow any of its inhabitants to go out. This is the pot about which Jeremiah speaks (Jeremiah I), and he himself as the Prophet in the following words; in which the flesh of the people is consumed. That the language of the Prophet cleaves to the palate or throat and becomes mute is not the result of a reproachful authority, but has a clear cause: for he says, the house is provoking. And the meaning is: They are of such bitterness, and of such contention against God, that they do not deserve to hear the reproacher. From this it is clear that where there is a multitude of sins, sinners are unworthy to correct those who are corrected by the Lord.
(Verse 25, 26.) And you, son of man: behold, chains have been placed upon you, and they will bind you with them, and you shall not go out from among them, and I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth (or throat), and you shall be mute, not speaking as a man who reproaches them: for the house is rebellious.
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistHomilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 12 · Written before 604.
proposed
"And you, son of man, behold, chains have been placed upon you, and they shall bind you with them, and you shall not go out into their midst." If we follow these words through the order of typological exposition, the prophet receives bonds in his house and is bound, because in the last days, when Judea shall have believed, she will experience the most grievous persecutions in the time of Antichrist, so that the ministers of iniquity will not receive his preaching, but by resisting will press it down with the bonds of sorrows. And he does not go out into their midst, because preaching does not reach the hearts of the wicked, while the tongue of the good, bound by tribulations, is silent. For there will be at that time many of the unbelieving Jews who will persecute those very ones from among the Jews who shall have believed. Hence it should be noted that here too it is said that the prophet endures bonds in his own house: so that it may be signified that Judea, even from her own people, when she shall have become faithful, will bear the tribulation of persecution. For as long as it is not believed that the Only-Begotten of the Most High Father, having become incarnate and died, rose again and ascended to the heavens, as is preached through the pages of Sacred Scripture, prophecy will certainly be bound among the Jews. […]
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Festus said to Paul, Thou art beside thyself; and so the Jews said of our Lord Jesus, Mark iii. Perhaps this was the reason why he must keep within doors, because otherwise they would bind him, under pretence of his being mad, and therefore he must not go out among them. Justly are prophets forbidden to go to those that will abuse them.
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee,....
These verses are fitly joined by some translators to the foregoing chapter, as being of a piece with it and a continuation of the same vision. The prophets received the word from God that they might deliver it to the people of God, furnished themselves that they might furnish them with the knowledge of the mind and will of God. Now here the prophet is taught, I.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
They shall put bands upon thee - Thy countrymen will rise up against thee; and, to prevent thy prophesying, will confine thee.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאַתָּ֣ה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| בֶן־ | ven- | O son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אָדָ֗ם | ʾadam | humankind | H120 → | 551 times |
| הִנֵּ֨ה | hineh | there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| נָתְנ֤וּ | natenu | people will put | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| עָלֶ֙יךָ֙ | ʾaleikha | on you | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| עֲבוֹתִ֔ים | avotim | ropes | H5688 → | 24 times |
| וַאֲסָר֖וּךָ | vaasarukha | and they will bind you | H631 → | |
| בָּהֶ֑ם | bahem | with them | ||
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| תֵצֵ֖א | tetze' | you will go out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| בְּתוֹכָֽם׃ | betokham | in midst of them | H8432 → | 418 times |
וְאַתָּ֣הand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
בֶן־O son of
ven-H1121 →4930 times
אָדָ֗םhumankind
ʾadamH120 →551 times
הִנֵּ֨הthere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
נָתְנ֤וּpeople will put
natenuH5414 →2011 times
עָלֶ֙יךָ֙on you
ʾaleikhaH5921 →5755 times
עֲבוֹתִ֔יםropes
avotimH5688 →24 times
וַאֲסָר֖וּךָand they will bind you
vaasarukhaH631 →
בָּהֶ֑םwith them
bahem
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
תֵצֵ֖אyou will go out
tetze'H3318 →1067 times
בְּתוֹכָֽם׃in midst of them
betokhamH8432 →418 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 9:16I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.”
it leads to
- Acts 21:11
Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, bound his own feet and hands, and said, “The Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Thessalonians 3:3
so that none of you would be shaken by these trials. For you know that we are destined for this.
- 2 Corinthians 6:4
Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships, and calamities;
- 2 Timothy 1:12
For this reason, even though I suffer as I do, I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have…
- John 15:20
Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours…
- Acts 21:11
Through
Mark 3:21When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.”
it leads to
- Acts 26:24
At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”
- John 10:20
Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”
- Acts 26:24
Through
John 21:18Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you…
it leads to
- John 13:36
“Lord, where are You going?” Simon Peter asked. Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.”
- John 13:36
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ezekiel

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Gregory the Dialogist, Homilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 12; Hippolytus of Rome, FRAGMENT 11; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
