Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, September 24th, 2025
the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

Ezekiel 21:16

Cut to the right and the left, you sharp sword! Cut wherever you turn.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - War;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Repentance;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ezekiel;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Gather;   Set;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Slash to the right;turn to the left—wherever your blade is directed.
Hebrew Names Version
Gather you together, go to the right, set yourself in array, go to the left, wherever your face is set.
King James Version
Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set.
English Standard Version
Cut sharply to the right; set yourself to the left, wherever your face is directed.
New American Standard Bible
"Prove yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your edge is ordered.
New Century Version
Sword, cut on the right side; then cut on the left side. Cut anywhere your blade is turned.
Amplified Bible
"Turn O sword and cut right or cut left, whichever way your thirst for blood and your edge direct you.
World English Bible
Gather you together, go to the right, set yourself in array, go to the left, wherever your face is set.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Get thee alone: goe to the right hande, or get thy selfe to the left hande, whithersoeuer thy face turneth.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Show yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your edge is appointed.
Legacy Standard Bible
Show yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your edge is appointed.
Berean Standard Bible
Slash to the right; set your blade to the left-wherever your blade is directed.
Contemporary English Version
It will slash right and left, wherever the blade is pointed.
Complete Jewish Bible
The sword was given to be polished, so that it could be wielded; it was sharpened and polished to be placed in the slaughterer's hand.'
Darby Translation
Gather up [strength], go to the right hand, turn thee, go to the left, whithersoever thy face is appointed.
Easy-to-Read Version
Sword, be sharp! Cut on the right side. Cut straight ahead. Cut on the left side. Go wherever your edge was chosen to go.
George Lamsa Translation
Take hold firmly my right hand, take hold firmly my left hand, wherever my face is turned;
Lexham English Bible
Gather together, strike to the right; cause to go to the left, where your edge is directed.
Literal Translation
Sharpen yourself on the right! Set yourself on the left, wherever your face is appointed.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Get the to some place alone, ether vpon the right honde or on the lefte, whither so euer thy face turneth.
American Standard Version
Gather thee together, go to the right, set thyself in array, go to the left, whithersoever thy face is set.
Bible in Basic English
Be pointed to the right, to the left, wherever your edge is ordered.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it is given to be furbished, that it may be handled; the sword, it is sharpened, yea, it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.
King James Version (1611)
Goe thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoeuer thy face is set.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Get thee one way or other, either vpon the right hande or vpon the left, whyther soeuer thy face turneth.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And do thou go on, sharpen thyself on the right and on the left whithersoever thy face may set itself.
English Revised Version
Gather thee together, go to the right; set thyself in array, go to the left; whithersoever thy face is set.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Be thou maad scharp, go thou to the riyt side, ether to the left side, whidur euer the desir of thi face is.
Update Bible Version
Gather yourself together, go to the right, set yourself in array, go to the left, wherever your face is set.
Webster's Bible Translation
Go thee one way or other, [either] on the right hand, [or] on the left, whithersoever thy face [is] set.
New English Translation
Cut sharply on the right! Swing to the left, wherever your edge is appointed to strike.
New King James Version
"Swords at the ready! Thrust right! Set your blade! Thrust left-- Wherever your edge is ordered!
New Living Translation
O sword, slash to the right, then slash to the left, wherever you will, wherever you want.
New Life Bible
O sharp sword, cut to the left and to the right. Cut wherever you have been sent.
New Revised Standard
Attack to the right! Engage to the left! —wherever your edge is directed.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
One firm stroke to the right. Turn to the left,- Whithersoever thine edge is directed,
Douay-Rheims Bible
Be thou sharpened, go to the right hand, or to the left, which way soever thou hast a mind to set thy face.
Revised Standard Version
Cut sharply to right and left where your edge is directed.
Young's Literal Translation
Take possession of the right, place thyself at the left, Whither thy face is appointed.

Contextual Overview

8 The Lord said to me, 9 "Mortal man, prophesy. Tell the people what I, the Lord, am saying: A sword, a sword is sharpened and polished. 10 It is sharpened to kill, polished to flash like lightning. There can be no rejoicing, for my people have disregarded every warning and punishment. 11 The sword is being polished, to make it ready for use. It is sharpened and polished, to be put in the hands of a killer. 12 Howl in grief, mortal man; this sword is meant for my people and for all the leaders of Israel. They are going to be killed with all the rest of my people. Beat your breast in despair! 13 I am testing my people, and if they refuse to repent, all these things will happen to them. 14 "Now, mortal man, prophesy. Clap your hands, and the sword will strike again and again. It is a sword that kills, a sword that terrifies and slaughters. 15 It makes my people lose courage and stumble. I am threatening their city with a sword that flashes like lightning and is ready to kill. 16 Cut to the right and the left, you sharp sword! Cut wherever you turn. 17 I also will clap my hands, and my anger will be over. I, the Lord , have spoken."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Go: Ezekiel 21:4, Ezekiel 21:20, Ezekiel 14:17, Ezekiel 16:46

either: Genesis 13:9

or on the left: Heb. set thyself, take the left hand

Reciprocal: Jeremiah 49:21 - earth

Cross-References

Genesis 27:38
Esau continued to plead with his father: "Do you have only one blessing, father? Bless me too, father!" He began to cry.
Genesis 29:11
Then he kissed her and began to cry for joy.
Genesis 44:34
How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I cannot bear to see this disaster come upon my father."
Judges 2:4
When the angel had said this, all the people of Israel began to cry,
Ruth 1:9
And may the Lord make it possible for each of you to marry again and have a home." So Naomi kissed them good-bye. But they started crying
1 Samuel 24:16
When David had finished speaking, Saul said, "Is that really you, David my son?" And he started crying.
1 Samuel 30:4
David and his men started crying and did not stop until they were completely exhausted.
1 Kings 3:26
The real mother, her heart full of love for her son, said to the king, "Please, Your Majesty, don't kill the child! Give it to her!" But the other woman said, "Don't give it to either of us; go on and cut it in two."
Esther 8:6
How can I endure it if this disaster comes on my people, and my own relatives are killed?"
Isaiah 49:15
So the Lord answers, "Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore? Even if a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Go thee one way or another,.... Go to some one place: or "unite thyself" a; to other swords, or join other soldiers holding swords; the address is to the sword, to steer its course some one way, and slay as it goes along, sparing none:

either on the right, or on the left; or south, or north; so the Targum,

"unsheathe, and slay on the south, and destroy on the north:''

whithersoever thy face is set; or prepared, as the Targum, or appointed for destruction; this is the usual interpretation: but why may not the words be an apostrophe to the prophet, to go alone or single, either to the right or left, south or north, as his face was set, Ezekiel 21:2, sighing and crying, smiting his hands together, in order to affect the minds of the people with the sense of their calamities coming upon them?

a התאחדי "unito Montanus", Piscator, Polanus; "unitor te", Starckius; "in unum dirigitor", Cocceius.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The second word of judgment: the glittering and destroying sword. The passage may be called the “Lay of the Sword;” it is written in the form of Hebrew poetry, with its characteristic parallelism.

Ezekiel 21:10

It contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree - The rod is the scepter of dominion, assigned to Judah Genesis 49:10. The destroying sword of Babylon despises the scepter of Judah; it despises every tree. Others render the verse, “Shall we make mirth” (saying), “the rod of my son,” (the rod which corrects my people) “contemneth” (treats with scorn, utterly confounds) “every tree” (every other nation); or, the scepter of my people “contemneth” (proudly despises) every other nation. Proud as the people are, they shall be brought to sorrow.

Ezekiel 21:12

Terrors - Better as in the margin.

Smite upon thy thigh - A token of mourning (compare the marginal reference note).

Ezekiel 21:13

Or,

For it is put to the proof, and if it contemneth even the rod, What shall not be? saith the Lord

i. e., What horrors will not arise when the sword shall cut down without regard the ruling scepter of Judah!

Ezekiel 21:14

Doubled the third time - i. e., “thrice doubled” to express its violence and force.

The sword of the slain - The sword whereby men are to be slain.

Of the great men ... - Or, The sword of the mighty slain, which presseth hard upon them.

Ezekiel 21:15

The point of the sword - The threatening sword or terror; as in Genesis 3:24, “the flaming sword.”

And their ruins be multiplied - literally, “to the multiplication of stumblingblocks,” that is, so that the causes of their fall may be more numerous. Compare Jeremiah 46:16.

Made bright ... - Or,

Ah! It is prepared for a lightning-flash, Drawn for slaughter.

Ezekiel 21:16

The prophet addresses the sword,

Gather thyself up, O sword, to the right or to the left.

Another rendering is: “Turn thee backwards! get thee to the right! Set thee forwards (?)!get thee to the left! O whither is thy face appointed?

Ezekiel 21:17

The Lord smites together His hands in anger (marginal reference), man in consternation.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 21:16. Go thee one way or other — Thou shalt prosper, O sword, whithersoever thou turnest; against Ammon, or Judea, or Egypt.


 
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