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THE MESSAGE

Ezekiel 21:14

"So, prophesy, son of man! Clap your hands. Get their attention. Tell them that the sword's coming down once, twice, three times. It's a sword to kill, a sword for a massacre, A sword relentless, a sword inescapable— People collapsing right and left, going down like dominoes. I've stationed a murderous sword at every gate in the city, Flashing like lightning, brandished murderously. Cut to the right, thrust to the left, murderous, sharp-edged sword! Then I'll clap my hands, a signal that my anger is spent. I, God , have spoken."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Torrey's Topical Textbook - Hands, the;  

Dictionaries:

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

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Privy;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“So you, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands together:
Hebrew Names Version
You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and strike your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the deadly wounded: it is the sword of the great one who is deadly wounded, which enters into their chambers.
King James Version
Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together. and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy chambers.
English Standard Version
"As for you, son of man, prophesy. Clap your hands and let the sword come down twice, yes, three times, the sword for those to be slain. It is the sword for the great slaughter, which surrounds them,
New American Standard Bible
"You therefore, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them,
New Century Version
"So, human, prophesy and clap your hands. Let the sword strike two or three times. It is a sword meant for killing, a sword meant for much killing. This sword surrounds the people to be killed.
Amplified Bible
"Therefore, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time [in intensity], the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great slaughter which surrounds them [so that no one can escape, even by hiding in their inner rooms],
World English Bible
You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and strike your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the deadly wounded: it is the sword of the great one who is deadly wounded, which enters into their chambers.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thou therefore, sonne of man, prophecie, and smite hand to hand, and let the sworde be doubled: let the sworde that hath killed, returne the third time: it is the sword of the great slaughter entring into their priuie chambers.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"You therefore, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them,
Legacy Standard Bible
"You therefore, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them,
Berean Standard Bible
So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together. Let the sword strike two times, even three. It is a sword that slays, a sword that slays the great-it surrounds them!
Contemporary English Version
Ezekiel, warn my people, then celebrate my victory by clapping your hands. My vicious sword will attack again and again, killing my people with every stroke.
Complete Jewish Bible
"Human being, prophesy. Say that Adonai Elohim says to say this: ‘A sword, a sword has been sharpened and polished,
Darby Translation
And thou, son of man, prophesy, and smite thy hands together; for [the strokes of] the sword shall be doubled the third time: it is the sword of the slain, the sword that hath slain the great one, which encompasseth them privily.
Easy-to-Read Version
"Son of man, clap your hands to show your sadness, and speak to the people for me. Let the sword come down twice, no, three times! This sword is for killing the people. This is the sword for the great killing. This sword will cut into them.
George Lamsa Translation
You therefore, Son of man, prophesy and clap your hands, and let the sword smite double, and the third stroke is the stroke of the slain; this is the sword for a great slaughter that causes them to tremble,
Good News Translation
"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.
Lexham English Bible
And you, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands. And the sword will strike twice; let it happen a third time. It is a sword of the dead, the sword of the great dead that is surrounding them,
Literal Translation
And you, son of man, prophesy and strike hand to hand. And let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain. It is the sword of the slain, the great one that surrounds them,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Prophecy thou sonne of man, & smyte thine hodes together: make the swearde two edged, yee make it thre edged, yt manslayers swearde, that swearde of the greate slaughter, which shal smyte them, euen in their preuy chambres:
American Standard Version
Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thy hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the deadly wounded: it is the sword of the great one that is deadly wounded, which entereth into their chambers.
Bible in Basic English
So then, son of man, be a prophet, and put your hands together with a loud sound, and give two blows with the sword, and even three; it is the sword of those who are wounded, even the sword of the wounded; the great sword which goes round about them.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
'Son of man, prophesy, and say: Thus saith the LORD: Say: A sword, a sword, it is sharpened, and also furbished:
King James Version (1611)
Thou therefore sonne of man, prophecie and smite thine hands together, and let the sword bee doubled the third time, the sword of the slaine, it is the sword of the great men, that are slaine, which entreth into their priuie chambers.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Prophecie thou sonne of man, & smite thy handes together, & let the sworde be doubled thrise, [euen] the sworde of the great slaughter, entryng into their priuie chaumbers,
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And thou, son of man, prophesy, and clap thine hands, and take a second sword: the third sword is the sword of the slain, the great sword of the slain: and thou shalt strike them with amazement, lest the heart should faint
English Revised Version
Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the deadly wounded: it is the sword of the great one that is deadly wounded, which entereth into their chambers.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor, sone of man, profesie thou, and smyte thou hond to hond, and the swerd be doublid, and the swerd of sleeris be treblid; this is the swerd of greet sleyng, that schal make hem astonyed,
Update Bible Version
You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the deadly wounded: it is the sword of the great one that is deadly wounded, which enters into their chambers.
Webster's Bible Translation
Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite [thy] hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it [is] the sword of the great [men that are] slain, which entereth into their private chambers.
New English Translation
"And you, son of man, prophesy, and clap your hands together. Let the sword strike twice, even three times! It is a sword for slaughter, a sword for the great slaughter surrounding them.
New King James Version
"You therefore, son of man, prophesy, And strike 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 private chambers.
New Living Translation
"Son of man, prophesy to them and clap your hands. Then take the sword and brandish it twice, even three times, to symbolize the great massacre, the great massacre facing them on every side.
New Life Bible
"So speak in My name, son of man, and clap your hands together. Let the sword that kills hit two, even three times. It is the sword that kills and is all around them,
New Revised Standard
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;
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thou, therefore, son of man, Prophesy, and smite thy hands together, And let the sword smite twice thrice the sword of the slain! the same is the great sword of the slain, that which hemmeth them in.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou therefore, O son of man, prophesy, and strike thy hands together, and let the sword be doubled, and let the sword of the slain be tripled: this is the sword of a great slaughter, that maketh them stand amazed,
Revised Standard Version
"Prophesy therefore, son of man; clap your hands and let the sword come down twice, yea thrice, the sword for those to be slain; it is the sword for the great slaughter, which encompasses them,
Young's Literal Translation
And thou, son of man, prophesy, And smite hand on hand, And bent is the sword a third time, The sword of the wounded! It [is] the sword of the wounded -- the great one, That is entering the inner chamber to them.

Contextual Overview

8 God 's Message to me: "Son of man, prophesy. Tell them, ‘The Master says: "‘A sword! A sword! razor-sharp and polished, Sharpened to kill, polished to flash like lightning! "‘My child, you've despised the scepter of Judah by worshiping every tree-idol. 11 "‘The sword is made to glisten, to be held and brandished. It's sharpened and polished, ready to be brandished by the killer.' 12 "Yell out and wail, son of man. The sword is against my people! The princes of Israel and my people—abandoned to the sword! Wring your hands! Tear out your hair! 13 "‘Testing comes. Why have you despised discipline? You can't get around it. Decree of God , the Master.' 14"So, prophesy, son of man! Clap your hands. Get their attention. Tell them that the sword's coming down once, twice, three times. It's a sword to kill, a sword for a massacre, A sword relentless, a sword inescapable— People collapsing right and left, going down like dominoes. I've stationed a murderous sword at every gate in the city, Flashing like lightning, brandished murderously. Cut to the right, thrust to the left, murderous, sharp-edged sword! Then I'll clap my hands, a signal that my anger is spent. I, God , have spoken."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

smite: Ezekiel 21:17, Ezekiel 6:11, Numbers 24:10

hands together: Heb. hand to hand

let the: Leviticus 26:21, Leviticus 26:24, 2 Kings 24:1, 2 Kings 24:10-16, 2 Kings 25:1-7, Daniel 3:19

entereth: Ezekiel 8:12, 1 Kings 20:30, 1 Kings 22:25, Amos 9:2

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 11:15 - Have Jeremiah 9:21 - General Ezekiel 21:12 - terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my Ezekiel 22:13 - I have

Cross-References

Genesis 16:7
An angel of God found her beside a spring in the desert; it was the spring on the road to Shur. He said, "Hagar, maid of Sarai, what are you doing here?" She said, "I'm running away from Sarai my mistress."
Genesis 19:27
Abraham got up early the next morning and went to the place he had so recently stood with God . He looked out over Sodom and Gomorrah, surveying the whole plain. All he could see was smoke belching from the Earth, like smoke from a furnace.
Genesis 21:7
She also said, Whoever would have suggested to Abraham that Sarah would one day nurse a baby! Yet here I am! I've given the old man a son!
Genesis 21:25
At the same time, Abraham confronted Abimelech over the matter of a well of water that Abimelech's servants had taken. Abimelech said, "I have no idea who did this; you never told me about it; this is the first I've heard of it."
Genesis 21:31
That's how the place got named Beersheba (the Oath-Well), because the two of them swore a covenant oath there. After they had made the covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech and his commander, Phicol, left and went back to Philistine territory.
Genesis 21:33
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and worshiped God there, praying to the Eternal God. Abraham lived in Philistine country for a long time.
Genesis 22:3
Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God had directed him. On the third day he looked up and saw the place in the distance. Abraham told his two young servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we'll come back to you."
Genesis 22:19
Then Abraham went back to his young servants. They got things together and returned to Beersheba. Abraham settled down in Beersheba.
Genesis 37:15
A man met him as he was wandering through the fields and asked him, "What are you looking for?"
Genesis 46:1
So Israel set out on the journey with everything he owned. He arrived at Beersheba and worshiped, offering sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Thou, therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together,.... As being in the greatest agony for what is coming upon thy people: or "strike hand to hand" y; clap them together, as encouraging the enemy with his drawn, sharp, and glittering sword, to make use of it, and do execution with it:

and let the sword be doubled the third time; some think this has reference to the three captivities of Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah: others to the threefold calamity in Zedekiah's time; the first, the taking of him; the second, the taking of the city; the third, the carrying captive the residue along with Gedaliah: or to the three times the Chaldeans came against Jerusalem, after this prophecy; first with Nebuchadnezzar, in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, and took him and the city; then with Nebuzaradan, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, and burnt the city and temple; and again in the twenty third of Nebuchadnezzar, and carried away the remnant of the people, Jeremiah 52:5:

the sword of the slain: by which many should be slain:

it is the sword of the great men that are slain: of the sons of the kings, and of the princes and nobles of the land:

which entereth into their privy chambers; where they should endeavour to hide themselves from it, but in vain, none should escape; their privy chambers could not secrete nor secure them: or "which remains with them"; as that which is laid up, and reserved in a privy chamber, as De Dieu, from the use of the word in the Ethiopic language, renders it.

y והך כף אל כף "percute manum ad manum", Pagninus, Polanus; "volum ad volam"; Montanus; "feri manum ad manum", Starckius.

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 21:14. Let the sword be doubled the third time — The sword has been doubled, and it shall come the third time. Nebuchadnezzar came against Judea THRICE.

1. Against Jehoiakim.

2. Against Jeconiah.

3. Against Zedekiah.

The sword had already been doubled; it is to come now the third time, i.e., against Zedekiah.

The sword of the slain — חרב חללים chereb chalalim, "the sword of the soldiers," of the Chaldeans. So in the next clause, היא חרב חלל הגדול hi chereb chalal haggadol, "it is the sword of that great soldier," that eminent king and conqueror. This is the meaning of the word חלל chalal, that is so ill rendered in almost every place of its occurrence, in our Version. See Dr. Kennicott.


 
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