Ezekiel 21:18 kjv
The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,
Ezekiel 21:18 nkjv
The word of the LORD came to me again, saying:
Ezekiel 21:18 niv
The word of the LORD came to me:
Ezekiel 21:18 esv
The word of the LORD came to me again:
Ezekiel 21:18 nlt
Then this message came to me from the LORD:
Ezekiel 21 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezek 21:18 | "Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field." | God directs Ezekiel to prophesy against Jerusalem and Judah, south of his current location. |
| Jer 21:13 | "I will contend against the inhabitants of the valley, Says the LORD, Who say, ‘Who shall come down against us? Or who shall enter our dwellings?’" | Parallels Judah's overconfidence against impending doom. |
| Isa 30:1 | "Woe to the rebellious children," Says the LORD, "Who carry out a plan, but not Mine, And make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, In order to add sin to sin;" | Describes the people's tendency to form alliances apart from God's will. |
| Jer 7:29 | "Cut off your hair, cast it away, And take up a lamentation on the desolate heights; For the LORD has rejected and forsaken the generation of His wrath." | Imagery of mourning and rejection, resonating with God's judgment. |
| Micah 1:5 | "All this is for the transgression of Jacob And for the sins of the house of Israel. And what is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Are they not Jerusalem?" | Connects sin to specific locations, mirroring the targeting of Judah. |
| Ezek 20:46 | "Son of man, set your face toward the south; Preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;" | This is the very verse being analyzed, confirming the directive. |
| Jer 4:6 | "Set up a banner toward Zion! Take refuge! Do not delay, For I bring evil from the north, And a great destruction." | The north is often a source of judgment for Israel. |
| Hosea 4:1 | "Hear the word of the LORD, You children of Israel, For the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, Because there is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land." | Points to the moral and spiritual decay that warrants judgment. |
| Isa 5:11 | "Woe to those who rise early in the morning, That they may pursue intoxicating drink; Who stay up late at night, Till wine inflames them!" | Critiques self-indulgence, a characteristic of rebellion. |
| Amos 3:2 | "‘Only I have known you of all the families of the earth; Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.’" | God's unique relationship with Israel makes them accountable. |
| Jer 2:13 | "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And have dug for themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that hold no water." | Depicts the people's turning away from God to worthless alternatives. |
| Ps 81:11 | "But My people would not heed My voice, And Israel would not be content with Me." | Explains the root cause of their disobedience. |
| Prov 1:20-21 | "Wisdom calls aloud in the street, She cries out in the public squares; At the head of the noisy streets she calls out, At the entrance of the city gates she makes her speech:" | Wisdom, personified, cries out, similar to God's word through the prophet. |
| Isa 3:16 | "Moreover, the LORD says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, And walk with outstretched necks And wanton eyes, Walking and mincing as they go, Making a tinkling with their feet," | Details the pride and vanity of the people. |
| Ezek 22:1-5 | This passage describes Jerusalem as a city of bloodshed and idolatry, warranting God's judgment. | Sets a broader context of corruption in the city. |
| Luke 19:41-42 | "Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes." | Jesus laments over Jerusalem, foreseeing its destruction due to its rejection of Him. |
| Acts 7:51 | "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you." | Accuses the people of consistent rebellion against the Spirit of God. |
| Jer 23:9 | "My heart within me is broken Because of the prophets; All my bones shake. I am like a drunken man, Like a man overcome by wine, Because of the LORD And because of His holy words." | Jeremiah's deep sorrow over the consequences of sin, similar to Ezekiel's prophetic burden. |
| Isa 47:1-3 | "“Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; Sit on the ground, without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! Take a millstone and grind meal. Remove your veil, Uncover your thighs, Uncover your legs, Pass over the rivers. Your nakedness shall be uncovered, Yes, your shame shall be seen." | God’s judgment pronounced against Babylon, mirroring the doom proclaimed against Judah. |
| Jer 25:9 | "and I will call all the peoples of the north,’ says the LORD, ‘and I will call the implements of my wrath, to execute them.’" | God commissions nations to carry out His judgment. |
Ezekiel 21 verses
Ezekiel 21 18 Meaning
This verse signifies God's direct confrontation with the rebellious hearts of His people. It highlights His foreknowledge and His decision to make known the path of their destruction, even using His people to accomplish His judgment upon them.
Ezekiel 21 18 Context
Ezekiel chapter 21 is a judgment oracle delivered to the people of Judah during their exile. God instructs Ezekiel to set his face toward the south, symbolizing Jerusalem and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. This direction is significant because the enemy forces, led by Nebuchadnezzar, are coming from the north. The prophet is commanded to prophesy against the "forest of the south field," a metaphor for the dense population and vibrant life of Judah, which will soon be consumed by the fire of God's judgment. This is a direct polemic against Judah's perceived security and defiance of God's word, which led them to disregard the impending doom.
Ezekiel 21 18 Word Analysis
- "Son of man": This is a recurring prophetic title for Ezekiel, emphasizing his humanity and his role as God's messenger to the people. It grounds his message in human experience, even as it conveys divine revelation.
- "set your face toward": This signifies a deliberate and focused direction of intention and purpose, indicating that the prophet's attention and message are specifically aimed at the target of God's judgment.
- "the south": In this context, refers to the land of Judah, Jerusalem, and its inhabitants. The geographical direction is significant as it contrasts with the direction from which the invading forces (from the north) are approaching.
- "preach against": The Hebrew word implies a public declaration, often with denunciation. It's a strong, confrontational pronouncement.
- "prophesy against": Similar to "preach against," but with a more direct emphasis on foretelling future events, specifically those of a negative or judgmental nature.
- "the forest of the south field": This is a metaphor.
- "forest": The dense growth can symbolize the population and the "lushness" or perceived vitality of Judah.
- "south field": Specifies the location, Judah, distinct from the north. The image evokes a place of potential nourishment and life, which is now designated for destruction.
Word-group Analysis
- "set your face toward the south; preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field": This entire phrase is a cohesive command. It represents God strategically directing His prophet to declare judgment upon Judah, portraying its impending destruction as a natural consequence of its unfaithfulness, using the imagery of a forest being consumed by fire.
Ezekiel 21 18 Bonus Section
The geographical direction of judgment is a recurring motif in the Old Testament, often with invaders coming from the north (e.g., Jeremiah 1:14). By commanding Ezekiel to face south, God is setting up a confrontation: the force from the north will sweep down upon the people in the south. This verse also echoes God's selective judgment; He knows the specific "forests" (nations or peoples) that will serve His purposes in judging others. It reflects God's sovereignty over all nations and His ability to use them as instruments of His will.
Ezekiel 21 18 Commentary
God instructs Ezekiel to face south and proclaim judgment on Judah, the "forest of the south." This symbolizes that despite their location, which was the heartland of Israel, they were marked for destruction. The "forest" metaphor illustrates the lushness and life that will be consumed by the flames of divine wrath. This was a severe condemnation for Judah's continuous sin, idolatry, and reliance on foreign alliances instead of on God. It also demonstrates God's detailed knowledge and intentionality in executing His judgment through the Babylonian army coming from the north.