Ezekiel 21:15

Ezekiel 21:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter.
• New International Version (NIV)So that hearts may melt with fear and the fallen be many, I have stationed the sword for slaughter at all their gates. Look! It is forged to strike like lightning, it is grasped for slaughter.
• English Standard Version (ESV)that their hearts may melt, and many stumble. At all their gates I have given the glittering sword. Ah, it is made like lightning; it is taken up for slaughter.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, That the heart may melt and many may stumble. Ah! It is made bright; It is grasped for slaughter:

Context of Ezekiel 21:15

13I am ready to test my people. My sword does not respect the power of any king. So my people will not escape punishment. That is what the Almighty Lord says. 14So speak my message to warn my people, son of man. Then clap your hands together. My sword must attack them many times. It is ready to kill many people. It will attack them from all directions. So people will shake with fear. Many of them will fall down. My sword is ready to kill them at every gate of the city. It shines like lightning. It is ready to kill! 16My sword, attack quickly on your right side! Now turn and attack on your left side! Attack in every direction that you turn! 17Then I, too, will clap my hands together. Finally, my anger will finish. I, the Lord, have spoken.’

Ezekiel 21:15 word by word

לְמַ֣עַן׀ לָמ֣וּג לֵ֗ב וְהַרְבֵּה֙ הַמִּכְשֹׁלִ֔ים עַ֚ל כָּל־שַׁ֣עֲרֵיהֶ֔ם נָתַ֖תִּי אִבְחַת־חָ֑רֶב אָ֛ח עֲשׂוּיָ֥ה לְבָרָ֖ק מְעֻטָּ֥ה לְטָֽבַח׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• I have setנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• the pointאִבְחָה'ibchâh · slaughterH19
• of the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• against all their gatesשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• may faintמוּגmûg · to meltH4127
• ruinsמִכְשׁוֹלmikshôl mikshôl · stumblingH4383
• be multipliedרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
• ahאָח'âch · ah!H253
• madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
• brightבָּרַקbârâq · to use lightningH1300
• wrapped upמָעֹטmâ‛ôţ · sharpH4593
• for the slaughterטֶ֫בַחţebach · slaughterH2874

Cross-references for Ezekiel 21:15

• Ezekiel 21:22The arrow in his right hand shows him that he should go to Jerusalem. He will command his army to go and kill the people there. His soldiers will use heavy pieces of wood to knock down the walls and gates of the city. They will shout as they attack the city. They will build heaps of earth against the city's walls.
• Ezekiel 15:7I will become their enemy. They may have escaped from the fire once, but soon the fire will destroy them. When I punish them like that, then you will know that I am the Lord.
• Jeremiah 17:27But you must remember to obey me. You must keep the Sabbath day as a special day for me. You must not carry any loads in through Jerusalem's gates on a Sabbath day. If you do not obey this rule, I will burn Jerusalem's gates with fire. The fire will destroy all the strong buildings in Jerusalem. Nobody will be able to stop that fire.” ’
• Ezekiel 21:7They will ask you, “Why are you so sad?” Then you will say, “I am sad because of the news that will soon come. Every one of you will be very afraid. Your hands will be weak and your knees will shake.” You can be sure that this will happen very soon. That is what the Almighty Lord says.’
• Ezekiel 20:47Say to those forests, “Listen to this message from the Lord. This is what the Almighty Lord says: Listen! I will start a fire to burn you. The fire will destroy all the green trees and all the dry trees. Nobody will be able to stop that fire. From the dry land in the south, all the way to the north, the fire will burn everything.
• Ezekiel 21:10It is sharp and it is ready to kill people. It shines as bright as lightning! Should we trust in the power of our king? No! This sword does not respect any kingdom.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 21:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Wrapped up - It is not a blunt sword, it is carefully sharpened and preserved for the slaughter.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8-17Verses 8-17 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…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-17As the Lord's representative, Ezekiel was to clap his hands in a threatening way and wave the sword three times. This action symbolized the complete massacre to come. There would be no place to escape. No one could hide from the sword of judgment. When the Lord was ready to act, he would destroy his people. In this way, he would satisfy his fury (his burning anger). They would be filled with terror. Their courage would disappear.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. point--"the whirling glance of the sword" [Fairbairn]. "The naked (bared) sword" [Henderson]. ruins--literally, "stumbling-blocks." Their own houses and walls shall be stumbling-blocks in their way, whether they wish to fight or flee. made bright--made to glitter. wrapped, &c.--namely, in the hand of him who holds the hilt, or in its scabbard, that the edge may not be blunt when it is presently drawn forth to strike. Gesenius, translates, "sharpened,"…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 21:15

• War

In the dictionaries

• Parting
• Privy
• Ah; Aha
• Gate
• Groan
• Ruin
• Stumbling-Block; Stumbling-Stone

Commentaries on Ezekiel 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings