The Meaning of Ezekiel 3:8 Explained

Ezekiel 3:8

KJV: Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.

YLT: 'Lo, I have made thy face strong against their face, and thy forehead strong against their forehead.

Darby: Behold, I have made thy face hard against their faces, and thy forehead hard against their foreheads.

ASV: Behold, I have made thy face hard against their faces, and thy forehead hard against their foreheads.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold, I have made  thy face  strong  against  their faces,  and thy forehead  strong  against  their foreheads. 

What does Ezekiel 3:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezekiel 3:1-11 - A Hard Commission
The people were impudent and stiff-hearted; their words as briars and thorns; their speech like the poison of scorpions; but the prophet was commissioned to go on with his divine mission, undeterred by their opposition. Under such circumstances we must be sure of a Thus saith the Lord. But no man can stand against the continual opposition of his fellows, unless his strength is renewed, as Ezekiel's was, by eating that which God gives. Open thy mouth, and eat that which I give thee, Ezekiel 2:8. Let us specially consider the divine denunciations of sin, that our words may be sharper than any two-edged sword. Nothing makes us so strong as feeding perpetually upon the roll of the Book, and especially on the Word within the words. We must eat the flesh and drink in the life of the Son of man, if we can deal aright with the needs of the sons of men. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 3

1  Ezekiel eats the scroll
4  God encourages him
15  God shows him the rule of prophecy
22  God shuts and opens the prophet's mouth

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 3:8 mean?

Behold I have made - your face strong against their faces and your forehead strong their foreheads
הִנֵּ֨ה נָתַ֧תִּי אֶת־ פָּנֶ֛יךָ חֲזָקִ֖ים לְעֻמַּ֣ת פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וְאֶֽת־ מִצְחֲךָ֥ חָזָ֖ק מִצְחָֽם

הִנֵּ֨ה  Behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
נָתַ֧תִּי  I  have  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
פָּנֶ֛יךָ  your  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
חֲזָקִ֖ים  strong 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: חָזָק  
Sense: strong, stout, mighty.
לְעֻמַּ֣ת  against 
Parse: Preposition-l
Root: עֻמָּה  
Sense: juxtaposition.
פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם  their  faces 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
מִצְחֲךָ֥  your  forehead 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מֵצַח  
Sense: brow, forehead.
חָזָ֖ק  strong 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָזָק  
Sense: strong, stout, mighty.
מִצְחָֽם  their  foreheads 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מֵצַח  
Sense: brow, forehead.