“The word of Yahweh
Came to me.
‘Son of man!
Set your face
Toward the south!
Preach
Against the south!
Prophesy
Against the forest land
In the Negeb!
Say to the forest
Of the Negeb!
Hear the word of Yahweh!
Thus says Yahweh God!
I will kindle
A fire in you.
It shall devour
Every green tree
In you.
It shall devour
Every dry tree.
The blazing flame
Shall not be quenched.
All faces,
From south to north,
Shall be scorched by it.
All flesh
Shall see
That I,
Yahweh,
Have kindled it.
It shall not be quenched.’”
As usual, the word of Yahweh came to Ezekiel, the son of man. He was to set his face to the south. He was to preach and prophesy against the south, the forest land in the Negeb, the dry like wilderness south of Judah, perhaps the kingdom of Edom. He was to tell them to listen to the word of Yahweh. Yahweh was going to kindle a fire that would devour every green tree and every dry tree. This blazing flame would not be quenched. Everyone’s face would be scorched by it. Everyone would know that Yahweh set this unquenchable fire. This section is the first part of the next chapter in the Jerusalem Bible.
