Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 6:2
Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,
2. Son of man ] See on ch. Eze 2:1.
mountains of Israel ] i.e. the mountain-land of Israel, but with special reference to the mountains as the seats of idolatrous worship.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 2. Set thy face toward the mountains of Israel] This is a new prophecy, and was most probably given after the four hundred and thirty days of his lying on his left and right side were accomplished. By Israel here, Judea is simply meant; not the ten tribes, who had long before been carried into captivity. Ezekiel uses this term in reference to the Jews only.
The mountains may be addressed here particularly, because it was on them the chief scenes of idolatry were exhibited.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Son of man; see Eze 2:1; put thyself towards the mountains, in a posture of one who is going to speak, look toward them; hereby (as Isaiah did, Isa 12) upbraiding the deafness of the Jews, whom he now left to speak to mountains. Or rather, to the inhabitants of the mountains, who were secure in their fastnesses; and great idolaters, who chose the high hills, &c. for places of idolatrous worship. Israel; the common name to all that now remained since the ten tribes were captivated by Shalmaneser.
Prophesy against them; declare my judgments against them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. mountains of Israelthatis, of Palestine in general. The mountains are addressed bypersonification; implying that the Israelites themselves areincurable and unworthy of any more appeals; so the prophet sent toJeroboam did not deign to address the king, but addressed the altar(1Ki 13:2). The mountains arespecified as being the scene of Jewish idolatries on “the highplaces” (Eze 6:3; Lev 26:30).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Son of man, set thy face towards the mountains of Israel,…. Or cities of Israel, the inhabitants of them; not the ten tribes, for they had been carried captive long before this time, even in the times of Hezekiah; unless it can be thought that this prophecy is designed to show the reason of their captivity, which was their idolatry; or that it is directed to those of them which remained in the land, and were mixed with the other tribes; but rather the land of Judea is intended, in which were many mountains, and one part of it was called the hill country, Lu 1:39; and the mountains are mentioned, against which the prophet is ordered to direct his face, and look unto; partly because idolatry was much practised upon them; and partly to show the stupidity of the Jews, and the failure of the prophecy among them; that it was as well, or better, to speak to the mountains, than to them; for since they had so often put away the word of God from them, they were unworthy of it; wherefore such a direction to the prophet comes some degree of indignation and resentment:
and prophesy against them; as that the sword should be upon them, and the high places built upon them should be destroyed: or “unto them” a; direct the prophecy to them; speak to them as if they were capable of hearing: or “concerning them”, as the Syriac version; and so the Targum, concerning their desolation.
a “ad eos”, V. L. Pagninus, Montanus; “ad illos”, Piscator.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) Toward the mountains of Israel.It is not uncommon to address prophetic utterances to inanimate objects as a poetic way of representing the people. (Comp. Eze. 36:1; Mic. 6:2, &c.) The mountains are especially mentioned as being the chosen places of idolatrous worship. (See Deu. 12:2; 2Ki. 17:10-11; Jer. 2:20; Jer. 3:6; Hos. 4:13.) Baal, the sun-god, was the idol especially worshipped upon the hills.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Eze 6:2. Of Israel “Israel being carried captive, Judah is called Israel; and perhaps possessed a great part of the country.” Secker.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 6:2 Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,
Ver. 2. Set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, ] i.e., The Jews, who are haughty, and hard as mountains, who are asperi et inculti, rough and rude, as mountaineers use to be. In Mount Olivet itself, besides other mountains, they boldly set up their idols, even in the sight of the Lord; so that he never looked out of the sanctuary but he beheld that vile hill of abominations; called therefore, by an elegant alliteration, the Hill of Corruption. 2Ki 23:13
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Son of man. See note on Eze 2:1.
the mountains. Specially defiled by the high places. Compare Eze 6:13.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
set: Eze 4:7, Eze 13:17, Eze 20:46, Eze 21:2, Eze 25:2, Eze 38:2, Eze 38:3
the mountains: Eze 19:9, Eze 33:28, Eze 34:14, Eze 35:12, Eze 37:22, Jos 11:21, Mic 6:1, Mic 6:2
Reciprocal: Eze 18:2 – the land Eze 28:21 – set Eze 29:2 – set Eze 35:2 – set Eze 36:1 – the mountains Dan 8:17 – O son
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 6:2. The mountains of Israel were material objects and could have no moral responsibilities. But the people made a specialty of erecting altars and idols on the high places” and offering their abominable services thereon. Hence in the form of per-sonification the Lord directed his prophet to write against these mountains, Set thy face is a figure of speech aud means that Ezekiel was to focus hie attention upon the object mentioned and then write as the Lord directed him.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Eze 6:2-7. Set thy face toward the mountains of Israel Turn thy face to that part where Judea is situated. Judea was a hilly country; therefore that whole land is expressed here and elsewhere by the mountains of Israel, Judah being called Israel, because the ten tribes, generally distinguished by that name, had been long since carried captive into Assyria, and Judah possessed a great part of their country. And prophesy against them Direct thy discourse to them. The prophets sometimes directed their discourse to the inanimate parts of the creation, thereby to upbraid the stupidity of men. Thus saith the Lord to the mountains and to the hills Every part of the country had been defiled with idolatry. The altars built for idol-worship were commonly placed upon mountains and hills; the shady valleys and river-sides were likewise made use of for the same purpose, particularly for the sacrificing of children to Moloch: see Isa 57:5; Jer 7:31. So by this the prophet denounces a general judgment upon the whole country. And your altars shall be desolate See note on Lev 26:30, where Moses denounces against the Israelites the same judgments upon their provocations. I will cast down your slain men before your idols, &c. So that their sin shall be read in the manner of their punishment; and while the idols are upbraided with their inability to help their worshippers, the idolaters are reproached with the folly of trusting in them. And ye shall know that I am the Lord An epiphonema, or conclusion of a severe denunciation often repeated by this prophet, importing that the judgments which God intended to bring on the Jews, would make the most hardened and stupid sinners sensible that this was Gods hand. Lowth.