Ezekiel 3:7 (DRB)

Passage

But the house of Israel will not hearken to thee: because they will not hearken to me: for all the house of Israel are of a hard forehead and an obstinate heart.

Nearby Context

Ezekiel 3:5 For thou art not sent to a people of a profound speech, and of an unknown tongue, but to the house of Israel:

Ezekiel 3:6 Nor to many nations of a strange speech, and of an unknown tongue, whose words thou canst not understand: and if thou wert sent to them, they would hearken to thee.

Ezekiel 3:7 But the house of Israel will not hearken to thee: because they will not hearken to me: for all the house of Israel are of a hard forehead and an obstinate heart.

Ezekiel 3:8 Behold I have made thy face stronger than their faces: and thy forehead harder than their foreheads.

Ezekiel 3:9 I have made thy face like an adamant and like flint: fear them not, neither be thou dismayed at their presence: for they are a provoking house.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "house", "israel", "hearken", "thee", and "hard". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "house" and "israel", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 6's "Nor to many nations of a strange..." into verse 8's "Behold I have made thy face stronger...", so "house" and "israel" belong inside that flow. In Ezekiel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "house" and "israel" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.