Commentaire sur Ézéchiel 21:2

southward The land of Israel is south of Babylon.

set your face southward – Setting one’s face indicates that the prophet is preparing himself towards whichever side he will prophecy. This verse is referring to the prophecy which he spoke concerning the siege of Jerusalem from verse thirteen and on. There he described how Nevuchadnezzar used divinations to determine if he should go left toward Rabbat Bnei Amon or right toward Jerusalem. The lot fell on the southern path, meaning that he should go to the right, as it says “At his right was the divination to Jerusalem…” (Ezekiel 21:27):

to the forest of the field in the south To My Temple, which is destined to be like a forest and like a field, to be plowed in order to be overrun by foxes.

and speak to the south – this speaking (hatafah) is a small, brief prophecy which in this case is his succinct prophecy on the destruction of the Holy Temple, as it says “…sigh, with the breaking of the loins…” (21:11) The Temple is called south (darom) because south (darom) derives its name from its position at the height (rom) of the globe opposite the north, which is in the depth. This is according to the understanding of the ancients who believed that the sun was stronger in the south. So too the Temple stands at the height (rom) of the globe, on the heights of the mountains in the south (darom) of the land of Israel:

prophesy to the forest of the field in the south – This refers to the prophecy on the slaughter which will be throughout the land of Israel, as it says “And you shall say to the forest of the south…” (Ezekiel 21:3) and then says explicitly “And you shall say to the land of Israel…” (Ezekiel 21:8) He compares it to a forest which is full of varied trees, just as the land is filled with people. He called it south (negev) because the south is arid (naguv) and dry due to the abundant heat. The portion of the tribe of Yehudah is in the south of the land of Israel: