Ezekiel 21:4 - Forerunner Commentary

Ezekiel 21:4

2 ^a“Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, ^bpreach against the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel;

3 and say to the land of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am ^aagainst you, and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut off both ^brighteous and wicked from you.

4 Because I will cut off both righteous and wicked from you, therefore My sword shall go out of its sheath against all flesh ^afrom south to north,

5 that all flesh may know that I, the Lord, have drawn My sword out of its sheath; it ^ashall not return anymore.” ’

6 ^aSigh therefore, son of man, with¹ a breaking heart, and sigh with bitterness before their eyes.

7 And it shall be when they say to you, ‘Why are you sighing?’ that you shall answer, ‘Because of the news; when it comes, every heart will melt, ^aall hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming and shall be brought to pass,’ says the Lord God.”

8 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

9 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ Say:
^a‘A sword, a sword is sharpened
And also polished!

10 Sharpened to make a dreadful slaughter,
Polished to flash like lightning!
Should we then make mirth?
It despises the scepter of My son,
As it does all wood.

11 And He has given it to be polished,
That it may be handled;
This sword is sharpened, and it is polished
To be given into the hand of ^athe slayer.’

12 “Cry and wail, son of man;
For it will be against My people,
Against all the princes of Israel.
Terrors including the sword will be against My people;
Therefore ^astrike your thigh.

13 “Because it is ^aa testing,
And what if the sword despises even the scepter?
^bThe scepter shall be no more,” says the Lord God.

14 “You therefore, son of man, prophesy,
And ^astrike your hands together.
The third time let the sword do double damage.
It is the sword that slays,
The sword that slays the great men,
That enters their ^bprivate chambers.

15 I have set the point of the sword against all their gates,
That the heart may melt and many may stumble.
Ah! ^aIt is made bright;
It is grasped for slaughter:

16 “Swords¹^a at the ready!
Thrust right!
Set your blade!
Thrust left—
Wherever your¹ edge is ordered!

17 “I also will ^abeat My fists together,
And ^bI will cause My fury to rest;
I, the Lord, have spoken.”

18 The word of the Lord came to me again, saying:

19 “And son of man, appoint for yourself two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to go; both of them shall go from the same land. Make a sign; put it at the head of the road to the city.

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Definitions of words in Ezekiel 21:4:

Against {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

All {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

Because {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

Flesh {Easton's Bible Dictionary}
Flesh {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

Go {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

Sheath {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

South {Easton's Bible Dictionary}
South {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

Sword {Easton's Bible Dictionary}
Sword {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

Will {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

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