Ezekiel 20:46

46 fili hominis pone faciem tuam contra viam austri et stilla ad africum et propheta ad saltum agri meridiani

Ezekiel 20:46 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 20:46

Son of man, set thy force toward the south
The land of Judea, which lay south of Babylon, where the prophet now was, as Babylon lay north of that, ( Jeremiah 1:14 ) ( 4:6 ) to set his face was to speak freely and boldly, with courage and constancy, and without fear and dread, to the inhabitants of it; and as a token of the Lord's face being set against them for their sins. The Targum is,

``take a prophecy towards the way of the south.''

And drop thy word toward the south;
or prophesy, as the Targum; doctrine or prophecy being compared to rain, and the delivery of it to the dropping or distilling of rain; which falls gently, gradually, successively, and oftentimes with weight, and to good purpose; see ( Deuteronomy 32:2 ) , which metaphorical phrase is explained in the next clause: and prophesy against the forest of the south field;
the city of Jerusalem, in the land of Judea, which was very full of people, as a forest of trees; but these barren and unfruitful, as the trees of the wood generally are; and a rendezvous of wicked persons, comparable to beasts of prey, that haunt in woods and forests.

Ezekiel 20:46 In-Context

44 et scietis quia ego Dominus cum benefecero vobis propter nomen meum non secundum vias vestras malas neque secundum scelera vestra pessima domus Israhel ait Dominus Deus

45 et factus est sermo Domini ad me dicens

46 fili hominis pone faciem tuam contra viam austri et stilla ad africum et propheta ad saltum agri meridiani

47 et dices saltui meridiano audi verbum Domini haec dicit Dominus Deus ecce ego succendam in te ignem et conburam in te omne lignum viride et omne lignum aridum non extinguetur flamma succensionis et conburetur in ea omnis facies ab austro usque ad aquilonem

48 et videbit universa caro quia ego Dominus succendi eam nec extinguetur