Ezekiel 21 30

Ezekiel 21:30 kjv

Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity.

Ezekiel 21:30 nkjv

'Return it to its sheath. I will judge you In the place where you were created, In the land of your nativity.

Ezekiel 21:30 niv

"?'Let the sword return to its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your ancestry, I will judge you.

Ezekiel 21:30 esv

Return it to its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you.

Ezekiel 21:30 nlt

"Now return the sword to its sheath,
for in your own country,
the land of your birth,
I will pass judgment upon you.

Ezekiel 21 verses

Ezekiel 21 30 Meaning

Ezekiel 21:30 is a declaration of God's sovereign control over judgment and its ultimate execution upon the Ammonites. The verse first commands God's "sword" of judgment (often identified as Babylon) to return to its sheath, signifying either a temporary pause or a reassertion of divine control over the instrument of judgment. Immediately following this, the verse shifts to directly address the Ammonite nation, asserting God's inescapable decree to judge them precisely "in the place where you were created, in the land of your origin." This emphasizes that their judgment will occur in their own perceived place of safety and heritage, demonstrating God's universal authority over all nations.

Ezekiel 21 30 Context

Ezekiel 21 is a powerful oracle concerning God's "sword," a metaphor for divine judgment, primarily enacted through the Babylonian army. The chapter begins by proclaiming widespread judgment over Israel and Jerusalem (vv. 1-17), emphasizing that no one will escape. This sword is depicted as sharpened, polished, and ready for slaughter, cutting through everything without discrimination (vv. 9-11). After foretelling judgment upon Jerusalem, the focus shifts in verse 28 to the Ammonites, one of Israel's long-standing adversaries. God specifically instructs Ezekiel to prophesy against them, promising that the sword (Babylon) will also be raised against them. Verse 29 mocks Ammon's reliance on false visions and divinations, which falsely promised security, even as their "day has come" for final punishment. Ezekiel 21:30, therefore, immediately follows this declaration against the Ammonites, solidifying God's intention to bring full judgment upon them, dismissing any temporary cessation of the instrument while affirming the certainty of the divine sentence.

Ezekiel 21 30 Word analysis

• Return it / Return: The Hebrew verb is הָשֵׁב (hāshev), a Hiphil imperative masculine singular, meaning "cause to return" or "bring back." This command is given by God. Different translations interpret the implied object, some adding "it" (referring to the sword). The precise grammatical referent of "your" in "your sheath" is debated due to "sword" (חֶרֶב - cherev) being feminine, while the possessive ending ךָ (kha) is masculine singular. This might suggest an address to a personified entity (like a commander) or to Ammon (if Ammon is seen as having their own 'sword' of aggression), but most commentaries infer the sword as the object being returned to its sheath.
• to its sheath! / to your sheath!: The Hebrew is אֶל תַּעְרֶךָ (ʿel taʿrekha). תַּעַר (taʿar) means "scabbard" or "sheath." This signifies a place where a weapon is put away, representing either a temporary cessation of judgment or God's sovereign act of controlling His instrument of wrath, ready to wield it again as He deems fit. It's a symbolic re-sheathing, not necessarily a permanent end to judgment.
• In the place where you were created: The Hebrew is בִּמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר נִבְרֵאתָ (bimqom ʾasher nivreʾtā).
  • בִּמְקוֹם (bimqom): "in the place of."
  • אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher): "where, which, that."
  • נִבְרֵאתָ (nivretā): Pual perfect, 2nd masculine singular, from בָּרָא (baraʾ), "to create, form." This is a passive form, "you were created." This definitively points to the Ammonites (a masculine singular entity). It refers to their homeland, their ancestral territory, the very ground where they originated as a people.
• in the land of your origin: The Hebrew is בְּאֶרֶץ מוֹלַדְתֶּךָ (bĕʾerets môladtekā).
  • בְּאֶרֶץ (bĕʾerets): "in the land of."
  • מוֹלַדְתֶּךָ (môladtekā): "your nativity," "your birth," "your origin." From יָלַד (yalad), "to give birth, beget." This phrase reinforces the previous one, emphasizing that the judgment will be executed on their home soil, where they consider themselves safe and rooted. The repetition serves for emphasis and certainty.
• I will judge you: The Hebrew is אֶשְׁפּוֹטְךָ (ʾeshpoṭkā).
  • אֶשְׁפּוֹטְךָ (ʾeshpoṭkā): "I will judge you." This is the common verb שָׁפַט (shafaṭ), "to judge, decide, govern," with the 1st person singular imperfect and 2nd masculine singular suffix, "I will judge you." This confirms God's direct, personal, and absolute judicial action against the Ammonites. It removes any doubt about the fate of the nation. The judgment is not just a natural consequence but a direct divine intervention.

Ezekiel 21 30 Bonus section

The seemingly abrupt command to the "sword" to return to its sheath before the declaration of judgment against Ammon (the "you") highlights a significant theological truth: God orchestrates judgment with intentionality and ultimate purpose. It suggests a "calibrated" wrath, where even the agents of His judgment are commanded, sheathed, and unsheathed according to His timing and will, rather than being allowed to rage unchecked. This control speaks to divine wisdom even amidst devastating judgment. The Ammonites' consistent antagonism towards Israel (see Amos 1:13-15 and Zeph 2:8-10 for their taunting of God's people and boundary transgressions) provides the background for this specific, targeted divine wrath that strikes them at their core – their own land and heritage. This fulfills the principle that those who scorn God's people or seek their ruin often face divine retribution in their own territories.

Ezekiel 21 30 Commentary

Ezekiel 21:30 serves as a powerful declaration of God's unassailable sovereignty over His instruments of judgment and His targets. The initial command to "return it to its sheath" (referring to the sword, likely Babylon) is a fascinating moment in the prophetic text. It doesn't signal an end to judgment, but rather God's precise control. The weapon of wrath does not operate autonomously; it serves the divine will. Whether it signifies a temporary pause in a larger sequence of judgments or the specific task against Ammon being accomplished by that phase of the "sword," it clearly underscores that the sword is at God's disposal, not independent. The subsequent and critical part of the verse then turns explicitly to the Ammonites, affirming "I will judge you in the place where you were created, in the land of your origin." This directly challenges any sense of national security or cultural permanence the Ammonites might have had within their borders. God promises that their own homeland, the very place of their identity and strength, will be the stage for their inescapable downfall. This underscores that there is no safe refuge from God's justice, and nations, like individuals, are accountable to the Almighty Creator. The judgment is an act of divine justice, not random destruction, striking at the very roots of their existence.