Ezekiel 21:4 kjv
Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:
Ezekiel 21:4 nkjv
Because I will cut off both righteous and wicked from you, therefore My sword shall go out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north,
Ezekiel 21:4 niv
Because I am going to cut off the righteous and the wicked, my sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north.
Ezekiel 21:4 esv
Because I will cut off from you both righteous and wicked, therefore my sword shall be drawn from its sheath against all flesh from south to north.
Ezekiel 21:4 nlt
Yes, I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked! I will draw my sword against everyone in the land from south to north.
Ezekiel 21 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 21:4 | To cut off from your land every righteous and wicked person. | Judgment on Jerusalem |
| Jeremiah 25:31 | A sword shall come from the LORD, a relentless sword against the wicked. | Divine instrument of judgment |
| Jeremiah 46:10 | For the Lord GOD of hosts has a day of sacrifice in the land of the north. | God's sovereignty over judgment |
| Isaiah 10:5 | O Assyrian, the rod of my anger, and the staff that is in their charge, my fury! | God using nations for judgment |
| Amos 3:6 | Shall a trumpet be blown in a city, and the people not be in a state of alarm? | Warning before judgment |
| Luke 21:24 | And they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations | Jerusalem's destruction foretold |
| Revelation 13:10 | If anyone is destined for captivity, he is destined for captivity; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, he must be slain with the sword. | God's foreknowledge and plan |
| Psalms 7:11 | God is a righteous judge and a God who expresses his wrath every day. | God's righteous judgment |
| Nahum 1:2 | The LORD avenges and is furious. The LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries and nurses wrath for his enemies. | God's vengeance |
| Lamentations 2:2 | The Lord has utterly ruined and has not pitied. He has cast down in his wrath the strongholds of the daughter of Judah. | God's wrath and destruction |
| Deuteronomy 32:41 | If I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand grasps it for judgment, I will take vengeance on my enemies and repay those who hate me. | God's promise of vengeance |
| Isaiah 13:15 | Everyone found will be run through, and everyone caught will fall by the sword. | Judgment upon enemies |
| Jeremiah 15:2 | "When twenty thousand fall by the sword, when devastation comes to the city, what will you do then?" | Consequence of judgment |
| Ezekiel 21:15 | "I will set the blade of the sword against all its gates, so that its entrance may be made desolate, its passages cut off; all will be cut off. | Specificity of judgment |
| Ezekiel 6:3 | And say, 'O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD: Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains, to the hills, to the ravines, and to the valleys:' | Address to Israel |
| Ezekiel 7:6 | "An end! The end has come! It is awake against you; behold, it has come!" | Imminence of judgment |
| Ezekiel 7:10 | "See, the day! Behold, it has come! Your punishment has arrived." | Day of retribution |
| Ezekiel 20:7 | "Abominations of the eyes that you cast away, do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt." | Sin of idolatry |
| 1 Kings 11:1 | King Solomon, however, loved many foreign women besides the daughter of Pharaoh. | Causes for judgment |
| Jeremiah 17:1 | "The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved upon the tablet of their hearts, and on the horns of their altars," | Deep-rooted sin |
Ezekiel 21 verses
Ezekiel 21 4 Meaning
This verse announces the drawing of a divine sword against Jerusalem, signifying impending judgment and destruction. It portrays God's active involvement in bringing punishment upon His people for their sins. The act of casting lots or drawing lots was a method of divine decision-making and allocation, emphasizing that this judgment was not random but divinely ordained.
Ezekiel 21 4 Context
This verse is found within Ezekiel chapter 21, which is a powerful oracle of judgment against Jerusalem and the land of Israel. The preceding verses have set the stage by describing the intensity and scope of God's impending wrath, likening it to a raging fire consuming all in its path. Ezekiel is commanded to prophesy against the land of Israel and to pronounce judgment upon them for their persistent sins, particularly their idolatry and disobedience. This chapter specifically addresses the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, emphasizing that it is a divine decree. The casting of lots or the drawing of the sword symbolizes God's sovereign hand directing the events that are about to unfold, ensuring that justice will be served according to His perfect will.
Ezekiel 21 4 Word Analysis
וּלְהַצְמִית: (u’luhṣmîyth) "and to cause to cease," "and to destroy," "and to exterminate."
- Comes from the root צָמַת (tsameth), meaning "to cease," "to end," "to cut off."
- Emphasizes complete removal and eradication.
- Connects to God's decisive action to end wickedness.
מֵאֶרֶץ: (me’erets) "from the land."
- Indicates the land of Israel, the promised land given to God's people.
- Highlights the severity of the judgment, affecting their very home.
- Signifies removal from the covenant land as a consequence of sin.
צַדִּיק: (tsaddiq) "righteous."
- Refers to those who are just and obedient before God.
- It's significant that both the righteous and the wicked are mentioned as being cut off. This speaks to the thoroughness of the judgment, often involving consequences that affect the whole community.
- This inclusion points to the collective consequences of national sin.
וְרָשָׁע: (wəra’sha’) "and wicked."
- Refers to those who are unjust, evil, and rebellious against God.
- Highlights the target of God's ultimate anger, but also implies that even the righteous will experience hardship during this judgment.
מִמְּךְ: (mimməkh) "from you."
- Directly addresses the land of Judah or Jerusalem.
- Makes the prophecy personal and specific to the recipient.
- Underscores God's direct action and pronouncement against them.
Analysis of "to cut off from your land every righteous and wicked person": This phrase reveals a comprehensive judgment. It means that the destruction will be so thorough that it will affect all inhabitants without exception. The use of "righteous" alongside "wicked" does not mean the righteous will face the same condemnation but that they will endure the suffering and consequences of the unrighteous within the same geographic area or as part of the larger catastrophe. It implies a filtering or separation, even if temporary, or that the process of judgment itself will indiscriminately impact the land.
Ezekiel 21 4 Bonus Section
The drawing of lots or casting of lots is a significant theme in the Old Testament, often employed to determine God's will or to divide spoils (Leviticus 16:8, Joshua 18:6, Proverbs 16:33). Here, it symbolizes God's absolute sovereignty over the impending invasion and destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. It underscores that this is not merely a political or military event, but a divinely orchestrated judgment. The intensity of the prophecy also resonates with New Testament accounts of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem and foretelling its destruction due to its rejection of Him (Luke 19:41-44).
Ezekiel 21 4 Commentary
The sword is prepared and aimed at Jerusalem, a symbol of God's imminent and decisive judgment. The divine decree is that both the righteous and the wicked will be "cut off" from the land. This signifies a thorough purge and a removal from their covenant inheritance. While the wicked are the primary recipients of God's wrath, the righteous will also suffer the turmoil and destruction of this catastrophic event. This emphasizes the collective consequences of national sin and the severity of God's displeasure, demonstrating that no one within the affected territory will be spared from the upheaval. The imagery of a sword signifies a sharp, decisive, and deadly instrument of God's justice being deployed against the disobedient nation.