Ezekiel 21 15

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 verses

Ezekiel 21 15 Meaning

Ezekiel 21:15 proclaims a devastating divine judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem. God's metaphorical sword, representing an invading army, is drawn and readied to inflict terror so profound that it will cause the hearts of the people to melt in despair and fear. This will lead to widespread "stumbling," signifying ruin, collapse, and complete downfall. This instrument of judgment is intentionally positioned "over all their gates," signifying a direct assault on the very foundations of their city, including its defenses, commerce, and judicial systems. The sword is described as "brandishing," meaning it is actively displayed and ready for use, and it "glitters and flashes like lightning," emphasizing its terrifying, sudden, and irresistible power. Its ultimate, singular purpose is unequivocal: wholesale "slaughter." This verse underscores the absolute nature of God's impending judgment, highlighting its psychological impact, strategic targeting, and ultimate destructive end.

Ezekiel 21 15 Context

Ezekiel chapter 21 is a prolonged oracle of judgment specifically directed against the people of Jerusalem and the land of Judah, prophesying their imminent destruction at the hands of the Babylonians. The entire chapter is framed around the powerful metaphor of God's "sword," which is sharpened, polished, and drawn from its scabbard, signaling an inescapable and devastating divine wrath. This sword is repeatedly declared to be ready "for slaughter," targeting indiscriminately. Verse 15 builds on these preceding declarations of readiness and terror, specifying how the fear will manifest ("hearts melt") and where the destruction will strike most acutely ("over all their gates"). Historically, this prophetic word foretells the Babylonian siege and conquest of Jerusalem around 586 BC, which led to the destruction of the Temple and the forced exile of the Jewish people. The message serves as a stark rebuke to Judah's misplaced trust in its own defenses, alliances, or perceived religious immunity, emphasizing that God Himself is orchestrating their downfall.

Ezekiel 21 15 Word analysis

• that your heart may melt (`לְמַס תֶּבֶל` - le-mas tevel):
• לְמַס (le-mas): Literally, "for melting" or "for dissolving." This term, derived from massas (מָסַס), describes a profound psychological state of utter terror, a complete loss of courage, rendering individuals unable to resist or stand firm. It signifies spiritual and emotional disintegration.
• תֶּבֶל (tevel): This word can mean "world" or "earth." However, in context, particularly when paired with "melting," it refers to the innermost being or the "heart" (as implied in many translations like ESV), suggesting that the people's very essence, their spirit and resolve, will liquefy in fear. It highlights internal breakdown rather than just external destruction.
• Words-group significance: This initial phrase establishes the deep, internal impact of the impending judgment. The terror will be so pervasive and profound that it strips away all strength and courage, preparing the way for utter collapse.
• and many may stumble (`וְרַבָּה מִכְשֹׁלָה` - ve-rabbah miksholāh):
• וְרַבָּה (ve-rabbah): "And much," or "and many." It emphasizes the widespread nature of the effect, not just on a few, but on a significant portion of the population.
• מִכְשֹׁלָה (miksholāh): "Stumbling block," "ruin," or "cause of falling." This is more than a simple trip; it signifies a catastrophic fall into ruin, disaster, or spiritual apostasy. It implies complete failure and destruction.
• Words-group significance: This phrase underscores the physical and societal consequence of the psychological terror. It indicates a mass failure, where widespread fear translates into actual downfall and widespread ruin, both physical and moral.
• Over all their gates I have appointed the brandishing sword (`עַל כָּל שַׁעֲרֵיהֶם הֶעֱמַדְתִּי מִבְשַׂע`)
• עַל כָּל שַׁעֲרֵיהֶם (al kol sha'arey-hem): "Over all their gates." The city gates were the primary points of defense, but also centers for commerce, justice, and public life. Attacking the gates is a direct assault on the city's ability to defend itself and function as a society, ensuring complete vulnerability.
• הֶעֱמַדְתִּי (he'emad'ti): "I have set up," or "I have appointed/stationed." This is a Hifil (causative) form, accentuating God's direct, intentional, and sovereign role in deploying the judgment. He is not passive; He is actively orchestrating the attack.
• מִבְשַׂע (mivśa'): Interpreted as "brandishing" or "flashing forth." From basa' (בָּסַע), to cut off or wound, or in the Hifil, to flash or gleam. It portrays the active, menacing display of the weapon, prepared for immediate, violent action. The sword is visibly poised and active.
• Words-group significance: This segment unequivocally establishes divine sovereignty. God Himself strategically places the destructive force at the most critical points of the city, highlighting that no defense will hold, and the judgment is deliberate and inescapable.
• that it may glitter and flash like lightning for slaughter. (`וּבָרָק וַעֲשׂוּ לְשַׁחַט`)
• וּבָרָק (u-bārāq): "And lightning," or "flash." It vividly describes the visual impact of the sword. It gleams violently, evoking the suddenness, intensity, and destructive power associated with lightning.
• וַעֲשׂוּ (va-as'u): "And it (or they) shall work/make/do." While seemingly plural, in this context it refers to the singular "sword" and its function or purpose. Many interpretations understand it as "it is to act," expressing the active role of the sword in carrying out the devastation.
• לְשַׁחַט (le-shachat): "For slaughter," or "for slaying." This is the stark, explicit, and definitive purpose of the divine sword. It is not for a temporary skirmish or mere defeat, but for total and irreversible destruction of life. This term often refers to the precise, complete killing for sacrifice or consumption, emphasizing thoroughness.
• Words-group significance: This phrase completes the terrifying depiction, focusing on the visual spectacle and ultimate goal of the sword. The sudden, overwhelming nature, coupled with its singular intent for total destruction, leaves no ambiguity regarding the dire outcome.

Ezekiel 21 15 Bonus section

The imagery of a "flashing sword like lightning" is not unique to Ezekiel but recurs throughout Scripture (e.g., Gen 3:24, Deut 32:41, Nah 1:3). It often denotes God's swift, powerful, and inescapable judgment or protective presence. In Ezekiel 21, it particularly highlights the manifestation of divine wrath as an undeniable force that even the strongest city defenses cannot withstand. This served as a powerful counter-narrative (a polemic) against Jerusalem's false security, which likely rested on its fortifications, its status as the chosen city, and the presence of the Temple. The people mistakenly believed that God would always protect Jerusalem; however, Ezekiel reveals that God Himself would command its destruction, using the terrifying speed and power of an invading army, which would serve as His divine, flashing sword. This makes the judgment undeniably from the Lord, not merely a natural disaster or human conflict.

Ezekiel 21 15 Commentary

Ezekiel 21:15 profoundly articulates God's decisive judgment, vividly personified by a powerful, active sword. The psychological breakdown among the people, with their hearts melting in terror, precedes a mass spiritual and physical "stumbling" into ruin, demonstrating God's complete victory not just over their bodies but their will. God’s deliberate positioning of this "brandishing sword" over the city gates signifies the targeted and comprehensive nature of the assault, dismantling every aspect of their society and defense. The sword's glittering, lightning-like appearance emphasizes the judgment's suddenness, irresistibility, and visible display of divine wrath. Its singular purpose "for slaughter" leaves no ambiguity, highlighting the utter finality and devastating scale of God’s decree. The verse thus captures a total and inescapable divine punishment, impacting the people's inner resolve, their external structures, and their very existence.