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Wednesday, August 6th, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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Read the Bible

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

Ezekiel 21:16

One firm stroke to the right. Turn to the left,- Whithersoever thine edge is directed,

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;
Good News Translation
Cut to the right and the left, you sharp sword! Cut wherever you turn.
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.
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 And the word of Yahweh came unto me. saying: 9 Son of man, Prophesy and thou shalt say, Thus saith My Lord, - Say, A sword! a sword! Sharpened moreover also furbished: 10 To make a slaughter, is it sharpened, That it may flash as lightning, is it furbished. Or shall we flourish the royal rod of my son which despiseth every tree? 11 It hath. however been given to be furbished that it may be grasped by the hand:The same is a sword sharpened. Yea the same, is furbished, Ready to be given into the hand of the slayer. 12 Make an outcry and howl son of man, For the same hath come against my people, the same is against all the princes of Israel,- Who are thrown to the sword with my people, Therefore smite thou upon thy thigh. 13 For trial hath been made, What then, even though the royal rod despiseth, shall it not be? Demandeth My Lord. Yahweh. 14 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. 15 That the heart may melt And the overthrow be multiplied at all their gates, I have recompensed a slaying by the sword: Surety it hath been made ready to flash like lightning, keen for slaughter. 16 One firm stroke to the right. Turn to the left,- Whithersoever thine edge is directed, 17 Yea even I myself, will smite my hands together, And will cause mine indignation to find rest, - Yahweh 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
And Esau said unto his father, But one blessing, hast thou, O my father? Bless, me also, O my father! And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.
Genesis 29:11
And Jacob kissed Rachel, - and lifted up his voice, and wept.
Genesis 44:34
For how can I go up unto my father, should the lad, not be with me? lest I look on the calamity, that shall find out my father,
Judges 2:4
And it came to pass, when the messenger of Yahweh had spoken these words unto all the sons of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
Ruth 1:9
Yahweh grant you, that ye may find a place of rest, each one in the house of her husband, - And she kissed them, and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
1 Samuel 24:16
And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Thy voice, is this, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
1 Samuel 30:4
Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice, and wept, - until they had no more strength to weep.
1 Kings 3:26
Then spake the woman, whose was the living child, unto the king - for tender became her compassions over her son - so she said - Pardon, my lord! Give, her, the living child, and do not, kill, it. But the other kept on saying - Neither mine, nor thine, shall it be, divide it.
Esther 8:6
For how can I endure to see the ruin that shall overtake my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?
Isaiah 49:15
Can, a woman, forget, her sucking child, Past taking compassion on the son of her womb? Even these, may forget, Yet will, I, not forget, thee:

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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