Ezekiel 21:28 kjv
And thou, son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; even say thou, The sword, the sword is drawn: for the slaughter it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering:
Ezekiel 21:28 nkjv
"And you, son of man, prophesy and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach,' and say: 'A sword, a sword is drawn, Polished for slaughter, For consuming, for flashing?
Ezekiel 21:28 niv
"And you, son of man, prophesy and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says about the Ammonites and their insults: "?'A sword, a sword, drawn for the slaughter, polished to consume and to flash like lightning!
Ezekiel 21:28 esv
"And you, son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach; say, A sword, a sword is drawn for the slaughter. It is polished to consume and to flash like lightning ?
Ezekiel 21:28 nlt
"And now, son of man, prophesy concerning the Ammonites and their mockery. Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: "A sword, a sword
is drawn for your slaughter.
It is polished to destroy,
flashing like lightning!
Ezekiel 21 28 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Eze 21:9 | I will set my face against them; they will go out from one fire, and... | Eze 21:9 (Prophecy) |
| Eze 21:30 | Shall I return this your second sign, wherein they shall be revealed? | Eze 21:30 (Sign of sword) |
| Jer 43:10-11 | And say, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I... | Jer 43:10-11 (Judgment) |
| Jer 46:13-14 | The word that the LORD spake unto Jeremiah the prophet, how... | Jer 46:13-14 (Egypt's fall) |
| Isa 10:5 | O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their... | Isa 10:5 (Assyria as rod) |
| Isa 14:24-27 | The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so... | Isa 14:24-27 (Assyria's fate) |
| Hab 1:6-11 | I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which... | Hab 1:6-11 (Chaldeans) |
| Jer 25:9 | And, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,... | Jer 25:9 (Nebuchadnezzar) |
| 2 Chr 36:17 | Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who... | 2 Chr 36:17 (Exile) |
| Jer 52:4-11 | Now it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth... | Jer 52:4-11 (Jerusalem's fall) |
| Matt 24:6-8 | And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not... | Matt 24:6-8 (Signs of end) |
| Luke 21:9 | But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified... | Luke 21:9 (Signs of end) |
| Rev 1:16 | And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth... | Rev 1:16 (Word as sword) |
| Rev 19:15 | And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he... | Rev 19:15 (Word as sword) |
| Ps 7:12-13 | If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and... | Ps 7:12-13 (God's judgment) |
| Ps 45:3-5 | Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy... | Ps 45:3-5 (King's power) |
| Deut 32:41 | If I whet my glittering sword, and my hand take hold on judgment,... | Deut 32:41 (God's sword) |
| Jer 50:35-37 | A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the... | Jer 50:35-37 (Babylon's judgment) |
| Ezek 21:15 | I have set a pointed sword before them all, after the manner of... | Eze 21:15 (Sword directed) |
| Ezek 21:20 | Appoint the way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the... | Eze 21:20 (Sword's path) |
Ezekiel 21 verses
Ezekiel 21 28 Meaning
The word "thou" refers to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. The verse declares that he has come against Jerusalem and its king, acting as God's instrument of judgment. His sword is sharpened and polished to be a tool for slaughter and a gleaming weapon for destruction.
Ezekiel 21 28 Context
This verse is part of Ezekiel's prophecy concerning the impending destruction of Jerusalem and its king. Chapter 21 presents a vision of a sword, depicted as drawn, sharpened, and ready for execution. This sword represents the Babylonian army, specifically Nebuchadnezzar, whom God has appointed as an instrument of His wrath against Judah for its sins. The immediate context focuses on the divinely ordained judgment that will fall upon Zedekiah and the city of Jerusalem. The historical context is the final years before Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BCE, a period of national crisis and repeated warnings.
Ezekiel 21 28 Word Analysis
thou (Hebrew: אתּה - 'attah): Second person masculine singular pronoun, directly addressing Nebuchadnezzar. This personalizes the divine judgment.
king (Hebrew: מֶלֶךְ - melek): Refers to the human agent of God's wrath. In this context, it signifies Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon.
Babylon (Hebrew: בָּבֶל - Bāḇel): The great empire and city that was the instrument of God's judgment against His people.
sword (Hebrew: חֶרֶב - ḥereḇ): Symbolizes warfare, destruction, and execution. Here, it specifically represents the Babylonian military might.
drawn (Hebrew: שָׁלּוּף - shāluph): A participle meaning "drawn out" or "unsheathed." It emphasizes the readiness and imminent use of the weapon.
for (Hebrew: לְמַ֫עַן - lĕmaʿan): Indicates purpose or reason. The sword is drawn for slaughter.
slaughter (Hebrew: טֶבַח - ṭēḇaḥ): Means slaughter, carnage, butchery. It points to a violent and massive shedding of blood.
polished (Hebrew: בָּרוּק - bārūq): Derived from a root meaning "to shine" or "to gleam." It suggests the sword is made bright and sharp, a terrifying sight.
girded (Hebrew: חָלַץ - ḥālaṣ): To put on, to gird, to equip for battle. The sword is equipped or prepared for action.
slay (Hebrew: לְשָׁחוּט - lĕshāḥûṭ): Another word for slaughter or to make a violent end.
polished (Hebrew: מְלֻטָּשׁ - mĕluṭṭāsh): Similar to the previous use of "polished," it reinforces the image of a gleaming, sharp, and perfected instrument of death.
that (Hebrew: לְמַ֫עַן - lĕmaʿan): Again, indicating purpose. It is made ready that it may be grasped.
it may be grasped (Hebrew: יֵאָחֵז - yēʾāḥez): Passive form of the verb meaning "to seize" or "to lay hold of." It refers to the sword being taken up and wielded by the executioner.
Word Group Analysis: The repeated emphasis on "polished" (bārūq, mĕluṭṭāsh) and "drawn" (shāluph) powerfully illustrates God's meticulous preparation of this destructive force. The multiple terms for "slaughter" (ṭēḇaḥ, shāḥaṭ) convey the severity and brutality of the impending judgment.
Ezekiel 21 28 Bonus Section
The sharpening and polishing of the sword signify the perfection of God's judgment; it is precisely calibrated and ready. This meticulous preparation reflects God's faithfulness to His justice, even when it involves severe discipline. The mention of "thou" addressing Nebuchadnezzar directly also points to God's practice of using even wicked kings to accomplish His purposes, as seen with Assyria (Isaiah 10:5-7) and later with Babylon itself being judged for its cruelty. The imagery of a gleaming, drawn sword is a powerful, almost artistic representation of divine anger fully prepared for release.
Ezekiel 21 28 Commentary
This verse vividly portrays God's sovereign control over human history and His use of nations as instruments of His judgment. Nebuchadnezzar, though a pagan king motivated by his own ambitions, is unknowingly executing God's plan. The sword, sharpened and gleaming, is not just a symbol of Babylonian military might, but a manifestation of divine wrath against sin and disobedience. The text highlights that judgment is carefully prepared, purposeful, and terrifyingly effective. The imagery underscores the gravity of Israel's apostasy and the absolute certainty of the coming retribution.