Ezekiel 21:15 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.
Ezekiel 21:15 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:
Ezekiel 21:15 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.
Ezekiel 21:15 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.
Ezekiel 21:15 nlt
Let their hearts melt with terror,
for the sword glitters at every gate.
It flashes like lightning
and is polished for slaughter!
Ezekiel 21 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 21:9 | "So the sword is sharpened for slaughter, made to gleam for the lightning." | Preparedness for judgment |
| Jeremiah 51:11 | "Sharpen the arrows, fill the quivers! The Lord has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes..." | Divine instrument of judgment |
| Isaiah 13:3 | "I have commanded my consecrated ones; I have called my warriors to my anger—those who exult in my triumph." | God’s empowered agents |
| Psalm 7:12-13 | "If a man does not turn back, God will sharpen his sword; he wields and pulls it taut. He aims it, and makes ready his deadly weapons..." | God's active judgment |
| Revelation 1:16 | "In his right hand he held seven stars, and from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword..." | Christ's authoritative word |
| Hebrews 4:12 | "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit..." | The piercing power of God's word |
| Deuteronomy 32:41 | "I will sharpen my flashing sword and my hand will take hold on judgment; I will return vengeance on My adversaries..." | God's vengeful justice |
| Jeremiah 47:6 | "‘Ah, sword of the Lord, how long until you are quiet? Put yourself back into your scabbard, rest and be still.'" | Divine weapon at rest |
| Isaiah 54:16 | "See, I have created the smith who blows the bellows and makes weapons for his purpose. I have also created the destroyer to work destruction." | God’s sovereignty over creation |
| Hosea 11:6 | "The sword will flash in their cities, it will cut off their priests and their prophets." | Judgment upon disobedience |
| Jeremiah 25:33 | "At that day a great slaughter shall be of the Lord from one end of the earth even unto the other: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the face of the earth." | Comprehensive destruction |
| Isaiah 45:1 | "Thus says the Lord to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him..." | God using nations as instruments |
| Jeremiah 50:25 | "The Lord has opened his armory and brought out the weapons of his indignation, for this is the work of the Lord God of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans." | God's weapons of judgment |
| Ezekiel 14:21 | "For thus says the Lord God: How much more when I send upon Jerusalem my four severe judgments, sword, famine, dangerous beasts, and plague..." | God's severe judgments |
| Amos 3:6 | "If a trumpet has been blown in a city, has not the Lord caused it?" | God's sovereignty over events |
| Revelation 19:15 | "From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron..." | Christ's final conquest |
| Lamentations 2:21 | "You have seen it, O Lord, do not keep silence! O Lord, do not be far from me!" | Prayer in times of judgment |
| Jeremiah 49:26 | "Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all her warriors shall be cut off on that day, declares the Lord of hosts." | Calamity upon proud nations |
| Nahum 3:3 | "The cavalry, the charging chariots, and the prancing horses, the riders on red horses, the surging cavalry..." | Description of military might |
| Micah 5:10 | "And in that day, declares the Lord, I will cut off your horses from among you and will destroy your chariots." | Removal of earthly power |
Ezekiel 21 verses
Ezekiel 21 15 Meaning
The verse speaks of sharpening the sword for slaughter, preparing it for destruction and polishing it. This action is preparatory for bringing ruin and executing judgment.
Ezekiel 21 15 Context
This verse is found within a prophecy directed at the Ammonites and then turns to address Jerusalem. God is describing the coming judgment by sword upon Jerusalem, which is initiated by the king of Babylon. The imagery of the sword being sharpened, made to gleam, and polished signifies the absolute and deliberate nature of God's judgment against sin and rebellion. It highlights the finality and totality of the impending destruction, emphasizing that no remnant of the sin or the city's sinfulness would be left untouched. This preparation is not merely a human military action but a divinely orchestrated event, carried out by human instruments under God’s direct command.
Ezekiel 21 15 Word Analysis
- Hebrew Term: לְחָרְבָּה (lĕḥārbāh) - literally "to her desolation" or "to her destruction."
- Hebrew Term: לְטִפְחָה (lĕṭip̄ḥāh) - meaning "to polishing" or "to making fat/gleaming."
- Word Group Analysis: The combination of "sharpening," "making to gleam," and "polishing" all contribute to the comprehensive preparation for slaughter. It's not just about being ready, but about being optimally prepared and honed for a specific, destructive purpose.
Ezekiel 21 15 Bonus Section
The "polishing" aspect suggests making something ready for presentation or, in this context, making the instrument of judgment maximally effective and visible in its execution. It is an image of careful crafting and ultimate readiness. This meticulous preparation for destruction contrasts sharply with the glorious preparations made for God's people in salvation.
Ezekiel 21 15 Commentary
The verse vividly portrays the deliberate and meticulous preparation for judgment. The sword, a tool of execution, is honed to perfection, signifying the thoroughness of the impending destruction. God’s judgment is not arbitrary; it is prepared and precise. This imagery speaks to the complete ruin that awaits those who have incurred God's wrath. It underscores God’s sovereignty, not only in decreeing judgment but in ensuring its complete execution through the instruments He chooses. The polishing signifies the intent to make the judgment as sharp and decisive as possible.