Ezekiel 3:7 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 3:7 mean?

Ezekiel 3:7 explains why God tells Ezekiel to expect resistance from Israel. The people’s refusal to listen to Ezekiel is connected to their refusal to listen to God, whose message Ezekiel has been sent to deliver.

God is speaking directly to Ezekiel. The description “impudent and hardhearted” pictures people who are stubborn and unwilling to respond. After the comparison with foreign peoples in verse 6, the difficulty is striking: Ezekiel’s own people can understand his speech, yet they will not listen.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 3:7

• “hearken” — שָׁמַע (shamaʿ): This word can mean to hear or to listen. Here, the repeated word points beyond simply hearing sounds to receiving what is said.
• “impudent” — חָזָק מֵצַח (ḥazaq metsiḥ): The phrase is often understood as “strong of forehead.” It uses the image of a hard forehead to describe a defiant manner.
• “hardhearted” — קָשֶׁה לֵב (qasheh lev): The phrase means “hard of heart.” In this setting, the heart is associated with a person’s inner disposition, so the image suggests stubbornness rather than a physical condition.

Why Ezekiel 3:7 matters

• The verse makes the response to Ezekiel’s message a matter of more than personal dislike. God says, “they will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me.”
• God prepares Ezekiel for resistance without changing the assignment. In verse 11, Ezekiel is still told to speak God’s words to the exiles, whether they listen or refuse.