Ezekiel 21:2

Eze 21:2 Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop [thy word] toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,

Ver. 2. Set thy face.] See on Eze 20:46.

And drop thy word.] See Deu 32:2 Amo 7:16. As drops of rain follow one upon another, so do words. Speak thick, speak home, though they forbid thee to drop such vinegar or nitre on their galled conscience. {Mic 2:6; Mic 2:11}

Toward the holy places,] i.e., Against the temple, which they so cried up, {Jer 7:4} like so many oyster wives, ad ravim usque.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze_21:2-3

Behold, I am against thee.

A prophecy of judgment

I. The prophets compellation, or title--Son of man. There are but two persons in Scripture which have eminently this name--the one is our Saviour, the other Ezekiel. For our Saviour, it was not without very good reason--namely, as hereby to discover the truth of His humanity to us--that amongst those many miracles which were wrought by Him, from whence He did appear to be God, He might have somewhat also fastened upon Him declaring Him likewise to be man. Besides, as suitable to His present state of humiliation and future passion, that He might be looked upon according to that view wherein He tendered Himself to the world, and that those which were about Him might be prepared for what should happen unto Him, He thought it fitting thus to be called; in the meantime, likewise, encouraging them, upon these terms, to close with Him, as who having taken their nature upon Him, was not now ashamed to call them brethren. As for Ezekiel, why this name should be put upon him, this is a thing further considerable--especially why upon him rather than upon any other of the prophets, Daniel only excepted, who but once is distinguished by this compellation (Dan_8:17). It is the general sense of divines, that it was for this reason especially, namely, to humble him in the midst of those many divine visions and revelations which he was partaker of, that though in regard of his work and employment he was a companion of angels, yet, for his condition, he was numbered amongst men. And so, in that respect, had a double disparagement upon him, which served to abase him--both of mortality and sinfulness. But we may add also another reason here in this place for the giving of it; and that was, not only to breed in him an humble spirit, but likewise a pitiful and compassionate. The message which he was now sent about, it was a matter of judgment and terror; it was a threatening, and foretelling of Gods wrath and indignation against His people. Now, this did require some bowels and tenderness in him, that he should do it; and therefore Son of man was a very fit and proper compellation, that so, being a man himself, he might the more commiserate his brethren.

II. The prophets injunction, or command, which is laid upon him: and that is, how to carry himself in the denunciations of Gods judgments against His people. This is laid forth in three clauses--First, to set his face toward Jerusalem. Secondly, to drop his word towards the holy places. Thirdly, to prophesy against the land of Israel. Where ye have a full enumeration of all kind of places, and conditions, and persons, as the objects of Divine wrath, which is threatened against them. First, the city, expressed in Jerusalem. Secondly, the Church, signified in the holy places. Thirdly, the country, or whole community, implied in the land of Israel. Here is Gods judgments extended to all sorts and ranks of men--to the civil State, to the ecclesiastical, and to the popular. We will begin with the civil. The Lords voice crieth to the city (Mic_6:9).

1. The place threatened is Jerusalem, the mother-city in the land of the princes and governors of the nation. This is that which God begins withal in the denunciation of His judgments against His people here in this place. This carries in it Gods anger against great ones--the nobles and princes and judges and magistrates of the land; those which were of any eminency amongst them, whether for birth, or place, or power, or wealth; these sinning against the Lord were not without their correction--nay, God thinks fitting to take aim at them first of all: Set thy face against Jerusalem. Now, there is a very good account which may be given of this dispensation.

(1) Because such places as these are, do abound with greater mercies, and so opportunities of doing good; therefore they, rebelling against the Lord, and provoking Him, do become more obnoxious.

(2) Because the sins of these are more exemplary and scandalous, The more eminent any are in place, the more notorious are their miscarriages--everyone looks upon them as so many patterns to all the rest.

(3) They are populous places, and they are such places wherein the flower and glory of the whole land is gathered together. The strength and riches and state of any nation are in their chief cities. Now, therefore, when God has a mind to stain the pride of all glory, He does especially aim at these.

2. The prophets gesture which he is required to use to it--and that is, to set his face towards it. Set thy face towards Jerusalem. The setting of the face, in Scripture, does carry a different notion in it.

(1) It is a note of attention. God would have him to set his face upon it, by way of serious consideration; to take notice of the manifold abominations which were in it. And thus now is it the concernment of ministers in like manner to do--not to shoot their arrows at random, rashly and unadvisedly, they care not how; but as being thoroughly appreciative of the guilt of the persons themselves they deal withal.

(2) It is a note of compassion and commiseration. So we also find it sometimes in Scripture. As our Saviour (Luk_19:41).

(3) It is a note of displeasure and indignation. So it is used sometimes (Jer_21:10; Eze_25:2; Eze_28:21; Eze_29:2).

The second is in reference to the Church, or State Ecclesiastical. And drop thy word towards the holy places.

1. The place is the Church and house of God. Here is Gods vengeance threatened against that, as to the destruction of it. This is worse than the former; by how much spirituals are better than temporals, and any prejudice to our souls worse than to our outward estates.

(1) Here is a threatening of the place, the temple itself, which was afterwards verified and made good in the destruction and rendition of that: Not one stone left upon another. God threatens to take away that visible token of His presence from amongst them, which was one step of this punishment.

(2) Here is a threatening of the persons, the priests and ministers--there is an heavy judgment belonging to them; forasmuch as they had corrupted themselves, and others with them.

(3) In reference to the performances--the ordinances and ministerial dispensations. God drops upon the sanctuary when He threatens to suspend these, as oftentimes He does when He sends a famine of His word (Amo_8:11) Especially when His ordinances are neglected, when there is no heed or regard unto them: in such cases as these does God remove them, and otherwise bestow them; neither is there anything here which shall stand in the way of His judgments.

2. The carriage and proceeding towards it, and that is expressed here by dropping.

(1) A leisurable proceeding--one thing after another, in a succession. The judgments of God, they are not to be denounced all at once; that were enough to astonish men, and wholly overwhelm them. No, but by steps and degrees. They must first be acquainted with lesser judgments, and then afterwards with greater.

(2) A gentle proceeding--not boisterously, with over-much rigour; but mildly, and with the spirit of meekness.

(3) A constant proceeding. Dropping--it has frequency in it. So should it be with us here: Precept upon precept, and line upon line (Isa_28:10).

The third, and last, in reference to the community and whole nation in general. In these words: And prophesy against the land of Israel.

1. The place threatened--the land of Israel. These words do carry two things in them, which might seem, at the first hearing, to plead for exemption from punishment.

(1) Israel, Gods own peculiar people.

(2) The land of Israel, that is, a great number of them. Yet it will not do, or serve the turn neither. Though it be Israel, Gods own people; though it be the land of Israel, all states and degrees amongst them; yet sinners, they must not shun judgment.

2. The carriage towards it, and that is prophesying. Prophesy against the land of Israel. This was a very ill message, and very unwelcome, which Ezekiel was sent with; but yet he must carry it, for all that. He must prophesy against them--that is, declare Gods punishments upon them for their sins and provocations of Him. (T. Herren, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Speak sensibly, that all may understand.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 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.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(2) Set thy face . . . drop thy word . . . prophesy.—These expressions, with the “say to the land” of Eze_21:3, connect this with 20:46, 47; but there they were followed by figurative terms, while here we have plainly “Jerusalem,” “the holy places,” and “the land of Israel.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2. the holy places] Or, sanctuaries. These are not the rural sanctuaries or high places, but the holy buildings in Jerusalem (Eze_7:24; Lam_2:6).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And say to the land of Israel,.... The inhabitants of it, signified by the "forest of the south field", Eze 20:47,

thus saith the Lord, behold, I am against thee; and sad it is to have the Lord against a people, a nation, a city, or a family, or a particular person; for there is no contending with him, or standing before him; there is always a reason for it, it is for sin when God is against a people, even his own professing people:

and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath; bring the Chaldean army out of Babylon; which interprets what is meant by the "fire" he would kindle in the land of Israel, Eze 20:47, namely, the sword of the enemy, which he would bring upon it; or war, with all its desolating train of judgments:

and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked; meant by the green and dry tree, Eze 20:47, who, though they shall not perish everlastingly together, yet may fall together in temporal calamities; the one may be chastised, and the other condemned; or the one be carried captive for their good, as Ezekiel and Daniel, &c. and others be cut off by sword and famine; and such as were captives, never the better for their captivity. The Targum is,

"I will remove out of thee thy righteous ones, that I may destroy thy wicked ones.''

Some think that only such who were righteous in appearance, or in their own sight, are here meant. R. Saadiah Gaon, as Kimchi quotes him, interprets them of such as were righteous to Baal, and served him continually, in distinction from such as were wicked to him, and did not serve him continually; and both were wicked before the Lord, and therefore justly cut off.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Set thy face; put thyself in a posture may bespeak thy going to prophesy.

Toward Jerusalem, or against Jerusalem, called, Eze 20:46, forest of the south field. Drop thy word; of the phrase see Eze 20:46; as rain from heaven, so distil my word.

The holy places; either the temple, and all the parts of it, which were three, the porch, the holy, and holy of holies; or their synagogues, in which they met to worship and read the law, which were burnt up by this fire, Psa 74:8.

Against the land of Israel; not only against Jerusalem, but the whole land of Israel, from the south thereof to the north; as Eze 20:47.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. Drop thy word — See Deu_32:2; Isa_55:11. This word of the prophet did not drop as the dew, but fell like the blow of a sword. (Compare also Amo_7:16; Heb_4:12.)

The holy places — Peshito, their holy place. Reference is made to the temple building in Jerusalem (Eze_7:24; Lam_2:6).

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The holy places - The temple and all parts of it.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

southward The land of Israel is south of Babylon.

to the forest of the field in the south To My Temple, which is destined to be like a forest and like a field, to be plowed in order to be overrun by foxes.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.