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

13“‘For testing will come, and what will happen when the scepter, which the sword despises, is no more? declares the sovereign Lord.’ 14“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. So hearts melt with fear and many stumble. At all their gates I have stationed the sword for slaughter. Ah! It is made to flash, it is drawn for slaughter! 16Cut sharply on the right! Swing to the left, wherever your edge is appointed to strike. 17I too will clap my hands together, I will exhaust my rage; 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 21:22Into his right hand comes the portent for Jerusalem – to set up battering rams, to give the signal for slaughter, to shout out the battle cry, to set up battering rams against the gates, to erect a siege ramp, to build a siege wall.
• Ezekiel 15:7I will set my face against them – although they have escaped from the fire, the fire will still consume them! Then you will know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them.
• Jeremiah 17:27But you must obey me and set the Sabbath day apart to me. You must not carry any loads in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. If you disobey, I will set the gates of Jerusalem on fire. It will burn down all the fortified dwellings in Jerusalem and no one will be able to put it out.’”
• Ezekiel 21:7When they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you will reply, ‘Because of the report that has come. Every heart will melt with fear and every hand will be limp; everyone will faint and every knee will be wet with urine.’ Pay attention – it is coming and it will happen, declares the sovereign Lord.”
• Ezekiel 20:47and say to the scrub land of the Negev, ‘Hear the word of the Lord: This is what the sovereign Lord says: Look here, I am about to start a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree and every dry tree in you. The flaming fire will not be extinguished, and the whole surface of the ground from the Negev to the north will be scorched by it.
• Ezekiel 21:10It is sharpened for slaughter, it is polished to flash like lightning! “‘Should we rejoice in the scepter of my son? No! The sword despises every tree!

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