Ezekiel 4:7 kjv
Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem, and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it.
Ezekiel 4:7 nkjv
"Therefore you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem; your arm shall be uncovered, and you shall prophesy against it.
Ezekiel 4:7 niv
Turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem and with bared arm prophesy against her.
Ezekiel 4:7 esv
And you shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem, with your arm bared, and you shall prophesy against the city.
Ezekiel 4:7 nlt
"Meanwhile, keep staring at the siege of Jerusalem. Lie there with your arm bared and prophesy her destruction.
Ezekiel 4 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 4:7 | Set your face toward the cities of Judah. | Judgment declared |
| Jeremiah 1:14 | Calamity shall pour forth from the north. | Prophecy of judgment |
| Jeremiah 46:20 | Egypt is a beautiful heifer, but a gadfly from the north has come upon her. | Divine targeting |
| Ezekiel 3:14 | the Spirit lifted me up and bore me away. | Divine commission |
| Ezekiel 6:2 | Prophesy against the mountains of Israel. | Geographical focus |
| Ezekiel 20:46 | Set your face toward the south and prophesy against the forest of the field of the south. | Prophetic declaration |
| Ezekiel 25:2 | "Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites. | Facing specific nations |
| Ezekiel 25:12 | Thus says the Lord GOD: Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah... | Judah as recipient |
| Ezekiel 29:2 | Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt. | Pharaoh targeted |
| Ezekiel 30:2 | Son of man, prophesy and say: Thus says the Lord GOD... | Prophecy of doom |
| Ezekiel 34:2 | Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. | Targeting leadership |
| Ezekiel 35:2 | Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir. | Geographical condemnation |
| Isaiah 1:4 | Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity... | Judah's sin |
| Jeremiah 2:35 | Yet I am the LORD your God... you do not know me. | Divine complaint |
| Micah 3:11 | Its heads give judgment for a bribe... therefore because of you Zion will be plowed as a field. | Justice perverted |
| Matthew 21:43 | Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruits. | Kingdom's transfer |
| Acts 28:26 | They will indeed hear but never understand; they will indeed see but never perceive. | Willful blindness |
| Revelation 18:20 | Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced your judgment on her!" | Judgment upon oppressors |
| Hosea 5:1 | Hear this, O priests! Pay attention, O house of Israel! Give ear, O house of the king! | Call to listen |
| Amos 7:16 | "So now hear the word of the LORD: 'You say, "You shall not prophesy against Israel, nor speak against the house of Isaac." | Direct divine command |
Ezekiel 4 verses
Ezekiel 4 7 Meaning
This verse describes a divine command given to the prophet Ezekiel. He is instructed to set his face toward the cities of Judah and prophesy against them. The imagery conveys a message of impending judgment and God's focused attention on Judah's sin and impending destruction.
Ezekiel 4 7 Context
This verse is part of a vision given to Ezekiel in the sixth year of Jehoiachin's exile. The prophet is commissioned to enact a symbolic siege of Jerusalem and Judah. The preceding verses describe the preparation for this symbolic act. Chapter 4 as a whole focuses on portraying the consequences of Israel's unfaithfulness, specifically through dramatic symbolic actions performed by Ezekiel. This particular verse marks the transition to focusing the prophecy specifically on the cities of Judah.
Ezekiel 4 7 Word Analysis
- שׁים (shim): "Set." This word implies deliberate action, a firm placement, and a clear direction.
- פָּנִים (panim): "Face." In Hebrew, "face" often signifies the presence or attention of a person. To set one's face implies intense focus and direction.
- צָבָא (tsava'): "Army." Used here in the sense of an organized force.
- יְהוּדָה (Yehudah): "Judah." The southern kingdom, the remnant of Israel after the northern kingdom's destruction.
- קְרִי (qeri): "Cities." Refers to the fortified urban centers.
- נָבִּיא (nabi'): "Prophesy." To speak forth a message from God, often involving declarations of future events, divine will, and exhortations.
Words-Group Analysis
- "Set your face toward the cities of Judah": This phrase signifies a deliberate and direct confrontation. It is not a casual glance but a purposeful alignment of the prophet's attention and message against the people and places central to Judah's identity and governance.
Ezekiel 4 7 Bonus Section
The command for Ezekiel to "set his face" against Judah evokes earlier prophetic commissions where divine direction was key. For example, Isaiah was called to "see" with clarity and "hear" with understanding (Isa 6:9-10), highlighting the importance of reception. Ezekiel, however, is tasked with projecting God's message outward. This contrasts with some of the lamentations in Jeremiah, where the prophet grieves over the city's impending fate. Here, Ezekiel is the active instrument of the divine announcement of that fate, powerfully underscoring God's active engagement with the sin of His people.
Ezekiel 4 7 Commentary
Ezekiel's prophetic ministry was intensely symbolic. Setting his face towards Judah's cities was not just a directional instruction but a representation of God's unwavering gaze and impending judgment upon His covenant people due to their persistent sin. This action mirrors God's focused attention on the transgressions of His chosen nation. The prophecy itself would be a pronouncement of doom, directly confronting Judah with the consequences of its rebellion against the LORD.