Ezekiel 6:2

6:2 “Son of man, turn toward ¹  the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them:

Ezekiel 20:46

20:46 “Son of man, turn toward ²  the south, ³  and speak out against the south. ⁴  Prophesy against the open scrub ⁵  land of the Negev,

Ezekiel 21:2

21:2 “Son of man, turn toward ⁶  Jerusalem ⁷  and speak out against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel

Ezekiel 25:2

25:2 “Son of man, turn toward ⁸  the Ammonites ⁹  and prophesy against them.

Ezekiel 28:21-22

28:21 “Son of man, turn toward ¹⁰  Sidon ¹¹  and prophesy against it. 28:22 Say, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:

“‘Look, I am against you, ¹²  Sidon,

and I will magnify myself in your midst.

Then they will know that I am the Lord

when I execute judgments on her

and reveal my sovereign power ¹³  in her.

¹ tn Heb “set your face against.” The expression occurs at the beginning of Ezekiel’s prophetic oracles in Ezek 13:17; 20:46; 21:2; 25:2; 28:21; 29:2; 35:2; 38:2.

² tn Heb “set your face toward.” This expression occurs as well in Ezek 6:2; 13:17.

³ tn Or “the way toward the south,” or “the way toward Teman.” Teman is in the south and may be a location or the direction.

⁴ tn Or “toward Darom.” Darom may mean the south or a region just north of southern city of Beer Sheba. See M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 2:417-18.

⁵ tn The Hebrew term can also mean “forest,” but a meaning of uncultivated wasteland fits the Negev region far better. See M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 2:418.

⁶ tn Heb “set your face toward.”

⁷ map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.

⁸ tn Heb “set your face toward.”

⁹ tn Heb “the sons of Ammon.” Ammon was located to the east of Israel.

¹⁰ tn Heb “set your face against.”

¹¹ sn Sidon was located 25 miles north of Tyre.

¹² tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘h!nn#n' ?l?K>,’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.

¹³ tn Or “reveal my holiness.” God’s “holiness” is fundamentally his transcendence as sovereign ruler of the world. The revelation of his authority and power through judgment is in view in this context.