Ezekiel 21:15
in Ezekiel 21So that their hearts may melt and many may stumble, I have appointed at all their gates a sword for slaughter. Yes, it is ready to flash like lightning; it is drawn for slaughter.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
I 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.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Ezekiel 21
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
"The naked (bared) sword" [HENDERSON]. ruins--literally, "stumbling-blocks." Their own houses and walls shall be stumbling-blocks in their way, whether they wish to fight or flee. made bright--made to glitter. wrapped, &c.--namely, in the hand of him who holds the hilt, or in its scabbard, that the edge may not be blunt when it is presently drawn forth to strike.
This site's exposition
the sword be doubled the third time
on Ezekiel 21:14-15
The prophet is now commanded to act the sword himself, smite thine hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time. Gill reads the point of the sword against all their gates as a city's defenses turned into the place where its own ruin multiplies.
This site's exposition
at all their gates
Gates were a city's first defense. Henry observed that the strongest gates give no cover against the sword God sends. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown saw the city's own walls and houses turned into stumbling blocks for those who try to fight or flee.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Vers. 8 et seq.) And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, prophesy and say: Thus says the Lord God, speak: A sword, a sharp sword, has been sharpened and polished, to slaughter victims; it has been sharpened, and polished, to shine: you who move the scepter of my son, you have cut down every tree. And I have given him to be polished, to be held in hand: this sword has been sharpened, and this sword has been polished, to be in the hand of the one who kills.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Note, The strongest gates, though they be gates of brass, ever so well barred, ever so well guarded, are no fence against the point of the sword of God's judgments. But when that is pointed against sinners, 1. They are ready to fear the worst; their hearts faint, so that they are not able to make any resistance.
), it is wrapped up, that it may be kept safe, and clean, and sharp for the slaughter, not as Goliath's sword was wrapped up in a cloth only for a memorial," 1 Sam. xxi. How the sword is directed, and against whom it is sent (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+odd-straight-quotes
I have set the point of the sword against all their gates,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Wrapped up - It is not a blunt sword, it is carefully sharpened and preserved for the slaughter.
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| לְמַ֣עַן׀ | lemaan | so as | H4616 → | 272 times |
| לָמ֣וּג | lamug | to melt | H4127 → | |
| לֵ֗ב | lev | a heart | H3820 → | 595 times |
| וְהַרְבֵּה֙ | veharbeh | and [may be] many | H7235 → | 227 times |
| הַמִּכְשֹׁלִ֔ים | hamikhsholim | the stumblings | H4383 → | 14 times |
| עַ֚ל | ʾal | at | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| שַׁ֣עֲרֵיהֶ֔ם | shaareihem | gates their | H8179 → | 374 times |
| נָתַ֖תִּי | natati | I have set | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אִבְחַת־ | ʾivchat- | a slaughter of | H19 → | |
| חָ֑רֶב | charev | a sword | H2719 → | 413 times |
| אָ֛ח | ʾach | alas! | H253 → | 3 times |
| עֲשׂוּיָ֥ה | ʾasuyah | made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לְבָרָ֖ק | levarak | for lightning | H1300 → | 21 times |
| מְעֻטָּ֥ה | meutah | wrapped | H4593 → | |
| לְטָֽבַח׃ | letavach | for slaughtering | H2874 → | 12 times |
לְמַ֣עַן׀so as
lemaanH4616 →272 times
לָמ֣וּגto melt
lamugH4127 →
לֵ֗בa heart
levH3820 →595 times
וְהַרְבֵּה֙and [may be] many
veharbehH7235 →227 times
הַמִּכְשֹׁלִ֔יםthe stumblings
hamikhsholimH4383 →14 times
עַ֚לat
ʾalH5921 →5755 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
שַׁ֣עֲרֵיהֶ֔םgates their
shaareihemH8179 →374 times
נָתַ֖תִּיI have set
natatiH5414 →2011 times
אִבְחַת־a slaughter of
ʾivchat-H19 →
חָ֑רֶבa sword
charevH2719 →413 times
אָ֛חalas!
ʾachH253 →3 times
עֲשׂוּיָ֥הmade
ʾasuyahH6213 →2628 times
לְבָרָ֖קfor lightning
levarakH1300 →21 times
מְעֻטָּ֥הwrapped
meutahH4593 →
לְטָֽבַח׃for slaughtering
letavachH2874 →12 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ezekiel 20:47Say to the forest of the Negev: Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to ignite in you a fire, and it will devour all…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 21:14
I will punish you as your deeds deserve, declares the LORD. I will kindle a fire in your forest that will consume everything around you.’”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 21:14
Through
Jeremiah 17:27But if you do not listen to Me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying a load while entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an…
it leads to
- 2 Kings 25:9
He burned down the house of the LORD, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem—every significant building.
- Jeremiah 7:20
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, My anger and My fury will be poured out on this place, on man and beast, on the trees of the field and the produce…
- Ezekiel 22:8
You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths.
- Amos 1:14
So I will kindle a fire in the walls of Rabbah to consume its citadels amid war cries on the day of battle and a violent wind on the day of tempest.
- 2 Kings 25:9
Through
Ezekiel 21:7And when they ask, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you are to say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will go limp. Every spirit will faint, and…
it leads to
- Ezekiel 7:17
Every hand will go limp, and every knee will turn to water.
- Nahum 2:10
She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and laid waste! Hearts melt, knees knock, bodies tremble, and every face grows pale!
- Ezekiel 7:17
Through
Ezekiel 21:10it is sharpened for the slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! Should we rejoice in the scepter of My son? The sword despises every such stick.
it leads to
- Psalms 110:5–6
The Lord is at Your right hand; He will crush kings in the day of His wrath.
- Psalms 110:5–6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ezekiel
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.