Gregory the Dialogist : And when it is added: "But the house of Israel will not hear you, because they will not hear me," the hardness of Judea is indicated, which both understood the words of the preachers and refused to follow them. And it is well said: "They will not hear you, because they will not hear me," according to what is written: "He who despises you, despises me." The reason why they do not hear is also added when it is said: "For the whole house of Israel is of hardened forehead and stubborn heart." When the house of Israel is said to have a hardened forehead, what else is to be understood, what else is to be thought, except that frequent sin hardens the forehead of the heart in shamelessness, so that the more often it is committed, the less the mind of the one committing it feels ashamed of it? And therefore the sinner sometimes arrives at such great hardness of heart that he is no longer sensitive to correction, because he who has become hardened by the habit of sinning in no way feels the word of one correcting him, that is, the hand of one touching him, just as it is also said to Judea, who sinned more frequently: "You have acquired the forehead of a prostitute; you refused to blush." Or certainly a hardened forehead is one accustomed to the activities of this world, because just as there are some who prefer quiet to all the rewards and honors of the world, so there are some who, in order to appear to be something in this world, sweat at earthly labors, persist in lawsuits, and involve themselves in quarrels. And although they feel their body failing amid their labors, yet conquered by love of earthly things, they are delightfully wearied. To them it is said through the prophet: "Ephraim is a heifer trained to love threshing." For a heifer accustomed to threshing on the threshing floor, even if released from labor, returns of its own accord. So for certain perverse minds nothing is more laborious than if they are commanded not to labor in the activities of this world. For often certain people, driven away from earthly activity, plead to return, ask to be burdened, and think they have incurred a grave danger in rest. Therefore those have a hardened forehead who not only do not flee labors, but are not even ashamed to appear importunate in seeking labors that are denied them. — Homilies on Ezekiel, Book 1, Homily 10 Jerome : (Verse 7.) But the house of Israel does not want to listen to you, because they do not want to listen to me. For the entire house of Israel is stubborn and hard-hearted. Do not be dismayed, he says, if they do not want to listen to you. For this reason, they will not listen to you: because they will despise listening to me: as the Savior also said: Whoever does not receive you, does not receive me (Ibid., X, 40) . In which it is clearly shown that there is free will. And two reasons are given why they do not listen: because they are perverse in their will, and stubborn-hearted, or, as the Septuagint translates, they are contentious: and it is understood that often, when called to salvation, they did not want to listen. — Commentary on Ezekiel