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Read the Bible

Young's Literal Translation

Ezekiel 21:16

Take possession of the right, place thyself at the left, Whither thy face is appointed.

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.
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.

Contextual Overview

8 And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying, 9 `Son of man, prophesy, and thou hast said, Thus said Jehovah, say: A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also polished. 10 So as to slaughter a slaughter it is sharpened. So as to have brightness it is polished, Desire hath rejoiced the sceptre of my son, It is despising every tree. 11 And he giveth it for polishing, For laying hold of by the hand. It is sharpened -- the sword -- and polished, To give it into the hand of a slayer. 12 Cry and howl, son of man, For it hath been among My people, It [is] among all the princes of Israel, Cast unto the sword have been My people. Therefore strike on thy thigh, 13 Because [it is] a trier, And what if even the sceptre it is despising? It shall not be, an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah. 14 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. 15 To melt the heart, and to multiply the ruins, By all their gates I have set the point of a sword. Ah, it is made for brightness, Wrapt up for slaughter. 16 Take possession of the right, place thyself at the left, Whither thy face is appointed. 17 And I also, I smite My hand on my hand, And have caused My fury to rest; I, Jehovah, 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 saith unto his father, `One blessing hast thou my father? bless me, me also, O my father;' and Esau lifteth up his voice, and weepeth.
Genesis 29:11
And Jacob kisseth Rachel, and lifteth up his voice, and weepeth,
Genesis 44:34
for how do I go up unto my father, and the youth not with me? lest I look on the evil which doth find my father.'
Judges 2:4
And it cometh to pass, when the messenger of Jehovah speaketh these words unto all the sons of Israel, that the people lift up their voice and weep,
Ruth 1:9
Jehovah doth grant to you, and find ye rest each in the house of her husband;' and she kisseth them, and they lift up their voice and weep.
1 Samuel 24:16
And it cometh to pass, when David completeth to speak these words unto Saul, that Saul saith, `Is this thy voice, my son David?' and Saul lifteth up his voice, and weepeth.
1 Samuel 30:4
And David lifteth up -- and the people who [are] with him -- their voice and weep, till that they have no power to weep.
1 Kings 3:26
And the woman whose son [is] the living one saith unto the king (for her bowels yearned over her son), yea, she saith, `O, my lord, give to her the living child, and put it not at all to death;' and this [one] saith, `Let it be neither mine or thine -- cut [it].'
Esther 8:6
for how do I endure when I have looked on the evil that doth find my people? and how do I endure when I have looked on the destruction of my kindred?'
Isaiah 49:15
Forget doth a woman her suckling, The loved one -- the son of her womb? Yea, these forget -- but I -- I forget not 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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