The first word of judgment Ezekiel 21:1-7. Ezekiel speaks first to the people of Israel, shows the universality of the coming destructions, and indicates by a sign (that of sighing) the sadness of the calamity.
The words and order of words are identical with Ezekiel 20:45-46, except that for “south,” there are substituted:
(1) “Jerusalem;”
(2) “the holy place,” i. e., the temple and its various parts;
(3) “the land of Israel.”
No subterfuge is left for the people to pretend misunderstanding.