Ezekiel 21:16

Ezekiel 21:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set.
• New International Version (NIV)Slash to the right, you sword, then to the left, wherever your blade is turned.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Cut sharply to the right; set yourself to the left, wherever your face is directed.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Swords at the ready! Thrust right! Set your blade! Thrust left— Wherever your edge is ordered!

Context of Ezekiel 21:16

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. 15So 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! Cut 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.” 18The word of the Lord came to me:

Ezekiel 21:16 word by word

הִתְאַחֲדִ֥י הֵימִ֖נִי הָשִׂ֣ימִי הַשְׂמִ֑ילִי אָ֖נָה פָּנַ֥יִךְ מֻעָדֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Go thee one way or otherאָחַד'âchad · to go either wayH258
• onשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
• the right handיָמַןyâman · to go rightH3231
• on the leftשִׂמְאֵלώâma'l · to go leftH8041
• whithersoeverאָן'ân 'ânâh · where?H575
• thy faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
• setיָעַדyâ‛ad · to appointH3259

Cross-references for Ezekiel 21:16

• Ezekiel 21:4Because I will cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked, my sword will go out from its sheath against everyone from the south to the north.
• Ezekiel 14:17“Or suppose I were to bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through the land,’ and I were to kill both people and animals.
• Ezekiel 16:46Your older sister was Samaria, who lived north of you with her daughters, and your younger sister, who lived south of you, was Sodom with her daughters.
• Genesis 13:9Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself now from me. If you go to the left, then I’ll go to the right, but if you go to the right, then I’ll go to the left.”

Commentaries on Ezekiel 21:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Go thee one way or other - Thou shalt prosper, O sword, whithersoever thou turnest; against Ammon, or Judea, or Egypt.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. 1616. Apostrophe to the sword. Go ... one way--or, "Concentrate thyself"; "Unite thy forces on the right hand" [Grotius]. The sword is commanded to take the nearest route for Jerusalem, "whither their face was set," whether south or north ("right hand or left"), according to where the several parts of the Chaldean host may be. or other, ... on the left--rather "set thyself on the left." The verbs are well-chosen. The main "concentration" of forces was to be…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 21:16

• War

In the dictionaries

• Parting
• Privy
• Gather
• Groan
• Set

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