Thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech It would be a great addition to the burden of thy office if thou wert sent, as Jonah was, as a prophet to a foreign nation, and to a people whose language thou couldest not understand, nor they thine. Not to many people of a strange speech, &c. God seems, as it were, to hint here that the time would come when he should order his messengers to go to many people of a strange speech, and should find those who would obey him in this. The apostles, evangelists, and other first preachers of the gospel, were sent to such a people, or rather to all nations, however difficult and strange their language was. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened, &c. And yet, in all appearance, even a strange nation, who could not understand thy words plainly, or without the greatest difficulty, would have hearkened to thy preaching sooner than the house of Israel, so corrupt are they become. Behold, I have made thy face strong, &c. Do but thou obey me in what I command thee, and I will give thee courage and firmness proportionable to the hardiness and insolence of those thou hast to deal with.
Related Commentaries of Ezekiel 3:5
Ezekiel 3:5-8
5 For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an harda language, but to the house of Israel;
6 Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hardb language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee.
7 But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudentc and hardhearted.
8 Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.