Yehezkiel 6:2

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

Yehezkiel 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,

Yehezkiel 25:2

25:2 “Son of man, turn toward ⁶  the Ammonites ⁷  and prophesy against them.

Yehezkiel 35:2-3

35:2 “Son of man, turn toward ⁸  Mount Seir, ⁹  and prophesy against it. 35:3 Say to it, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says:

“‘Look, I am against you, Mount Seir;

I will stretch out my hand against you

and turn you into a desolate ruin.

[6:2]  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.

[6:2]  sn Based on comparison to a similar expression in Ugaritic, the phrase may imply that Ezekiel was to actually go to these locations to deliver his message.

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

[20:46]  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.

[20:46]  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.

[20:46]  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.

[25:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “set your face toward.”

[25:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “the sons of Ammon.” Ammon was located to the east of Israel.

[35:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “set your face against.”

[35:2]  ⁹ sn Mount Seir is to be identified with Edom (Ezek 35:15), home of Esau’s descendants (Gen 25:21-30).