Ezekiel 21
21
Ezekiel 21
The Drawn Sword of God
1 # 21.1 21.6 in Heb The word of the LORD came to me: 2#Ezek 20.46; Am 7.16Mortal, set your face toward Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries; prophesy against the land of Israel 3#vv 9–11, 19; Job 9.22; Jer 21.13; Ezek 5.8and say to the land of Israel: Thus says the LORD: I am coming against you and will draw my sword out of its sheath and will cut off from you both righteous and wicked. 4Because I will cut off from you both righteous and wicked, therefore my sword shall go out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north, 5and all flesh shall know that I the LORD have drawn my sword out of its sheath; it shall not be sheathed again. 6#Isa 22.4Moan, therefore, mortal; moan with body collapsed and bitter grief before their eyes. 7And when they say to you, “Why do you moan?” you shall say, “Because of the news that has come. Every heart will melt, and all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will turn to water. See, it comes and it will be fulfilled,” says the Lord GOD.
8And the word of the LORD came to me: 9#Deut 32.41Mortal, prophesy and say: Thus says the Lord; say:
A sword, a sword is sharpened;
it is also polished;
10it is sharpened for slaughter,
honed to flash like lightning!
How can we make merry?
You have despised the rod
and all discipline.#21.10 Meaning of Heb uncertain
11The sword#21.11 Heb It is given to be polished
to be grasped in the hand;
it is sharpened; the sword is polished
to be placed in the slayer’s hand.
12 #
Jer 31.19
Cry and wail, O mortal,
for it is against my people;
it is against all Israel’s princes;
they are thrown to the sword,
together with my people.
Ah! Strike the thigh!
13For consider: What! If you despise the rod, will it not happen?#21.13 Meaning of Heb uncertain says the Lord GOD.
14 #
Lev 26.21, 24; Num 24.10; Ezek 6.11; 30.24 And you, mortal, prophesy;
strike hand to hand.
Let the sword fall twice, thrice;
it is a sword for killing.
A sword for great slaughter—
it surrounds them;
15therefore hearts melt,
and many stumble.
At all their gates I have set
the point#21.15 Meaning of Heb uncertain of the sword.
Ah! It is made for flashing;
it is drawn for slaughter.
16Attack to the right!
Engage to the left!
—wherever your edge is directed.
17 #
v 14
; Ezek 5.13; 22.13I, too, will strike hand to hand;
I will satisfy my fury;
I the LORD have spoken.
18The word of the LORD came to me: 19#v 15; Ezek 4.1–3Mortal, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to come; both of them shall issue from the same land. And make a signpost; make it for a fork in the road leading to a city; 20#Jer 49.2; Ezek 25.5; Am 1.14mark out the road for the sword to come to Rabbah of the Ammonites or to Judah and to#21.20 Gk Syr: Heb Judah in Jerusalem the fortified. 21#Num 23.23; Judg 17.5; Prov 16.33For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the fork in the two roads, to use divination; he shakes the arrows; he consults the teraphim;#21.21 Or the household gods he inspects the liver. 22Into his right hand comes the lot for Jerusalem, to set battering rams, to call out for slaughter, for raising the battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up ramps, to build siege towers. 23#Ezek 17.13, 15, 16, 18; 29.16But to them it will seem like a false divination; they have sworn solemn oaths, but he brings their guilt to remembrance, bringing about their capture.
24Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have brought your guilt to remembrance, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your deeds your sins appear—because you have come to remembrance, you shall be taken in hand.#21.24 Or be taken captive
25 #
Ezek 7.2, 3, 7; 35.5 As for you, vile, wicked prince of Israel,
you whose day has come,
the time of final punishment,
26 #
Jer 13.18; Ezek 16.12; 17.24; Lk 1.52 thus says the Lord GOD:
Remove the turban, take off the crown;
things shall not remain as they are.
Exalt that which is low;
humble that which is high.
27 #
Ps 2.6; Jer 23.5, 6; Ezek 34.24; 37.24; Hag 2.21, 22 A ruin, a ruin, a ruin—
I will make it!
(Such has never occurred.)
Until he comes whose right it is;
to him I will give it.
28 #
Isa 31.8; Jer 12.12; 49.1; Ezek 25.2, 3; Zeph 2.8 As for you, mortal, prophesy, and say: Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach; say:
A sword, a sword! Drawn for slaughter,
polished to consume,#21.28 Cn: Heb to contain to flash like lightning.
29 #
v 25
; Ezek 13.6–9; 22.28; 35.5Offering false visions for you,
divining lies for you,
they place you over the necks
of the vile, wicked ones—
those whose day has come,
the time of final punishment.
30 #
Jer 47.6, 7; Ezek 16.3 Return it to its sheath!
In the place where you were created,
in the land of your origin,
I will judge you.
31 #
Jer 6.22, 23; 51.20, 21; Ezek 7.8; 14.19; 22.20, 21 I will pour out my indignation upon you;
with the fire of my wrath
I will blow upon you.
I will deliver you into brutish hands,
those skillful to destroy.
32 #
Ezek 25.10; Mal 4.1 You shall be fuel for the fire,
your blood shall enter the earth;
you shall be remembered no more,
for I the LORD have spoken.
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New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, copyright © 2021 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
