Ezekiel 21:1-17
Expanded Bible
21 Then the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 2 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], ·look [L set your face] toward Jerusalem and speak against the ·holy place [sanctuary]. Prophesy against the land of Israel. 3 Say to Israel: ‘This is what the Lord says: [L Look; T Behold] I am against you. I will pull my sword out of its ·holder [sheath], and I will cut off from you both the wicked and ·those who do right [the righteous]. 4 Because I am going to cut off the wicked and ·those who do right [the righteous], my sword will ·come out from its holder [be unsheathed] and attack all ·people [L flesh] from south to north. 5 Then all people will know that I, the Lord, have pulled my sword out from its ·holder [sheath]. My sword will not go back in again.’
6 “So, ·human [T son of man; 2:1], groan with breaking heart and ·great sadness [bitter grief]. Groan ·in front of the people [L before their eyes]. 7 When they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you will say, ‘Because of what I have heard is going to happen. When it happens, every heart will melt with fear, and all hands will become ·weak [limp; feeble]. ·Everyone [L Every spirit] will ·be afraid [faint]; all knees will ·become weak as water [or be wet with urine]. ·Look [T Behold], it is coming, and it will happen, says the Lord God.’”
8 The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 9 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says:
A sword, a sword,
sharpened and polished.
10 It is sharpened for the ·killing [slaughter].
It is polished to flash like lightning.
“‘·You are not happy [or Should you rejoice…?] ·about this horrible punishment by the sword [L in the scepter of my son]. ·But my son Judah, you did not change when you were only beaten with a rod [L The sword despises every stick].
11 The sword ·should [L is appointed to] be polished.
It is meant to be ·held [grasped] in the hand.
It is sharpened and polished,
ready for the hand of a ·killer [slayer].
12 Shout and ·yell [wail], ·human [T son of man; 2:1],
because the sword is meant for my people,
for all the ·rulers [princes] of Israel.
They ·will be killed by [L are thrown to] the sword,
along with my people.
So beat your chest [C a sign of grief or sadness].
13 “‘The test will come. ·And [L What if…?] the scepter [C symbolizing Judah; Gen. 49:10], who is hated by the sword [C representing the armies of Babylon], will not last, says the Lord God.’
14 “So, ·human [T son of man; 2:1], prophesy
and ·clap [strike together] your hands [C a sign of scorn].
Let the sword strike
two or three times.
It is a sword meant for ·killing [slaughter],
a sword meant for ·much killing [great slaughter].
This sword ·surrounds [or closes in on] ·the people to be killed [L them].
15 Their hearts will ·melt with fear [L melt],
and many people will ·die [stumble; fall].
I have placed the ·killing sword [sword for slaughter]
at all their city gates.
Oh! The sword is made to flash like lightning.
It is ·held [drawn], ready for killing.
16 Sword, ·cut [slash; cut sharp] on the right side;
then ·cut on [swing; L put to] the left side.
Cut anywhere your ·blade [or face] is turned.
17 I will also clap my hands [v. 14; C a sign of scorn]
and ·use up [satisfy; exhaust] my ·anger [wrath].
I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Ezekiel 21:1-17
New American Standard Bible
Parable of the Sword of the Lord
21 [a]And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, (A)set your face against Jerusalem, and [b](B)speak prophetically against the sanctuaries and prophesy against the land of Israel; 3 and say to the land of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Behold, (C)I am against you; and I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you the (D)righteous and the wicked. 4 Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go out from its sheath against [c](E)humanity from south to north. 5 So [d]humanity will know that I, the Lord, have drawn My sword from its sheath. It will (F)not return to its sheath again.”’ 6 As for you, son of man, groan with [e]a breaking heart and bitter grief; you shall groan in their sight. 7 And when they say to you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the (G)news, for it is coming; and (H)every heart will melt, all hands will go limp, every spirit will be disheartened, and all [f]knees will drip with water. Behold, it is coming and it will happen,’ declares the Lord [g]God.”
8 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says:’ Say,
‘(I)A sword, a sword sharpened
And also polished!
10 Sharpened to make a (J)slaughter,
Polished [h]to flash like lightning!’
Or shall we rejoice, the [i]rod of My son (K)despising every tree? 11 And it is given to be polished, so that it may be handled; the sword is sharpened and polished, to hand it over to the slaughterer. 12 (L)Cry out and wail, son of man; for it is against My people, it is against all the (M)officials of Israel. They are turned over to the sword with My people, therefore [j]slap your thigh. 13 For there is a testing; and what if even the [k]rod which despises will cease to be?” declares the Lord God.
14 “You therefore, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands; and let the sword be (N)doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them, 15 so that their (O)hearts will waver, and many (P)fall at all their (Q)gates. I have granted the slaughter of the sword. Oh! It is made for striking like lightning, it is sharpened in readiness for slaughter. 16 Prove yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your [l]edge is ordered. 17 I will also clap My hands, and I will (R)satisfy My wrath; I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ezekiel 21:1 Ch 21:6 in Heb
- Ezekiel 21:2 Lit flow
- Ezekiel 21:4 Lit all flesh
- Ezekiel 21:5 Lit all flesh
- Ezekiel 21:6 Lit shaking hips
- Ezekiel 21:7 Heb idiom meaning to wet oneself
- Ezekiel 21:7 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch
- Ezekiel 21:10 Lit that lightning may be to her
- Ezekiel 21:10 Or scepter
- Ezekiel 21:12 I.e., in grief
- Ezekiel 21:13 Or scepter
- Ezekiel 21:16 Lit face
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
