Moreover, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying. Or the word of prophecy, as the Targum. Here begins a new prophecy, and most properly a new chapter should here begin; for the next chapter is of the same argument with this, and an explanation of it, and an enlargement upon it. And here Ben Melech begins one; and so Junius and Tremellius, Piscator, and Castalio. read more
In the Hebrew the verses that follow form the opening of the next chapter. The Authorized Version follows the LXX ; the Vulgate, and Luther. The section has clearly no connection with what has preceded, and, though fragmentary in its character, seems by the words, "set thy face," to connect itself with Ezekiel 21:2 , and to lead up to it. The words of verse 45 imply, as always, an interval of silence and repose. read more
The forest in flame. In a nation, men's minds are in every stage of development; a hundred phases of feeling prevail. Hence God, in his kindness, sent his instructions in every possible form, and adapted his reproofs to every state of mind—to children as well as to men of riper years. I. THE PARABLE IMPLIES A RESEMBLANCE BETWEEN MEN AND FOREST TREES . Amid many differences, there are some resemblances, and it is on one of these resemblances that this admonition... read more
and Ezekiel 21:1-7 A parable of judgment. "Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy lace towards the south," etc. Another chapter should certainly have been commenced at the forty-fifth verse of the twentieth chapter, as indeed it is in the Hebrew, LXX ; and Vulgate. The first seven verses of the twenty-first chapter in the Authorized Version are an explanation of the parable of the preceding five verses. I. THE AUTHOR OF THIS JUDGMENT . ... read more
This paragraph is in the Hebrew text, Septuagint and Vulgate the beginning of Ezekiel 21:0 to which it belongs, as it contains a prophecy delivered in a form which is there explained. It may, however, be regarded as a link between the foregoing and following prophecies, being a general introduction to seven words of judgment about to be pronounced in development of that which has just been delivered.Ezekiel 20:46In this verse occur three Hebrew synonyms for “south,” denoting:(1) the region on... read more
Ezekiel 20:45-49. Moreover, the word of the Lord, &c. Here we have a new prophecy, with which Houbigant, following many learned commentators, begins the xxist chapter, and that very properly; for what is contained in that chapter is only an explanation of what is contained in the remainder of this. Son of man, set thy face toward the south The prophets were generally commanded to turn themselves toward the places concerning which they were going to prophesy; and Ezekiel being now in... read more
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
"And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the South; and say to the forest of the South, Hear the word of Jehovah; thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will kindle the fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming fire shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burnt thereby. And all... read more
Ezekiel 20:45. Moreover, the word of the Lord— Houbigant, following many learned commentators, begins the 21st chapter very properly with this verse; for what is contained in that chapter is only an explanation of what is included in the remainder of this. The south, in the next verse, and the forest of the south field, mean Judaea; because they who went from Babylon, where Ezekiel now prophesied, into Judea, went southward, and entered by the forest of Lebanon into Judaea. See Eze 20:2 of the... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 20:45-48
We have here a prophecy of wrath against Judah and Jerusalem, which would more fitly have begun the next chapter than conclude this; for it has no dependence on what goes before, but that which follows in the beginning of the next chapter is the explication of it, when the people complained that this was a parable which they understood not. In this parable, 1. It is a forest that is prophesied against, the forest of the south field, Judah and Jerusalem. These lay south from Babylon, where... read more