1 And then said he unto me, "Stand up upon thy feet, O thou son of man, and I will talk with thee."
2 And as he was communing with me, the spirit came in to me, and set me up upon my feet: so that I marked the thing, that he said unto me.
3 And he said, "Behold, thou son of man: I will send thee to the children of Israel, to those renegades and obstinate people - for they have taken part against me, and are run away from me: both they and their forefathers unto this day.
4 Yea, I will send thee unto a people that have rough visages and stiff stomachs: unto whom thou shalt say on this manner, 'This the LORD God himself hath spoken,'
5 that whether they be obedient or no - for it is a froward household - they may know yet that there hath been a Prophet among them.
6 "Therefore, thou son of man, fear them not; neither be afraid of their words: for they shall rebel against thee, and despise thee. Yea, thou shalt dwell among scorpions. But fear not their words, be not abashed at their looks: for it is a froward household.
7 See that thou speak my words unto them, whether they be obedient or not, for they are obstinate.
8 Therefore, thou son of man, obey thou all things, that I say unto thee, and be not thou stiffnecked, like as they are a stiffnecked household. Open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee."
9 So as I was looking up, behold, there was sent unto me a hand, wherein was a closed book:
10 and the hand opened it before me, and it was written within and without, full of careful mournings: alas, and woe.