Ezekiel 21:8

THE MESSAGE

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.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The word of the Lord came to me:

Hebrew Names Version
The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

King James Version
Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

English Standard Version
And the word of the Lord came to me:

New American Standard Bible
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

New Century Version
The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

Amplified Bible
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

World English Bible
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

Geneva Bible (1587)
Againe, the word of the Lord came vnto me, saying,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Legacy Standard Bible
Again the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

Berean Standard Bible
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Contemporary English Version
The Lord said:

Complete Jewish Bible
tell the land of Isra'el that Adonai Elohim says, ‘I am against you. I will draw my sword from its scabbard and cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.

Darby Translation
And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

Easy-to-Read Version
The word of the Lord came to me. He said,

George Lamsa Translation
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Good News Translation
The Lord said to me,

Lexham English Bible
And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

Literal Translation
And the Word of Jehovah was to me, saying,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Agayne, the worde of the LORDE came vnto me, sayenge:

American Standard Version
And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

Bible in Basic English
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

JPS Old Testament (1917)
and say to the land of Israel: Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth My sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.

King James Version (1611)
Againe, the word of the Lord came vnto me, saying,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Agayne, the worde of the Lorde came vnto me, saying:

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

English Revised Version
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the word of the Lord was maad to me,

Update Bible Version
And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

Webster's Bible Translation
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

New English Translation
The word of the Lord came to me:

New King James Version
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

New Living Translation
Then the Lord said to me,

New Life Bible
Again the Word of the Lord came to me saying,

New Revised Standard
And the word of the Lord came to me:

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the word of Yahweh came unto me. saying:

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

Revised Standard Version
And the word of the LORD came to me:

Young's Literal Translation
And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,

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

Cross-References

Genesis 19:3
But he insisted, wouldn't take no for an answer; and they relented and went home with him. Lot fixed a hot meal for them and they ate.

Genesis 26:30
Isaac laid out a feast and they ate and drank together. Early in the morning they exchanged oaths. Then Isaac said good-bye and they parted as friends.

Genesis 40:20
And sure enough, on the third day it was Pharaoh's birthday and he threw a feast for all his servants. He set the head cupbearer and the head baker in places of honor in the presence of all the guests. Then he restored the head cupbearer to his cupbearing post; he handed Pharaoh his cup just as before. And then he impaled the head baker on a post, following Joseph's interpretations exactly.

Judges 14:10
His father went on down to make arrangements with the woman, while Samson prepared a feast there. That's what the young men did in those days. Because the people were wary of him, they arranged for thirty friends to mingle with him.

Judges 14:12
Samson said to them: "Let me put a riddle to you. If you can figure it out during the seven days of the feast, I'll give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of fine clothing. But if you can't figure it out then you'll give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of fine clothing." They said, "Put your riddle. Let's hear it." So he said, From the eater came something to eat, From the strong came something sweet.

1 Samuel 25:36
When Abigail got home she found Nabal presiding over a huge banquet. He was in high spirits—and very, very drunk. So she didn't tell him anything of what she'd done until morning. But in the morning, after Nabal had sobered up, she told him the whole story. Right then and there he had a heart attack and fell into a coma. About ten days later God finished him off and he died.

2 Samuel 3:20
When Abner and the twenty men who were with him met with David in Hebron, David laid out a feast for them.

1 Kings 3:15
Solomon woke up—what a dream! He returned to Jerusalem, took his place before the Chest of the Covenant of God, and worshiped by sacrificing Whole-Burnt-Offerings and Peace-Offerings. Then he laid out a banquet for everyone in his service.

Psalms 131:2
I've kept my feet on the ground, I've cultivated a quiet heart. Like a baby content in its mother's arms, my soul is a baby content.

Hosea 1:8
After Gomer had weaned No-Mercy, she got pregnant yet again and had a son. God said: "Name him Nobody. You've become nobodies to me, and I, God , am a nobody to you.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Again, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying. Either this is a new prophecy of another sword, distinct and different from that of the Chaldeans, even of the sword of the Romans, as Cocceius thinks or it is a further explanation of the former, and an enlargement upon it.

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.