Ezekiel 20:46

20:46 “Son of man, turn toward ¹  the south, ²  and speak out against the south. ³  Prophesy against the open scrub ⁴  land of the Negev,

Ezekiel 21:2

21:2 “Son of man, turn toward ⁵  Jerusalem ⁶  and speak out against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel

Ezekiel 29:2

29:2 “Son of man, turn toward ⁷  Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.

Ezekiel 38:2

38:2 “Son of man, turn toward ⁸  Gog, ⁹  of the land of Magog, ¹⁰  the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. ¹¹  Prophesy against him

[20:46]  ¹ tn Heb “set your face toward.” This expression occurs as well in Ezek 6:2; 13:17.

[20:46]  ² 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.

[20:46]  ³ 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.

[20:46]  ⁴ 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.

[21:2]  ⁵ tn Heb “set your face toward.”

[21:2]  ⁶ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[29:2]  ⁹ tn Heb “set your face against.”

[38:2]  ¹³ tn Heb “set your face against.”

[38:2]  ¹⁴ sn This may refer to a Lydian king in western Asia Minor in the seventh century b.c. Apart from Ezek 38-39, the only other biblical reference to this king/nation is in Rev 20:8. For a study of the names appearing in this verse, see E. Yamauchi, Foes From the Northern Frontier, 19-27.

[38:2]  ¹⁵ sn One of the sons of Japheth according to Gen 10:2; 1 Chr 1:5.

[38:2]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “the prince, the chief of Meshech and Tubal.” Some translate “the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal,” but it is more likely that the Hebrew noun in question is a common noun in apposition to “prince,” rather than a proper name. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:434-35. As Block demonstrates, attempts by some popular writers to identify these proper names with later geographical sites in Russia are anachronistic. See as well E. Yamauchi, Foes From the Northern Frontier, 19-27.