Ezechiel 2:5
If so be they at least will hear, and if so be they will forbear, for they are a provoking house: and they shall know that there hath been a prophet in the midst of them.
Open Ezechiel 2:5 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- si forte vel ipsi audiant, et si forte quiescant, quoniam domus exasperans est : et scient quia propheta fuerit in medio eorum.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ἐὰν ἄρα ἀκούσωσιν ἢ πτοηθῶσιν, διότι οἶκος παραπικραίνων ἐστίν, καὶ γνώσονται ὅτι προφήτης εἶ σὺ ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וְהֵ֨מָּה֙ אִם יִשְׁמְע֣וּ וְאִם יֶחְדָּ֔לוּ כִּ֛י בֵּ֥ית מְרִ֖י הֵ֑מָּה וְיָ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י נָבִ֖יא הָיָ֥ה בְתוֹכָֽם
Haydock's commentary
Forbear to sin. (Haydock)
He thus insinuates free-will. (St. Jerome)
If they refuse to hear my prophet, they will at least perceive that they are inexcusable. (Calmet)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom, Matthew XXI. 33-34
And wherefore sent He not His Son immediately? In order that they might condemn themselves for the things done to the others, and leave off their wrath, and reverence Him when He came. There are also other reasons, but for the present let us go on to what is next. But what means, “It may be they will reverence?” It is not the language of one ignorant, away with the thought! but of one desiring to show the sin to be great; and without any excuse. Since Himself knowing that they would slay Him, He sent Him. But He saith, “They will reverence,” declaring what ought to have been done, that it was their duty to have reverenced Him. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom, Matthew XXIV. 32, 33
And the Father too will be found to be saying such things. For He Himself likewise saith, “Adam, where art thou?”and, “The cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is waxed great before me. I will go down therefore, and see whether their doings be according to their cry which cometh unto me, and if not, I will know.” And elsewhere He saith, “Whether they will hear, whether they will understand.” And in the gospel too, “It may be they will reverence my Son:”all which are expressions of ignorance. …
St John Chrysostom The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Gospel of St. John, John 1.15
[1.] Do we then run and labor in vain? Are we sowing upon the rocks? Does the seed fall upon the rocks? Does the seed fall without our knowing it by the wayside, and among thorns? I am greatly troubled and fear, lest our husbandry be unprofitable; not as though I shall be a loser as well as you, touching the reward of this labor. For it is not with those who teach as it is with husbandmen. Oftentimes the husbandman after his year’s toil, his hard work and sweat, if the earth produce no suitable return for his pains, will be able to find comfort for his labors from none else, but returns ashamed and downcast from his barn to his dwelling, his wife and children, unable to require of any man a reward for his lengthened toil. But in our case there is nothing like this. …
St Ambrose Concerning Repentance, Chapter V. As to the words of St. Peter to Simon Magus, from which the Novatians infer that there was no forgiveness for the latter, it is pointed out that St. Peter, knowing his evil heart, might well use words of doubt, and then by some Old Testament instances it is pointed out that “perchance” does not exclude forgiveness. The apostles transmitted to us that penitence, the fruits of which are shown in the case of David. St. Ambrose then adduces the example of the Ephraimites, whose penitence must be followed in order to gain the divine mercy and the sacraments
31. But ignorance is not implied in that word, but the common custom of holy Scripture is observed, in order to simplicity of utterance. Inasmuch as the Lord says also to Ezekiel: “Son of man, I will send thee unto the house of Israel, to those who have angered Me, both themselves and their fathers, unto this day, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord, if perchance they will hear and be afraid.” Did He not know that they could or could not be converted? So, then, that expression is not always a proof of doubt.