Ezekiel 21:10 kjv
It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree.
Ezekiel 21:10 nkjv
Sharpened 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.
Ezekiel 21:10 niv
sharpened for the slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! "?'Shall we rejoice in the scepter of my royal son? The sword despises every such stick.
Ezekiel 21:10 esv
sharpened for slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! (Or shall we rejoice? You have despised the rod, my son, with everything of wood.)
Ezekiel 21:10 nlt
It is sharpened for terrible slaughter
and polished to flash like lightning!
Now will you laugh?
Those far stronger than you have fallen beneath its power!
Ezekiel 21 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 32:41 | If I whet my flashing sword and my hand takes hold on judgment... | God's sharpened sword of vengeance. |
| Ps 7:12 | If a man does not repent, God will whet his sword... | God prepares judgment for the unrepentant. |
| Isa 34:5 | For my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens... | God's sword as an instrument of widespread wrath. |
| Isa 66:16 | For by fire will the LORD enter into judgment, and by his sword... | Judgment by God's sword and fire. |
| Jer 12:12 | Upon all the bare heights in the desert destroyers have come... | Land ravaged by an invading force. |
| Jer 25:12-14 | After seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon... | Judgment even on the instrument of God's wrath. |
| Jer 46:6 | Do not flee, do not hasten, for there in the north, by the river Euphrates | Prophecy of battle where the sword will consume. |
| Joel 3:10 | Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears... | Call to prepare for judgment and war. |
| Zech 9:13 | For I have bent Judah as my bow; I have filled it with Ephraim... | God's people used as a weapon. |
| Rom 13:4 | For he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid... | Governing authorities as God's sword of wrath. |
| Heb 4:12 | For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword | Word of God as a penetrating sword of judgment. |
| Rev 1:16 | From his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword... | Christ's judging word. |
| Rev 19:15 | From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations... | Christ's sword for global judgment. |
| Gen 3:24 | He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed... | Guardian sword preventing return to lost paradise. |
| Num 22:23 | The donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn... | Angel's drawn sword as an instrument of divine will. |
| Josh 5:13 | A man stood before him with his drawn sword in his hand... | Commander of the LORD's army with a ready sword. |
| 1 Chr 21:16 | David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing... | Angel's drawn sword for judgment upon Israel. |
| Ps 17:13 | Arise, O LORD; confront him, subvert him! Deliver my life from the wicked by | Plea for God's sword against enemies. |
| Jer 9:16 | I will scatter them among the nations... I will send the sword after them | The sword as a primary tool of divine dispersion. |
| Amos 9:4 | Though they go into captivity before their enemies, there I will command the | Even in exile, God's sword pursues the disobedient. |
| Hos 11:6 | A sword shall whirl through their cities, and consume their bars... | Sword destroying fortifications. |
| Zeph 1:3 | I will sweep away man and beast... and I will cut off mankind from the face | All-encompassing judgment on the land. |
| Isa 5:28 | Their arrows are sharp, all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs seem... | Foreign nations prepared by God for judgment. |
| 2 Sam 2:14-17 | So they caught every man his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in | Example of ruthless and desperate battle. |
| Matt 10:34 | Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come | Christ bringing division, "a sword." |
Ezekiel 21 verses
Ezekiel 21 10 Meaning
Ezekiel 21:10 vividly describes the divine sword of judgment as meticulously prepared. It emphasizes that this sword, an instrument of God's wrath, is not dull or carelessly crafted but sharpened to its keenest edge for the specific purpose of bringing about extensive slaughter. Furthermore, its surface is not merely functional but polished to a terrifying gleam, intended to instill dread and visually announce its impending, inescapable destruction. This preparation underscores the deliberate and absolute nature of the judgment coming upon Jerusalem and Israel through Babylon.
Ezekiel 21 10 Context
Ezekiel 21 is a powerful "Sword Prophecy" delivered to the prophet Ezekiel concerning the imminent destruction of Jerusalem and the land of Israel by the Babylonians. The entire chapter personifies the sword as an instrument of divine judgment, cutting indiscriminately through Judah. This specific verse, Ezekiel 21:10, deepens the dread and certainty of this impending doom by emphasizing the meticulous preparation and terrifying appearance of this divine weapon. The immediate verses (21:9-11) announce the sword's purpose, distinguishing it from an ordinary rod of discipline, asserting its unparalleled deadliness. Historically, the period saw Judah caught between major regional powers (Egypt and Babylon), with its leaders often turning to idolatry and rejecting God's covenant. This prophecy shattered any lingering illusions of security or divine protection based on their status as God's chosen people or the invincibility of Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 21 10 Word analysis
- It is sharpened (חָדַד - châdad): This verb means to be sharp, to be keen, or to make something sharp. It denotes an active, purposeful preparation. Unlike a natural occurrence, this sharpening indicates divine intention and careful readiness. The sword's effectiveness is maximized, signifying that God's judgment will be precise and potent.
- for slaughter (לְטֶבַח - le-á¹ebhaḥ): Ṭebhaḥ refers to a slaughter, often of animals, but in this context clearly applies to human beings and is associated with carnage and execution. This clarifies the ultimate and brutal purpose of the sharpened sword. It's not for a display of strength, but for merciless destruction.
- and polished (מָרַט - mâraá¹): This verb means to rub smooth, to polish, to make bare, or to scour. It indicates the removal of any imperfections, making the sword pristine and formidable. This polishing is not for decoration or disuse; it is part of making the weapon maximally effective and fearsome.
- to glitter (לְמָשְׂוֹב - lᵉmaś-ôv derived from a root suggesting a brilliant gleam or flash like lightning): This refers to the dazzling, shining quality of a well-maintained sword. This gleam would not only be a mark of its sharpness and polish but would also be visually terrifying, catching the light as it moves. The terrifying visual spectacle adds another dimension to its intended psychological impact, amplifying fear and confirming the inevitable, unmerciful execution of divine wrath. The effect is one of awe-inspiring dread, highlighting the power and inexorability of the judgment.
Ezekiel 21 10 Bonus section
The concept of God's sword as an instrument of justice or wrath is prevalent throughout scripture, from the Cherubim guarding Eden to the Rider on the white horse in Revelation. Ezekiel 21:10 positions the Babylonian invasion as not merely a political conflict but as a direct act of divine will, where Nebuchadnezzar's army serves as this very sword in God's hand. This polemic undermines any nationalistic theology that might have suggested God would never allow His holy city or people to be destroyed, even if they were faithless. The precise description in this verse implies a divine surgeon, not merely an angry warrior; the operation of judgment is severe, yet purposefully exact in its design and execution. The visual of a "glittering" sword could also evoke the swiftness and inevitability of lightning, suggesting judgment will come with unexpected speed and power.
Ezekiel 21 10 Commentary
Ezekiel 21:10 vividly paints the terrifying picture of God's instrument of judgment. The divine sword is not haphazard but precisely crafted. The description moves from its internal lethality—being "sharpened for slaughter"—to its external terror—"polished to glitter." This meticulous preparation speaks volumes about the divine resolve and the inescapable nature of the coming destruction. The purpose is not merely discipline but utter devastation, aimed squarely at the unrepentant nation. The gleaming surface would send shivers down the spine, a horrifying sign of imminent, unsparing wrath, ensuring that all who witnessed its approach would understand its divine sanction and deadly purpose. It signifies that the time for repentance is over; the time for decisive and crushing judgment has arrived.