For Son of man, International Children’s Bible says “Human being.”

Set your face toward the mountains of Israel: Set your face toward may be rendered “look toward” (Good News Translation) or “face in the direction of.” God’s people first settled in the mountainous areas of Canaan, so the mountains of Israel recalls the original land possessed by the nation. Also, as the Traduction œcuménique de la Bible footnote indicates, it was in these mountains that the people had erected idols and worshiped other gods. Other translators can put this information into footnotes as well.

And prophesy against them means Ezekiel must give God’s message of warning to the mountains (see the comments on 4.7). Good News Translation says “and give them my message.” To capture better the sense of the preposition against, this clause may be rendered “and give them my message about how I will judge them” or “and give them my message of judgment.” Ezekiel must speak God’s words to the mountains. It may sound strange in some languages for God to speak to mountains, but every attempt should be made to retain this. God’s words to the mountains follow in most of the rest of the section.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .