יחזקאל, פרק ב׳, פסוק ו׳

Stepping into a hostile and stubborn crowd is a daunting task for a divine messenger. God provides the prophet with the inner courage to face this difficult audience and a promise of protection. The prophet must deliver God's message in its absolute entirety, without skipping a single detail out of fear, even if his words fall on deaf ears [מלבי״ם].

A series of vivid images from nature illustrates the abusive environment surrounding the prophet. The people are initially characterized by their stubbornness and rebellion, though some interpret this early description as stinging objects or thorns [רש״י, שטיינזלץ]. This hostile atmosphere is further compared to painful, thorny bushes. As the danger intensifies, the threat is likened to scorpions. One approach suggests this represents another type of hard, prickly thorn [רד״ק, מצודת ציון, שטיינזלץ]. A contrasting view sees this as a metaphor for the people themselves, whose mocking words and cruel actions sting from every direction, making the prophet feel as though he is sitting among actual scorpions [רש״י, מצודת דוד].

These natural metaphors reflect a tragic process of spiritual decline, showing how one sin inevitably leads to another. At first, the people are merely stubborn and refuse to listen. Over time, their behavior becomes painful like thorns, and finally, they act like scorpions that actively bite and wound [חומת אנך].

Despite this deeply hostile setting, God commands the prophet to stand firm. He must not break, panic, or lose his courage, nor should he feel small in their presence [מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם, שטיינזלץ]. This resilience is necessary because their harsh behavior is entirely expected [שטיינזלץ]. They act with clear, malicious intent rather than by mistake [מלבי״ם]. Ultimately, God reassures His messenger that while the crowd may threaten him, their power is limited to causing temporary discomfort. The prophet has absolutely no reason to fear for his life or worry about any true physical danger [מצודת דוד, חומת אנך].