Ezekiel 21:12

Judgment

¹⁰ it 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.

¹¹ The sword is appointed to be polished, to be grasped in the hand. It is sharpened and polished, to be placed in the hand of the slayer.

Cry out and wail, O son of man, for the sword is wielded against My people; it is against all the princes of Israel! They are tossed to the sword with My people; therefore strike your thigh.

¹³ Surely testing will come! And what if even the scepter, which the sword despises, does not continue?’ declares the Lord GOD.

¹⁴ ‘So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together. Let the sword strike two times, even three. It is a sword that slays, a sword of great slaughter closing in on every side!

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Cry out and wail, O son of man, for the sword is wielded against My people; it is against all the princes of Israel! They are tossed to the sword with My people; therefore strike your thigh.
KJV: 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.
WEB: Cry and wail, son of man; for it is on my people. It is on all the princes of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with my people. Therefore beat your thigh.
ASV: Cry and wail, son of man; for it is upon my people, it is upon all the princes of Israel: they are delivered over to the sword with my people; smite therefore upon thy thigh.
DARBY: Cry and howl, son of man; for it shall be against my people, it shall be against all the princes of Israel: they are given up to the sword along with my people: smite therefore upon the thigh.
BLB: Cry and wail, O son of man! For it shall be upon my people; it [is] against all the princes of Israel! They are cast to the sword they will be upon My people! Therefore strike upon [your] thigh.

ÅB: Skrik og hyl, menneskesønn! For det kommer over mitt folk, det kommer over alle Israels fyrster; de blir overgitt til sverdet sammen med mitt folk. Derfor slå deg på lenden!
OTB: Rop ut og klag, menneskesønn, for det er mot mitt folk; det er mot alle Israels fyrster. De er overgitt til sverdet med mitt folk. Derfor, slå ditt lår.
B1930: Skrik og hyl, menneskesønn! For det kommer over mitt folk, det kommer over alle Israels fyrster; de blir overgitt til sverdet sammen med mitt folk. Derfor slå dig på lenden!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Ezekiel 21:6
But you, son of man, groan! Groan before their eyes with a broken heart and bitter grief.
Read in context
Joel 1:13
Put on sackcloth and lament, O priests; wail, O ministers of the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, O ministers of my God, because the grain and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God.
Read in context
Jeremiah 25:34
Wail, you shepherds, and cry out; roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock. For the days of your slaughter have come; you will fall and be shattered like fine pottery.
Read in context
Ezekiel 6:11
This is what the Lord GOD says: Clap your hands, stomp your feet, and cry out “Alas!” because of all the wicked abominations of the house of Israel, who will fall by sword and famine and plague.
Read in context
Jeremiah 31:12
They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will be radiant over the bounty of the LORD— the grain, new wine, and oil, and the young of the flocks and herds. Their life will be like a well-watered garden, and never again will they languish.
Read in context
Ezekiel 9:8
While they were killing, I was left alone. And I fell facedown and cried out, “Oh, Lord GOD, when You pour out Your wrath on Jerusalem, will You destroy the entire remnant of Israel?”
Read in context
Ezekiel 21:14
‘So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together. Let the sword strike two times, even three. It is a sword that slays, a sword of great slaughter closing in on every side!
Read in context
Jeremiah 31:19
After I returned, I repented; and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’
Read in context