Ezekiel 21:1-5
The Sword of Judgment
1 (21:6) ▼▼sn Ezek 21:1 in the English Bible is 21:6 in the Hebrew text (BHS). See the note at 20:45.
The Lord’s message came to me: 2“Son of man, turn toward ▼▼tn Heb “set your face toward.”
Jerusalem and speak out against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel 3and say to them, ▼▼tn Heb “the land of Israel.”
‘This is what the Lord says: Look, ▼▼tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) draws attention to something and has been translated here as a verb.
I am against you. ▼▼tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘hinnenî’êlékâ’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.
I will draw my sword ▼ from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. ▼▼sn Ezekiel elsewhere pictures the Lord’s judgment as discriminating between the righteous and the wicked (9:4-6; 18:1-20; see as well Pss 1 and 11) and speaks of the preservation of a remnant (3:21; 6:8; 12:16). Perhaps here he exaggerates for rhetorical effect in an effort to subdue any false optimism. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:25-26; D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:669-70; and W. Zimmerli, Ezekiel (Hermeneia), 1:424-25. The words do not require all the people in each category to be cut off.
4Because I will cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked, my sword will go out from its sheath against everyone ▼▼tn Heb “all flesh” (also in the following verse).
from the south ▼▼tn Heb “Negev.” The Negev is the south country.
to the north. 5Then everyone will know that I am the Lord, who drew my sword from its sheath—it will not be sheathed again!’
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