And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

EZEKIEL 20:47KJV
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Ezekiel 20:47 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 20:47 mean?

Ezekiel 20:47 pictures a coming judgment from God as a fire sweeping through a southern forest. The fire consumes both green and dry trees, presenting the disaster as wide-reaching rather than confined to one part of the land.

God tells Ezekiel to address the forest as though it could hear. The image of an unquenchable flame makes the coming destruction sound unstoppable. “All faces from the south to the north” pictures its spread across the land.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 20:47

  • “south” — נֶגֶב (negev): The word can mean “south” or refer to the dry southern region called the Negev. Here it gives the forest a location as well as a direction.
  • “faces” — פָּנִים (panim): The word commonly means “faces,” but it can also refer to surfaces or what is in front. The KJV’s wording pictures the fire scorching everything in its path.

Why Ezekiel 20:47 matters

  • The forest is a picture of people and places, not just trees. In Ezekiel 21:2–4, God directs Ezekiel to speak against Jerusalem and the land of Israel and announces judgment against its people.
  • The green and dry trees emphasize that the fire reaches more than one kind of tree. The later wording about “the righteous and the wicked” in Ezekiel 21:3 helps explain the breadth of that image.
  • The fire has an identified source. God says, “I will kindle a fire,” and verse 48 says that people will know the LORD has kindled it.

Where else these words appear

“flame” Hebrew H7957 · used in 3 verses

  • Job 15:30 He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.
  • Song of Solomon 8:6 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

“green” Hebrew H3892 · used in 6 verses

  • Genesis 30:37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
  • Numbers 6:3 He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
  • Judges 16:8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

“dry” Hebrew H3002 · used in 9 verses

  • Numbers 6:3 He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
  • Job 13:25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
  • Ezekiel 37:2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

“flaming” Hebrew H3852 · used in 19 verses

  • Numbers 21:28 For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon.
  • Isaiah 4:5 And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.
  • Lamentations 2:3 He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.