But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.
Ver. 8. Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house.] It is no hard matter to symbolise with sinners. See Isaiah 6:5, with the note. To dwell among them is dangerous, for sin is catching, and often in epidemic proportions. Precious therefore, and worthy of all acceptation, is the apostle's counsel. Rom 12:2 Lawyers tell us that we must not look so much what men do at Rome, as what they ought to do.
Eat that I give thee,] i.e., The roll, Eze 2:9 that is, whatsoever I shall henceforth dictate unto thee, do thou get it by heart, digest it, propound it to the people, work it first upon thine own, and then upon the affections of thine hearers. See Rev. iv., and observe how alike the Lord dealt with Ezekiel and John the Divine.