Ezekiel 21:1

1 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Ezekiel 21:1 Meaning and Commentary

Ver. 1. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying.
] Upon theEzekiel 21:2

Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem
Which shows that this city was meant by "the south", ( Ezekiel 20:46 ) : and drop thy word toward the holy places;
which also are meant by the south in the passage referred to, even the holy land, holy city, and holy temple; or the temple itself is only meant, with the courts adjoining to it; or as consisting of three parts, as Kimchi, the porch, the temple, and the oracle; or the outward court, the holy place, and the holy of holies; and it may respect all other places for sacred worship, as their synagogues, both in city and country; which were not to be spared any more than the temple, nor were they, ( Psalms 74:7 Psalms 74:8 ) . Jarchi thinks that the destruction both of the first and second temple is here intended; and which sense Kimchi also mentions. And prophesy against the land of Israel:
by which it appears that this is intended by the "forest of the south field": even the numerous inhabitants of it in general, as well as the city of Jerusalem, ( Ezekiel 20:46 ) .

Ezekiel 21:1 In-Context

1 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 Son of man, set your face toward Yerushalayim, and drop [your word] toward the sanctuaries, and prophesy against Eretz-Yisra'el;

3 and tell Eretz-Yisra'el, Thus says the LORD: Behold, I am against you, and will draw forth my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.

4 Seeing then that I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:

5 and all flesh shall know that I, the LORD, have drawn forth my sword out of its sheath; it shall not return any more.