Ezekiel 21:2 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 21:1-7

The prophet had faithfully delivered the message he was entrusted with, in the close of the foregoing chapter, in the terms wherein he received it, not daring to add his own comment upon it; but, when he complained that the people found fault with him for speaking parables, the word of the Lord came to him again, and gave him a key to that figurative discourse, that with it he might let the people into the meaning of it and so silence that objection. For all men shall be rendered inexcusable... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 21:2

Set thy face toward Jerusalem - This is a continuation of the preceding prophecy; and in this chapter the prophet sets before them, in the plainest language, what the foregoing metaphors meant, so that they could not complain of his parables. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 21:1-17

Irresistible slaughter. The subject matter of this prophecy is substantially the same as the foregoing. The parable is now put into plainest language. There is an advantage in using the parable method. It awakens attention. It leads men to examine and reflect. There is an excitement in discovering a riddle. Yet God will speak also to men in language plain enough tot the simplest understanding. No lost man is able to cast any blame on our God. We have "line upon line, precept upon precept."... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 21:2-3

The opening words, reproducing those of Ezekiel 20:46 , indicate that the interpretation of that parable is coming. So the three variants of "south" are shown to mean respectively Jerusalem, the holy places, and the land of Israel. So, in Ezekiel 20:3 , the righteous and the wicked take the place of the "green" and the "dry" tree, and the fire is explained as meaning the sword of the invader. The teaching of Ezekiel 18:1-32 , had shown that Ezekiel had entered, as regards the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ezekiel 21:1-2

The first word of judgment Ezekiel 21:1-7. Ezekiel speaks first to the people of Israel, shows the universality of the coming destructions, and indicates by a sign (that of sighing) the sadness of the calamity.The words and order of words are identical with Ezekiel 20:45-46, except that for “south,” there are substituted:(1) “Jerusalem;”(2) “the holy place,” i. e., the temple and its various parts;(3) “the land of Israel.”No subterfuge is left for the people to pretend misunderstanding. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ezekiel 21:1-5

Ezekiel 21:1-5. Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem Here God directs the prophet to declare in plain language, what he had ordered him to speak allegorically, from the 46th to the 48th verses of the foregoing chapter. And say to the land of Israel The prophet’s face being turned toward Judea and Jerusalem, he addresses them as if they were present before him. Behold, I am against thee I am become thine enemy because of thy sins; I hate thy practices, and will punish thee for them.... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 21:1-17

Babylon’s terrifying attack (20:45-21:17)The usual way to travel from Babylon to Jerusalem was by a semi-circular route that avoided the Arabian desert by following the Euphrates River to the north-west then turning south towards Judah. (See map ‘Near East in the time of Jeremiah.) Ezekiel put himself in the position of the Babylonian army as it moved south into Judah, overrunning and destroying the country as an uncontrollable bushfire. None would escape its terror (45-48). But the people did... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ezekiel 21:2

Son of man. See note on Ezekiel 2:1 . holy. See note on Exodus 3:5 . the land of Israel = the soil of Israel, Hebrew. 'admath Israel . See note on Ezekiel 11:17 . read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Ezekiel 21:2

Ezekiel 21:2. Set thy face toward Jerusalem— As if God had said, "Since they deride thee, and call thee a speaker of parables, use not the parable of the southern forest, but speak plainly of Jerusalem and Israel by name." From this series of the discourse, appears more evidently what we have remarked on the 14th verse of the preceding chapter,—that these chapters should not be separated. See Houbigant. read more