Ezekiel 21:14

Ezekiel 21:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy chambers.
• New International Version (NIV)“So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together. Let the sword strike twice, even three times. It is a sword for slaughter— a sword for great slaughter, closing in on them from every side.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"As for you, son of man, prophesy. Clap your hands and let the sword come down twice, yes, three times, the sword for those to be slain. It is the sword for the great slaughter, which surrounds them,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“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.

Context of Ezekiel 21:14

12“Son of man, cry out and wail; pound your thighs in anguish, for that sword will slaughter my people and their leaders— everyone will die! 13It will put them all to the test. What chance do they have? says the Sovereign Lord. “Son of man, prophesy to them and clap your hands. Then take the sword and brandish it twice, even three times, to symbolize the great massacre, the great massacre facing them on every side. 15Let their hearts melt with terror, for the sword glitters at every gate. It flashes like lightning and is polished for slaughter! 16O sword, slash to the right, then slash to the left, wherever you will, wherever you want.

Ezekiel 21:14 word by word

וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם הִנָּבֵ֕א וְהַ֖ךְ כַּ֣ף אֶל־כָּ֑ף וְתִכָּפֵ֞ל חֶ֤רֶב שְׁלִישִׁ֙תָה֙ חֶ֣רֶב חֲלָלִ֔ים הִ֗יא חֶ֚רֶב חָלָ֣ל הַגָּד֔וֹל הַחֹדֶ֖רֶת לָהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thou therefore, sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• prophesyנָבָאnâbâ' · to prophesyH5012
• and smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• handsכַּףkaph · palmH3709
• and let the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• be doubledכָּפַלkâphal · to doubleH3717
• the thirdשְׁלִישִׁיshelîyshîy · thirdH7992
• of the slainחָלָלchâlâl · slain: killedH2491
• of the greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• which entereth into their privy chambersחָדַרchâdar · to surroundH2314

Cross-references for Ezekiel 21:14

• Ezekiel 21:17I, too, will clap my hands, and I will satisfy my fury. I, the Lord, have spoken!”
• Ezekiel 6:11“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Clap your hands in horror, and stamp your feet. Cry out because of all the detestable sins the people of Israel have committed. Now they are going to die from war and famine and disease.
• Numbers 24:10King Balak flew into a rage against Balaam. He angrily clapped his hands and shouted, “I called you to curse my enemies! Instead, you have blessed them three times.
• Leviticus 26:21“If even then you remain hostile toward me and refuse to obey me, I will inflict disaster on you seven times over for your sins.
• 2 Kings 24:1During Jehoiakim’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invaded the land of Judah. Jehoiakim surrendered and paid him tribute for three years but then rebelled.
• 2 Kings 25:1So on January 15, during the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon led his entire army against Jerusalem. They surrounded the city and built siege ramps against its walls.
• Daniel 3:19Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual.
• Ezekiel 8:12Then the Lord said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the leaders of Israel are doing with their idols in dark rooms? They are saying, ‘The Lord doesn’t see us; he has deserted our land!’”
• 1 Kings 20:30The rest fled into the town of Aphek, but the wall fell on them and killed another 27,000. Ben-hadad fled into the town and hid in a secret room.
• 1 Kings 22:25And Micaiah replied, “You will find out soon enough when you are trying to hide in some secret room!”
• Amos 9:2“Even if they dig down to the place of the dead, I will reach down and pull them up. Even if they climb up into the heavens, I will bring them down.

Commentaries on Ezekiel 21:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Let the sword be doubled the third time - The sword has been doubled, and it shall come the third time. Nebuchadnezzar came against Judea Thrice. Against Jehoiakim. Against Jeconiah. Against Zedekiah. The sword had already been doubled; it is to come now the third time, i.e., against Zedekiah. The sword of the slain - חללים חרב chereb chalalim, "the sword of the soldiers," of the Chaldeans. So in the next clause, הגדול חלל חרב היא hi chereb chalal…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. 1414. smite ... hands together--(Nu 24:10), indicative of the indignant fury with which God will "smite" the people. sword ... doubled the third time--referring to the threefold calamity:--(1) The taking of Zedekiah (to whom the "rod," or scepter, may refer); (2) the taking of the city; (3) the removal of all those who remained with Gedaliah. "Doubled" means "multiplied" or "repeated." The stroke shall be doubled and even trebled. of the slain--that is, by…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezekiel 21:14

• War

In the dictionaries

• Son of man
• Parting
• Privy
• Groan
• Privy; Privily

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