Ezekiel 21:3

“And say to the land of Israel, &c.] The inhabitants of it, signified by the “forest of the south field”, (<262047>Ezekiel 20:47): thus saith the Lord, behold, I am against thee; and sad it is to have the Lord against a people, a nation, a city, or a family, or a particular person; for there is no contending with him, or standing before him; there is always a reason for it, it is for sin when God is against a people, even his own professing people: and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath; bring the Chaldean army out of Babylon; which interprets what is meant by the “fire” he would kindle in the land of Israel, (<262047>Ezekiel 20:47), namely, the sword of the enemy, which he would…”

“righteous . . . wicked--not contradictory of Eze 18:4, Eze 18:9 and Gen 18:23. Ezekiel here views the mere outward aspect of the indiscriminate universality of the national calamity. But really the same captivity to the "righteous" would prove a blessing as a wholesome discipline, which to the "wicked" would be an unmitigated punishment. The godly were sealed with a mark (Eze 9:4), not for outward exemption from the common calamity, but as marked for the secret interpositions of Providence, overruling even evil to their good. The godly were by comparison so few, that not their salvation but the universality of the judgment is brought into view here.”

“The righteous - It is no unusual thing, that in publick calamities, those who are indeed righteous should be involved with others. Ezekiel 21:4”

“21:3-5 The Lord was the fundamental enemy whom Israel had to fear, for he was about to unleash an all-encompassing judgment against it. • One would expect the righteous to avoid judgment and the wicked to receive it. This pairing parallels the green tree and the dry tree of the parable (20:47-48). The judgment of sin would be like a very hot fire burning all it touched.”

“Behold: Eze 5:8, Eze 26:3; Jer 21:13, Jer 50:31, Jer 51:25; Nah 2:13, Nah 3:5 will draw: Eze 21:9-11, Eze 21:19, Eze 5:12, Eze 14:17, Eze 14:21; Exo 15:9; Lev 26:25, Lev 26:33; Deu 32:41, Deu 32:42; Psa 17:13; Isa 10:5, Isa 34:5; Jer 47:6, Jer 47:7, Jer 51:20; Zep 2:12; Zac 13:7 the righteous: Eze 9:5, Eze 9:6; Job 9:22; Ecc 9:2; Jer 15:2-4 Ezekiel 21:4”