“Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ Say: ‘A sword, a sword is sharpened And also polished!
Parallel translations
- WEB “Son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘Yahweh says: “A sword! A sword! It is sharpened, and also polished.
- KJV Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:
- BSB “Son of man, prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord says: ‘A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished—
- NASB “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says:’ Say, ‘A sword, a sword sharpened And also polished!
- NLT “Son of man, give the people this message from the Lord: “A sword, a sword is being sharpened and polished.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Ezekiel is to proclaim that a sword is sharpened and polished, ready for its terrible work. The repeated cry dramatizes the readiness of God's judgment.
Overview
The doubled exclamation 'A sword! A sword!' conveys urgency and dread as the instrument of judgment is prepared. Being sharpened and polished, it is fully fit for slaughter, leaving no doubt of its deadly purpose. This vivid poetry forces the complacent people to reckon with the imminence and severity of God's wrath.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Ezek 21:28“You, son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh concerning the children of Ammon, and concerning their reproach: “A sword! A sword is drawn! It is polished for the slaughter, to cause it to devour, that it may be as lightning;
- Isa 34:5–6For my sword has drunk its fill in the sky. Behold, it will come down on Edom, and on the people of my curse, for judgment.
- Ezek 21:3Tell the land of Israel, ‘Yahweh says: “Behold, I am against you, and will draw my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.
- Jer 15:2It shall happen, when they tell you, ‘Where shall we go out?’ Then you shall tell them, ‘Yahweh says: “Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.”’
- Ezek 21:15I have set the threatening sword against all their gates, that their heart may melt, and their stumblings be multiplied. Ah! It is made as lightning. It is pointed for slaughter.
- Jer 12:12Destroyers have come on all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Yahweh devours from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land. No flesh has peace.
- Isa 27:1In that day, Yahweh with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan, the fleeing serpent, and leviathan the twisted serpent; and he will kill the dragon that is in the sea.
- Ps 7:11–13God is a righteous judge, yes, a God who has indignation every day.
- Isa 66:16For Yahweh will execute judgment by fire and by his sword on all flesh; and those slain by Yahweh will be many.
- Job 20:25He draws it out, and it comes out of his body. Yes, the glittering point comes out of his liver. Terrors are on him.
- Amos 9:4Though they go into captivity before their enemies, there I will command the sword, and it will kill them. I will set my eyes on them for evil, and not for good.
- Deut 32:41–42if I sharpen my glittering sword, my hand grasps it in judgment; I will take vengeance on my adversaries, and will repay those who hate me.
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 21:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.