Ezekiel 3:22Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Step into the field, for there you will hear the message. The Lord appointed the prophet to be a sign for the people. On that day, he was instructed to venture into the field, to listen to what God would communicate, and to witness once more the same vision he had encountered by the river Hobar.

The term used here, translated from the Hebrew and absent in the Septuagint, is included for clarity to eliminate any ambiguity regarding its meaning as a location. In Ezekiel 3:15, it states, "And I came to the settlers, to the heap of new fruit, to them that dwell by the river Hobar." Thus, it is fitting that one who declared, "I sat down," is now commanded to rise. The one who approached the settlers hears the call to come forth—not into rugged valleys or rocky cliffs, but into a broad expanse that can reflect God's glory. Consequently, to the Corinthians, it is further proclaimed, "Spread out" (2 Cor. 6:13). When he enters among the captives who have been described as raging and persecuting him, he requires a mighty hand to withstand and endure the wrath of his oppressors.

In the presence of the Divine, silence is most appropriate. When the mind is liberated from external disturbances and focused inward, it can understand the sacred more profoundly.