New King James Version
Ezekiel 21:15
15I 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:
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 Living Translation (NLT)Let their hearts melt with terror, for the sword glitters at every gate. It flashes like lightning and is polished for slaughter!
Context of Ezekiel 21:15
13“Because it is a testing, And what if the sword despises even the scepter? The scepter shall be no more,” says the Lord God. 14“You therefore, son of man, prophesy, And strike your hands together. The third time let the sword do double damage. It is the sword that slays, The sword that slays the great men, That enters their private chambers. 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: 16“Swords at the ready! Thrust right! Set your blade! Thrust left— Wherever your edge is ordered! 17“I also will beat My fists together, And I will cause My fury to rest; I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Read all of Ezekiel 21Ezekiel 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 21:22In his right hand is the divination for Jerusalem: to set up battering rams, to call for a slaughter, to lift the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to heap up a siege mound, and to build a wall.
- Ezekiel 15:7and I will set My face against them. They will go out from one fire, but another fire shall devour them. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I set My face against them.
- Jeremiah 17:27“But if you will not heed Me to hallow the Sabbath day, such as not carrying a burden when entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.” ’ ”
- Ezekiel 21:7And it shall be when they say to you, ‘Why are you sighing?’ that you shall answer, ‘Because of the news; when it comes, every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming and shall be brought to pass,’ says the Lord God.”
- Ezekiel 20:47and say to the forest of the South, ‘Hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree and every dry tree in you; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be scorched by it.
- Ezekiel 21:10Sharpened to make a dreadful slaughter, Polished to flash like lightning! Should we then make mirth? It despises the scepter of My son, As it does all wood.
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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries