And say to the land of Israel,.... The inhabitants of it, signified by the "forest of the south field", Eze 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, Eze 20:47, namely, the sword of the enemy, which he would bring upon it; or war, with all its desolating train of judgments:and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked; meant by the green and dry tree, Eze 20:47, who, though they shall not perish everlastingly together, yet may fall together in temporal calamities; the one may be chastised, and the other condemned; or the one be carried captive for their good, as Ezekiel and Daniel, &c.
and others be cut off by sword and famine; and such as were captives, never the better for their captivity. The Targum is,"I will remove out of thee thy righteous ones, that I may destroy thy wicked ones.'
'Some think that only such who were righteous in appearance, or in their own sight, are here meant. R.