CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
Ezekiel 21
Chapter 21 of 48
Chapter Overview
What happens in Ezekiel 21
God tells Ezekiel that his sword is drawn and ready to strike Jerusalem. Ezekiel is told to groan and cry, and to prophesy about a sharpened, polished sword. The king of Babylon will stand at a crossroads and choose to attack Jerusalem instead of the Ammonites.
Scripture
Ezekiel 21
The Sword Against Jerusalem
Study note
God told Ezekiel to face Jerusalem and prophesy against the temple and the land of Israel. God's sword would cut down both the righteous and the wicked. Ezekiel was told to groan with a broken heart in front of the people to show the anguish coming on the nation. When they asked why he was groaning, he was to tell them about the devastating news that would make every heart melt and every hand go limp.
1 The Lord's message came to me. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2 "Son of man, face Jerusalem and deliver a message against the sanctuary. Prophesy against the land of Israel." Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,
3 "Tell the land of Israel: The Lord says -- I am coming against you! I will pull my sword from its sheath and cut down both the righteous and the wicked from among you." And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.
4 "Because I will cut down both good and evil people, my sword will be drawn against everyone from south to north." 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:
5 "Then every living person will know that I, the Lord, have drawn my sword. It will not go back into its sheath." That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more.
6 "So groan, son of man! Groan in front of the people with a shattered heart and agonizing grief." Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.
7 "When they ask, 'What are you groaning about?' answer them: 'Because of the news that is coming. It will make every heart melt, every hand go weak, every spirit faint, and every knee turn to water.' It is on its way! It will definitely happen, says the Lord God." And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD.
The Song of the Sword
Study note
God described a sword that was sharpened and polished for slaughter. It was so fierce that it would cut down everything in its path. Ezekiel was told to cry out and wail. He was to clap his hands and let the sword strike twice, even three times. The sword would come from every side. God himself would clap his hands, and then his anger would be satisfied.
8 The Lord spoke to me again. Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9 "Son of man, deliver this prophecy. Say: The Lord declares, 'A sword! A sword -- sharpened and polished to a gleam!'" Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:
10 "It has been sharpened for killing and polished to flash like a bolt of lightning! Should we celebrate? The sword has rejected the ruling scepter and every other branch." It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree.
11 "The sword has been polished and made ready, sharpened and prepared to be placed in the executioner's hand." And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled: this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.
12 "Scream and wail, son of man! This sword is aimed at my people -- at every leader in Israel. They are doomed along with my people. Beat your chest in anguish!" Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh.
13 "A test is coming. What if the sword rejects even the ruling scepter? Then the scepter will exist no more, says the Lord God." Because it is a trial, and what if the sword contemn even the rod? it shall be no more, saith the Lord GOD.
14 "So prophesy, son of man! Clap your hands together. Let the sword strike two times, three times. It is a blade of slaughter -- a blade of massive destruction closing in from every direction." Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy chambers.
15 "I have stationed the flashing sword at every gate to melt hearts with terror and multiply the casualties. It is made to flash like lightning, gripped and ready for the kill." 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.
16 "Slash right! Slash left! Strike wherever the blade is aimed!" Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set.
17 "I too will clap my hands together, and my fury will finally be satisfied. I, the Lord, have declared it." I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest: I the LORD have said it.
The King of Babylon at the Crossroads
Study note
God told Ezekiel to mark two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon, both starting from the same place. One road led to the Ammonite city of Rabbah, and the other led to Jerusalem. The king of Babylon would stand at the fork in the road and use divination to decide which way to go. He would shake arrows, consult idols, and examine a sheep's liver. The divination would point him toward Jerusalem, even though the people there thought they were safe because of their treaties.
18 The Lord's message came to me. The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,
19 "Son of man, draw a map showing two roads that the king of Babylon's sword could travel. Both roads start from the same place. Set up a signpost where the road forks toward each city." Also, thou son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come: both twain shall come forth out of one land: and choose thou a place, choose it at the head of the way to the city.
20 "Mark one road going to Rabbah of the Ammonites. Mark the other going to Judah and its walled capital, Jerusalem." Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced.
21 "Picture the king of Babylon at the fork in the road, trying to figure out which way to go. He shakes his arrows, asks his household idols, and checks the liver of an animal to look for signs." For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver.
22 "The sign in his right hand points toward Jerusalem! It tells him to set up battering rams, give the order to attack, raise the battle cry, position battering rams at the gates, build siege ramps, and construct siege walls." At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort.
23 "The people of Jerusalem will think it is a worthless omen because of their treaty agreements. But the king will remind them of their guilt and seize them as captives." And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight, to them that have sworn oaths: but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.
24 "The Lord God says: You have reminded everyone of your guilt through your blatant rebellion, putting your sins on display in everything you do. Because of all this, you will be captured." Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand.
Judgment on Jerusalem's Prince and on Ammon
Study note
The wicked prince of Israel (King Zedekiah) would have his crown removed. Everything would be overturned until the one comes who has the right to it, a reference to the future Messiah. The Ammonites would not escape either. A sword was drawn against them too. Despite their false visions and lying predictions, the sword would fall on them. They would be fuel for the fire, and their memory would be erased.
25 "And you, wicked, corrupt prince of Israel -- your day of reckoning has arrived. The time of your final punishment is here." And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end,
26 The Lord God says: "Remove the royal turban! Take off the crown! The old order is finished. The humble will be lifted up, and the proud will be brought low." Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high.
27 "Ruin! Ruin! I will reduce it all to ruin! And it will stay that way until the rightful ruler arrives, and I will hand it over to him." I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.
28 "And you, son of man, prophesy: The Lord God says this to the Ammonites and their taunts -- 'A sword! A sword is drawn for slaughter, polished to consume, to flash like lightning!'" 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:
29 "People gave you fake visions and lying words. But the sword will fall on the wicked. Their time has come. Their day of final payback is here." Whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end.
30 "Return the sword to its sheath! Right where you were created, in the very land where you were born, that is where I will judge you." 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.
31 "I will pour out my rage on you. I will blast you with the scorching fire of my fury. I will hand you over to savage men who are experts at destruction." And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skilful to destroy.
32 "You will become fuel for the fire. Your blood will soak your own land. You will be completely forgotten. I, the Lord, have spoken." Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no more remembered: for I the LORD have spoken it.
Key Themes
Themes in Ezekiel 21
God's sword of judgmentInescapable punishmentThe end of earthly kingshipComing of the rightful ruler
Prophetic Connections
How this chapter points to Christ
Ezekiel 26-27 Luke 1:32-33
Ezekiel's prophecy that the crown would be removed until 'he comes whose right it is' points forward to Jesus, to whom the angel Gabriel announced an eternal throne.
Apply This Today
Living Ezekiel 21
When God draws His sword of judgment, no one can put it back. This chapter's urgency reminds us not to take God's patience for granted. But there is also hope: God hints at a future ruler who has the right to reign, pointing to a time when justice and peace will be restored.
Go Deeper
Study Ezekiel in Covenant Path
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