For Son of man (International Children’s Bible “Human being”),

You dwell in the midst of a rebellious house: The message of this prophecy was directed mainly to those who were still living in Jerusalem, but because Ezekiel was living in Babylonia, it also applied to his fellow exiles who were his immediate audience. The house here does not refer to a building, but rather to the disobedient nation of Israel, especially to those who lived in Jerusalem. They were rebellious, that is, they disobeyed God and turned against him (see the comments on 2.3, 5). This clause may be rendered “you are living among a nation of people who refuse to obey me” (similarly New Century Version).

Who have eyes to see, but see not means God had shown them evidence of his love and mercy many times, but they refused to acknowledge what he had done. Who have ears to hear, but hear not means God had also spoken to them many times, but they refused to listen to him. But see not and but hear not show that the people deliberately did not listen to or obey God—it was not a matter of inadvertently not seeing what God had done or not hearing his words. These clauses refer to spiritual seeing and hearing, and care must be taken to avoid giving the impression that the people were blind and deaf. Contemporary English Version provides a good model here, saying “They have eyes, but refuse to see; they have ears, but refuse to listen.”

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .