Limitless Word
“Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir and prophesy against it,
Ezekiel 35:2 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it,
  • KJV Son of man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it,
  • NKJV “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir and prophesy against it,
  • NASB “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it
  • NLT “Son of man, turn and face Mount Seir, and prophesy against its people.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

God commands Ezekiel to set his face against Mount Seir and prophesy against it. Edom is singled out for divine confrontation.

Overview

'Set your face against' is Ezekiel's gesture of resolute, hostile prophecy (cf. 6:2; 25:2). Mount Seir stands for Edom, descended from Esau, Jacob's brother. The ancient family rivalry had hardened into national hatred. By naming Edom specifically, God signals that no enemy of His people escapes His notice, and that the brother-nation will answer for its treachery.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 25

  • Ezek 6:2“Son of man, set your face against the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them.
  • Ezek 25:8This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Moab and Seir said, “Look, the house of Judah is like all the other nations,”
  • Gen 32:3Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
  • 2 Chr 25:11–14Amaziah, however, summoned his strength and led his troops to the Valley of Salt, where he struck down 10,000 men of Seir,
  • Isa 50:7Because the Lord GOD helps Me, I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set My face like flint, and I know that I will not be put to shame.
  • Ezek 25:2“Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites and prophesy against them.
  • Ezek 20:46“Son of man, set your face toward the south, preach against it, and prophesy against the forest of the Negev.
  • Ezek 32:29Edom is there, and all her kings and princes, who despite their might are laid among those slain by the sword. They lie down with the uncircumcised, with those who descend to the Pit.
  • Amos 1:11–12This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Edom, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because he pursued his brother with the sword and stifled all compassion; his anger raged continually, and his fury flamed incessantly.
  • Ezek 25:12–14This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah, and in so doing incurred grievous guilt,
  • 2 Chr 20:10And now, here are the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt; but Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.
  • Eph 6:19Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel,
  • Josh 24:4and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau Mount Seir to possess, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.
  • Deut 2:5Do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, not even a footprint, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as his possession.
  • Isa 63:1–6Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah with crimson-stained garments? Who is this robed in splendor, marching in the greatness of His strength? “It is I, proclaiming vindication, mighty to save.”
  • Ezek 21:2“Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel
  • Lam 4:21–22So rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz. Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself.
  • Ps 83:3–18With cunning they scheme against Your people and conspire against those You cherish,
  • Isa 34:1–17Come near, O nations, to listen; pay attention, O peoples. Let the earth hear, and all that fills it, the world and all that springs from it.
  • Obad 1:1This is the vision of Obadiah: This is what the Lord GOD says about Edom—We have heard a message from the LORD; an envoy has been sent among the nations to say, “Rise up, and let us go to battle against her!”—
  • 2 Chr 20:22–23The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated.
  • Jer 49:7–22Concerning Edom, this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Is there no longer wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom decayed?
  • Jer 9:25–26“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will punish all who are circumcised yet uncircumcised:
  • Gen 36:8–9So Esau (that is, Edom) settled in the area of Mount Seir.
  • Obad 1:10–14Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame and cut off forever.

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Ezekiel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Ezekiel 35:2YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on EzekielMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.

How Ezekiel 35:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.