יחזקאל, פרק ג׳, פסוק כ״ו

A prophet's primary duty is typically to guide and correct the people, yet there comes a time when silence is the only appropriate response to relentless defiance. The prophet is instructed to completely stop speaking to the nation. The vivid imagery of his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth, the area situated just above the tongue [מצודת ציון], does not describe a physical loss of speech. Rather, it serves as a metaphor for a deliberate and total withdrawal of communication.

This mandated silence is comprehensive. The prophet is restricted from acting as a moral voice who spontaneously protests and offers correction from his own heart upon witnessing wicked behavior [מצודת דוד]. Moreover, this prohibition extends beyond the withholding of divine visions. He is barred from sharing even basic, logical, and rational words of moral instruction [מלבי״ם].

The reason for silencing the prophet stems entirely from the character of the people. They are an inherently rebellious nation. Offering them any further guidance has become completely pointless, as it is an absolute certainty that they will ignore all warnings and simply continue their rebellion [מלבי״ם, מצודת דוד].