Berean Study Bible Ezekiel Eats the ScrollGod addresses Ezekiel in a way that emphasizes his human weakness and mortality before the holiness and authority of the Lord. Though called to a difficult ministry, Ezekiel remains God’s servant and representative among the exiles. Ezk 2:1 “Son of man,” He said to me, “stand up on your feet”… He said to me, God speaks directly to Ezekiel, establishing the divine authority behind the message he must carry to Israel. Jer 1:7 But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’… “eat what you find here. Ezekiel must receive God’s message inwardly before proclaiming it publicly. The command pictures full acceptance of the words God gives him. Rev 10:9 And I went to the angel and said, “Give me the small scroll.”… Eat this scroll, The scroll contains the judgments, warnings, and laments God has prepared for His rebellious people. Ezekiel is not free to alter its contents. Ezk 2:8-10 And you, son of man, listen to what I tell you… then go and speak to the house of Israel.” After receiving the message, Ezekiel is sent to the Israelites living in Babylonian exile. His duty is to declare God’s word faithfully, whether the people respond or resist. Ezk 12:10 Tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says:… So I opened my mouth, Ezekiel obeyed God’s command, showing his readiness to receive the message entrusted to him. His submission marked the beginning of his ministry among the exiles of Israel. Psa 81:10 I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt.… and He fed me the scroll. God gave Ezekiel His written message to receive fully before declaring it to others. The scroll contained God’s words of judgment and warning, which the prophet was to internalize as the foundation of his ministry. Rev 10:9-10 And I went to the angel and said, “Give me the small scroll.”… “Son of man,” God addresses Ezekiel in a way that emphasizes his human frailty before the glory and authority of the Lord. As a member of Israel, he is called to carry God’s message to his own people. Dan 8:17 As he came near to where I stood, I was terrified… He said to me, The Lord speaks personally to Ezekiel, giving him clear instructions for his prophetic mission. Rev 10:8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven… “eat and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you.” The scroll contains God’s words of warning, judgment, and lamentation for Israel. Eating it pictures Ezekiel receiving the message fully before declaring it to others. Rev 10:9 And I went to the angel and said, “Give me the small scroll.”… So I ate, Ezekiel obeys the command and accepts the commission God has given him. Rev 10:10 So I took the small scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it… and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. God’s word is good and satisfying, even when it announces severe judgment. Its sweetness comes from its truth and from the God who speaks it. Psa 119:103 How sweet are Your words to my taste—sweeter than honey… Then He said to me, The Lord continued His direct instruction to Ezekiel, establishing the message as divine in origin and binding upon the prophet. Ezk 2:1 “Son of man,” He said to me, “stand up on your feet”… “Son of man, God addressed Ezekiel according to his human weakness and mortality while appointing him to stand before the people as His servant. Dan 8:17 As he came near to where I stood, I was terrified… go now to the house of Israel Ezekiel was sent to the Israelites living in Babylonian exile. Though they were under judgment for persistent rebellion, they remained the covenant people to whom God spoke. Mat 10:6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. and speak My words to them. Ezekiel was to deliver only what God commanded, faithfully declaring His warning and calling the exiles to hear Him. Ezk 2:7 But speak My words to them, whether they listen… For you are not being sent to a people of unfamiliar speech or difficult language, Ezekiel’s assignment was not complicated by foreign customs or an unknown language. He was sent to fellow Israelites who understood the covenant, the Law, and the warnings God had given through earlier prophets. Their problem was not inability to hear the message but unwillingness to obey it. Deu 28:49 The LORD will bring a nation from afar… but to the house of Israel— During the Babylonian exile, the people of Israel faced judgment for persistent idolatry and rebellion. Though displaced from their land, they remained God’s covenant people. Ezekiel was sent to confront their sin, explain the justice of their captivity, and call them to repentance. Ezk 2:3 “Son of man,” He said to me, “I am sending you… not to the many peoples of unfamiliar speech and difficult language whose words you cannot understand. Ezekiel was sent to Israel, not to foreign nations whose languages and customs would have made communication difficult. Israel had received God’s law, knew His covenant, and possessed a long history of prophetic warning. Their problem was not lack of access to God’s message but refusal to obey it. Deu 28:49 The LORD will bring a nation from afar… Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. Foreign peoples with no prior covenant privileges might have responded more readily than Israel. The comparison exposes Israel’s stubbornness: those given the clearest knowledge of God were less willing to hear than nations who had not received such revelation. Act 28:28 Be advised, therefore, that God’s salvation has been sent… But the house of Israel will be unwilling to listen to you, Ezekiel’s message would be rejected because the exiles shared the same rebellious disposition that had marked Israel’s history. Their resistance was not caused by any failure in the prophet’s message but by their settled refusal to submit to God’s word. Jer 7:27 When you tell them all these things, they will not listen… since they are unwilling to listen to Me. Rejecting Ezekiel meant rejecting the Lord who sent him. Though God had judged Judah and brought many into exile, the people’s suffering had not yet produced repentance or a willingness to obey Him. 1Sa 8:7 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice… For the whole house of Israel is hard-headed and hard-hearted. Israel was stubborn in will and insensitive in conscience, resisting correction even under judgment. God therefore prepared Ezekiel to speak faithfully, knowing that the people’s response would reveal their rebellion rather than diminish the authority of God’s message. Act 7:51 You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears!… Behold, I will make your face as hard as their faces, God prepared Ezekiel to stand before a rebellious people without shrinking back. Israel’s stubborn resistance would not excuse the prophet from delivering the message entrusted to him. The Lord gave him the resolve necessary to confront opposition and speak faithfully. Jer 1:18-19 Now behold, this day I have made you like a fortified city… and your forehead as hard as their foreheads. Ezekiel would need endurance equal to the nation’s defiance. God strengthened him to remain firm amid rejection, ridicule, and hostility, so that Israel would hear His warning and know that a prophet had been among them. Isa 48:4 For I knew that you are stubborn; your neck is iron… I will make your forehead like a diamond, harder than flint. God would give Ezekiel the firmness needed to confront a people hardened by idolatry and disobedience. His calling required endurance during the years surrounding Judah’s fall and the Babylonian exile, when many Israelites rejected God’s warnings. Isa 50:7 Because the Lord GOD helps Me, I have not been disgraced;… Do not be afraid of them or dismayed at their presence, Ezekiel was not to be intimidated by the opposition, hostility, or unbelief he would face. God’s authority, not the response of the people, would sustain His prophet in delivering the message entrusted to him. Jer 1:8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you… even though they are a rebellious house.” Israel’s persistent rebellion had brought divine judgment through Babylon. Yet God continued to send His word to the exiles, exposing their sin and preserving the promise of eventual restoration for those who would return to Him. Isa 65:2 All day long I have held out My hands to an obstinate people… “Son of man,” God addresses Ezekiel as a man among the people to whom he is sent. Though called to receive divine visions and messages, he remains a mortal servant accountable to speak God’s word faithfully. Ezk 2:1 “Son of man,” He said to me, “stand up on your feet”… He added, God continues His direct instruction, preparing Ezekiel for the difficult ministry ahead among a rebellious house. Job 33:14 For God speaks in one way and in another… “listen carefully to all the words I speak to you, Ezekiel must receive God’s message without alteration or selective obedience. His authority as a prophet rests on accurately hearing and proclaiming what God says. Deu 18:19 And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen… and take them to heart. Before speaking to Israel, Ezekiel must inwardly receive God’s words. The message is not merely to be repeated; it must shape the prophet’s own understanding, obedience, and resolve. Deu 32:46 “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared… Go to your people, the exiles; Ezekiel was to return to the Judean community deported to Babylon in 597 BC, when Nebuchadnezzar removed King Jehoiachin, leading officials, craftsmen, and warriors from Jerusalem. Though far from Judah, they remained God’s covenant people, and Ezekiel was sent to serve among them. Jer 29:4 This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says… speak to them and tell them, He was not to remain silent or limit his message to visions and signs. God required him to address the exiles plainly and personally with the warning, correction, and hope entrusted to him. Jer 26:2 This is what the LORD says: Stand in the courtyard… ‘This is what the Lord GOD says,’ Ezekiel spoke under the authority of the sovereign Lord, not from personal opinion or political judgment. The message came from the God who had brought judgment on Jerusalem and still ruled over His people in Babylon. Ezk 5:5 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘This is Jerusalem… whether they listen or refuse to listen.” Ezekiel’s responsibility was faithful proclamation, not control over the people’s response. Some would resist the warning, but their refusal would not excuse them from accountability before God. Ezk 2:7 But speak My words to them, whether they listen… Then the Spirit lifted me up, Ezekiel was carried by the Spirit from the place where he had seen the glory of God, confirming that his ministry and visions came by divine power rather than human initiative. The movement marked his continued commission as God’s messenger to the exiles. Ezk 11:1 Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the gate… and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me: As Ezekiel departed, the living creatures and the wheels moved with a powerful sound, accompanied by the glory of the LORD. The sound revealed the majesty and authority of God’s heavenly throne as it rose from among the exiles. Rev 1:10 On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me… “Blessed be the glory of the LORD in His dwelling place!” The proclamation honored the LORD’s glory as it departed from its place and moved according to His will. Though Jerusalem and its temple stood under coming judgment, God’s presence was not confined to the city. He remained sovereign and present with His people in exile. Psa 26:8 O LORD, I love the house where You dwell… It was the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against one another The living creatures were cherubim serving before the glory of God. Their wings moved in perfect unity as they carried out His command, displaying the order and power of His heavenly throne. Ezk 1:9-11 and their wings were touching one another.… and the sound of the wheels beside them, The wheels belonged to the throne-chariot Ezekiel had seen by the Chebar Canal. Moving with the cherubim in every direction, they showed that God’s rule is not confined to Jerusalem or the temple. Ezk 1:15-21 When I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel… a great rumbling sound. The overwhelming noise marked the movement of God’s glory and underscored the weight of the message Ezekiel was called to deliver to Israel. Ezk 1:24 When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings… So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, The Spirit of God physically directed Ezekiel from the place of his vision to the exiles by the Chebar Canal. His calling and movement were governed by God, not by his own desire or strength. Ezk 8:3 He stretched out what looked like a hand… and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, Ezekiel felt the weight of carrying God’s message of judgment to a stubborn and rebellious people. His distress did not alter his obedience, but revealed the personal cost of proclaiming what God had commanded. 1Sa 1:10 In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD… with the strong hand of the LORD upon me. God’s powerful presence sustained and compelled Ezekiel for the task ahead. Though troubled in spirit, he went under the authority and strength of the LORD. Isa 8:11 For this is what the LORD has spoken to me… I came to the exiles at Tel-abib Ezekiel joined the Jewish captives settled at Tel-abib in Babylon after Jerusalem’s earlier deportations. Tel-abib means “mound of the flood” or “hill of ears of grain,” suggesting renewal or growth amid desolation. Living in exile, they faced the loss of their land, temple-centered worship, and national security, yet they remained the people to whom God would speak through His prophet. Jer 29:1 This is the text of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet… who dwelt by the River Kebar. The Kebar was a canal in Babylon near the area of Nippur, where exiled Judeans were established. Far from Jerusalem, the captives were nevertheless not beyond God’s presence or His authority. Ezk 1:1 In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month,… And for seven days I sat where they sat Ezekiel remained with the people in their grief and shock. His seven days of silence reflected the depth of their calamity and prepared him to deliver God’s message among them. Job 2:13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days… and remained there among them, overwhelmed. Ezekiel was deeply affected by the condition of the exiles and by the burden of his calling. The judgment that had brought them to Babylon was severe, and the warnings he would soon proclaim carried eternal weight. Ezr 9:3-4 When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and cloak…
A Watchman for IsraelEzekiel had remained among the exiles at Tel-abib, overwhelmed by the vision and the weight of his calling. After this complete period of waiting, the Lord gave him further direction for his ministry. 1Sa 10:8 And you shall go before me to Gilgal, and surely… the word of the LORD God’s message carried His own authority. Ezekiel was not to speak his own thoughts or opinions, but what the Lord commanded him to proclaim. 2Sa 7:4 But that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying, came to me, The Lord addressed Ezekiel personally, confirming his appointment and preparing him for the responsibility of warning Israel. Jer 1:4 The word of the LORD came to me, saying: saying, What follows defines Ezekiel’s duty as a watchman, accountable to deliver God’s warning faithfully to both the wicked and the righteous. 1Ki 17:2 Then a revelation from the LORD came to Elijah: “Son of man, God addresses Ezekiel by a title that emphasizes his humanity and sets him apart from the divine speaker. Though called to bear God’s message, Ezekiel remains a man sent to fellow men. Ezk 2:1 “Son of man,” He said to me, “stand up on your feet”… I have made you a watchman Like a guard stationed to detect danger and sound the alarm, Ezekiel is appointed to warn Israel of coming judgment. His responsibility is to deliver God’s message faithfully. Ezk 33:7 As for you, O son of man, I have made you a watchman… for the house of Israel. Ezekiel’s commission concerns God’s covenant people, whose rebellion had brought them under judgment. Even in exile, Israel remains accountable to the Lord. Ezk 37:11 Then He said to me, “Son of man, these bones”… Whenever you hear a word from My mouth, Ezekiel is not to speak from personal opinion or human wisdom. His warnings must proceed from the revelation God gives him. Deu 18:18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you… give them a warning from Me. The warnings are intended to confront sin before judgment falls. Israel must understand that the message comes from God and demands a response. Ezk 33:8-9 If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’… If I say to the wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ God’s judgment against persistent rebellion is certain. Ezekiel was commissioned to announce that judgment plainly, making known both God’s holiness and the deadly consequence of sin. Gen 2:17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge… but you do not warn him or speak out to warn him from his wicked way to save his life, As Israel’s watchman, Ezekiel was accountable to deliver God’s warning. His task was not to control the response of the wicked, but to speak faithfully so that the sinner might turn from evil and live. Jas 5:19-20 My brothers, if one of you should wander… that wicked man will die in his iniquity, The wicked person remains responsible for his own sin and will bear its judgment if he refuses God’s warning. His death results from his iniquity, not from Ezekiel’s silence. Ezk 18:26 If a righteous man turns from his righteousness… and I will hold you responsible for his blood. Failure to give the warning would make Ezekiel answerable before God for neglecting his assigned duty. The watchman’s responsibility was serious because God had entrusted him with His message to a rebellious people. Ezk 33:8 If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’… But if you warn a wicked man God had appointed Ezekiel as a watchman over Israel, responsible to announce His warning to those living in rebellion. Like a city watchman who sounded an alarm when danger approached, Ezekiel was not free to remain silent when God revealed coming judgment. Ezk 33:8 If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’… and he does not turn from his wickedness and his wicked way, The warning called for a real departure from sin, not merely regret over its consequences. The wicked man’s conduct and settled course of life showed his continued refusal to submit to God. Ezk 33:11 Say to them: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD,… he will die in his iniquity, Those who rejected God’s warning would bear the judgment for their own sin. For Ezekiel’s generation, this included the disaster, death, and exile brought upon Judah because of persistent rebellion against the Lord. Ezk 18:26 If a righteous man turns from his righteousness… but you will have saved yourself. Ezekiel would not be held accountable for the wicked man’s death if he faithfully delivered God’s message. The prophet’s duty was obedience in proclaiming the warning; each hearer remained responsible for his own response. Ezk 33:9 But if you warn the wicked man to turn from his way… Now if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, A person who has lived obediently is still accountable if he abandons God’s ways and chooses sin. Covenant faithfulness required continuing obedience, not reliance on past conduct. Ezk 33:12 Therefore, son of man, say to your people:… and I put a stumbling block before him, God may place judgment or an occasion of exposure in the sinner’s path, bringing his rebellion into the open and confirming the consequences of his chosen course. Ezk 14:3 Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts… he will die. Persistent sin brings death under God’s judgment. In Ezekiel’s setting, this could include physical death through the judgments coming upon Judah, while also pointing to separation from God. Ezk 18:20 The soul who sins is the one who will die.… If you did not warn him, Ezekiel had been appointed as a watchman for Israel. He was required to deliver God’s warning plainly rather than remain silent when people were in spiritual danger. Ezk 33:8 If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’… he will die in his sin, The guilty person bears responsibility for his own rebellion and dies under its penalty if he does not turn back. Jhn 8:24 That is why I told you that you would die in your sins.… and the righteous acts he did will not be remembered. Earlier obedience does not cancel present, unrepented sin. God requires enduring faithfulness from those who claim to belong to Him. Ezk 18:24 But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness… And I will hold you responsible for his blood. Though the sinner remains accountable for his sin, the watchman is accountable for withholding the warning God commanded him to give. Ezk 33:6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming… But if you warn the righteous man not to sin, The watchman’s duty extends to those presently walking in obedience. A righteous person is not beyond temptation or failure and must be warned when danger arises. Pro 9:8-9 Do not rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you;… and he does not sin, By receiving the warning and turning from the threatened course, he avoids the rebellion that would bring judgment. 1Jn 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you…… he will indeed live His life is preserved from the judgment God had appointed for sin. The warning serves God’s purpose of keeping His people from destruction. Deu 30:15-16 See, I have set before you today life and prosperity,… because he heeded your warning, The man remains responsible for his own response. He benefits because he listens and acts on the message God has given. Pro 25:12 Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold… and you will have saved yourself.” The watchman is cleared of bloodguilt because he faithfully delivered the warning. He cannot control another person’s response, but he must not withhold God’s message. Ezk 33:8-9 If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’… And there the hand of the LORD was upon me, God’s power rested on Ezekiel, setting him apart and preparing him to receive and deliver the message entrusted to him. His ministry proceeded under God’s authority rather than from his own initiative. Ezk 40:1 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning… and He said to me, The LORD addressed Ezekiel personally, giving him clear direction for his next assignment. Jer 1:7 But the LORD told me: “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’… “Get up, go out to the plain, Ezekiel was commanded to leave the settlement of the exiles and go to an open place where he would be separated from the noise and activity around him. His prompt obedience showed his submission to God’s call. Jon 3:2 “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh”… and there I will speak with you.” The LORD would continue to reveal His word to Ezekiel in the plain, providing the instruction needed for his ministry to Israel. Exo 25:22 And I will meet with you there above the mercy seat,… So I got up and went out to the plain, Ezekiel obeyed at once, leaving the city to meet the LORD in an open place apart from the surrounding exiles. Ezk 8:3-4 He stretched out what looked like a hand… and behold, the glory of the LORD was present there, God’s visible glory confirmed that He had not abandoned His people in Babylon and that Ezekiel’s commission came from the sovereign LORD. Exo 40:34-35 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting,… like the glory I had seen by the River Kebar, The appearance matched the revelation Ezekiel received at the beginning of his ministry, reminding him that the same God who called him continued to direct him. Ezk 1:26-28 Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness… and I fell facedown. Overwhelmed by the holiness and majesty of God, Ezekiel bowed in reverent submission before receiving further instruction. Ezk 44:4 Then the man brought me to the front of the temple… Then the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet. God strengthened Ezekiel after the overwhelming vision and prepared him to receive further instruction. The prophet’s ability to stand and serve came from God’s Spirit, not from his own resolve. Ezk 2:2 And as He spoke to me, the Spirit entered me… He spoke with me and said, Ezekiel received a direct command from the Lord, confirming that his message and actions were given by divine authority. Num 12:8 I speak with him face to face, clearly and not in riddles;… “Go, shut yourself inside your house. Ezekiel was instructed to withdraw from public life as part of his prophetic ministry. His isolation would become a sign to the exiles: judgment was coming, and Israel’s rebellion had brought separation, restraint, and loss of freedom. Isa 26:20 Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut your doors… And you, son of man, Ezekiel is addressed as a man called by God to stand before a rebellious people. Though appointed as a watchman for Israel, he remains subject to God’s direction and timing. Ezk 2:1 “Son of man,” He said to me, “stand up on your feet”… they will tie with ropes, His confinement would become part of the sign God gave to the exiles. The people’s resistance to God’s message would result in the prophet being restrained and separated from public ministry. Jdg 16:11-12 He replied, “If they tie me up with new ropes… and you will be bound Ezekiel’s binding pictured Israel’s own condition: a people hardened against God’s warnings and unable to escape the consequences of their rebellion. 2Ki 25:7 And they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes.… so that you cannot go out among the people. For a time, Ezekiel would not move freely among the exiles or speak openly to them. God would limit his public role until the appointed time for further warnings and judgment. Lev 13:46 As long as he has the infection, he remains unclean.… I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, God would directly restrain Ezekiel’s speech, making his silence part of his prophetic ministry. The removal of his ordinary ability to speak showed that Israel’s continued rejection of God’s warnings had brought a severe response. Job 29:10 The voices of the nobles were hushed… and you will be silent Ezekiel’s silence visibly portrayed the spiritual condition of the exiles. They had repeatedly refused to hear God, and the absence of prophetic rebuke would leave them to face the consequences of their rebellion. Exo 14:14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” and unable to rebuke them, God withheld further correction at times because the people had proved unwilling to receive it. Ezekiel would speak only when God gave him a message, showing that the Lord alone determined both the timing and content of prophetic warning. Jer 7:27 When you tell them all these things, they will not listen… though they are a rebellious house. Israel’s exile resulted from persistent idolatry, covenant unfaithfulness, and resistance to God’s prophets. Their rebellion magnified God’s justice while preparing the way for His promised restoration of a people with renewed hearts. Ezk 2:6 But you, son of man, do not be afraid of them… But when I speak with you, God directly commissions Ezekiel to deliver His message to the exiles. The prophet speaks not from personal opinion or insight, but as one instructed by the Lord. Ezk 2:1 “Son of man,” He said to me, “stand up on your feet”… I will open your mouth, Ezekiel’s ability and authority to speak come from God. Though he had previously been silent as a sign to the people, God would appoint the time and content of his public proclamation. Ezk 24:27 On that day your mouth will be opened… and you are to tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says.’ Ezekiel must plainly identify the message as the word of the sovereign Lord. The people are being addressed by God Himself through His prophet. Ezk 2:4 They are obstinate and stubborn children.… Whoever listens, let him listen; Each hearer is responsible to receive God’s warning and respond in obedience. Mat 11:15 He who has ears, let him hear. and whoever refuses, let him refuse, Ezekiel’s duty is to proclaim the truth faithfully, regardless of the response. Those who reject the message remain accountable for their rebellion. Pro 1:24-25 Because you refused my call, and no one took… for they are a rebellious house. Israel’s exile resulted from its persistent rejection of God’s covenant, idolatry, and refusal to heed His servants. Ezekiel’s ministry exposes their sin and confirms the justice of God’s judgment. Ezk 2:5 And whether they listen or refuse to listen… This is a draft of the Berean Study Bible. Please send all comments and recommendations to bereanstudybible@aol.com. Bible Hub |
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