Ezekiel 21:15

Eze 21:15 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.

Ver. 15. Ah! it is made bright.] By this doleful exclamation the prophet venteth himself tanquam coram deformitatem cladis cerneret, {a} as if he had seen the execution.

{a} Oecolamp.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

point--"the whirling glance of the sword" [FAIRBAIRN]. "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. GESENIUS, translates, "sharpened," &c.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 15. Wrapped up] It is not a blunt sword, it is carefully sharpened and preserved for the slaughter.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(15) The point.—The Hebrew word occurs only here. The marginal rendering comes nearer its sense, but the exact meaning is the glance or the whirl of the sword. The glancing or the whirling motion of the sword was to be everywhere, “against all their gates.”

Their ruins be multiplied.—Literally, their stumbling blocks be multiplied. The thought is that in the coming desolation trouble shall be on every side and, in their perplexity, occasions for ill-advised action shall arise all around. “Bright” means “glittering.” (Comp. Deu_32:41; Job_20:25; Nah_3:3.)

It is wrapped.—The margin has sharpened, but the exact sense is drawn, “drawn out for the slaughter.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. the point of the sword] Or, the glitter, lit. whirl or swing. Others by changing a letter would read “slaughter,” which Frd. Del. (Baer, Ezek.) by comparison of Assyr. considers the word to mean as it stands.

ruins be multiplied] Or, stumbling-blocks, Jer_6:21. Or, by a slight change in pointing: those overthrown may be multiplied; Jer_18:23; cf. Jer_46:16.

wrapt up] sharpened, as marg.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I will also smite my hands together,.... As well as the prophet was bid to do, Eze 21:14, either expressing a concern for the calamity of the people, or indignation at their sins: or rather as encouraging their enemies to make use of the sword pointed at them, and, as it were, rejoicing at their destruction for the honour of his justice. The Targum is,

"and even I will bring vengeance upon vengeance:''

and I will cause my fury to rest; when the sword has done its business, and just vengeance is taken, the fury of the Lord shall cease; it shall proceed no further, it shall be kept within due bounds, and no more or further rage:

I the Lord have said it; who is omnipotent, and can do all things, and will do everything that he has said, whether in a way of promise or threatening.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Ready. Literally, "covered," (amicti. Haydock) in the scabbard, and quite new and sharp.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The Lord hath gathered them together round about Jerusalem, with their swords sharpened and drawn at every gate to slay whosoever attempt to come out, or to slay all they meet with when they take the city.

All their gates; both of meaner cities, of their palaces, and private houses.

That their heart may faint; as what heart can be thought able to retain its courage, when beset with death by an enemy’s sword, which killeth all that come out, and entereth to kill all that stay within?

Multiplied; for number made many, for nature made very great.

Made bright; prepared, brightened, and sharpened.

Wrapped up; and hath been carefully kept in the scabbard, that it might keep its edge, and not be blunted.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

15. Point — The word has been supposed to mean “threatening,” “terror,” “shouting,” “waving.”

Glitter — It literally means whirl. “Almost exactly the same word in Assyrian means slaughter.” — W.A.I., 2:23, 9.

Their ruins be multiplied — Rather, there be many to stumble over (Jer_6:21), or, by a slight change, those overthrown may be multiplied.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For their ruins shall be multiplied, read, with the Revised Version, that their stumblings; and for wrapped up, pointed, or sharpened.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

All their gates - Both of cities, of palaces, and of private houses. Wrapt up - And hath been carefully kept in the scabbard, that it might not be blunted.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Connecting Statement:

Yahweh continues to describe the sword of Yahweh which is a metaphor for the enemy army that Yahweh will use to attack Jerusalem. (See: Metaphor)

to melt their hearts

This speaks of causing the people to be so terrified that it is as if their hearts were melting. AT: "to fill them with terror" or "to cause them to be terrified" (See: Metaphor)

to multiply their fallen

Here "fallen" refers to the people killed in battle. This means there will be a greater number of people killed. AT: "to kill many people among them" (See: Metonymy)

set the sword for slaughter

Here the sword of Yahweh represents men with swords that are to attack Jerusalem. Also, the word "slaughter" can be expressed as a verb. AT: "placed soldiers armed with swords at their gates, ready to slaughter the people" (See: Metaphor and Abstract Nouns)

their gates

The word "their" refers to the people of Jerusalem.

It is made like lightning

This compares how the sword is well polished and how it reflects light to appear like lightning. AT: "My sword is polished and flashes like lightning" or "It is polished and reflects light as being like lightning" (See: Simile)

it is grasped for slaughter

The sword of Yahweh represents the men with swords that are to attack Jerusalem. AT: "released to slaughter the people" (See: Metaphor)

You, sword! Strike to the right! ... Go wherever your face is turned. For

Here Yahweh speaks to those who will attack his people as if they could hear him and as if they were a sword that they would use in the attack. He does this to emphasize that he is in control of what is happening during the attack. The phrase "wherever your face is turned" is an idiom for "wherever you desire to go." AT: "I tell those attacking with swords, 'Strike to the right! ... Attack in every direction.' For" (See: Apostrophe and Metonymy and Idiom)

hit my two hands together

"clap my hands." Here clapping hands is a sign of triumph. AT: "clap my hands in triumph" (See: Symbolic Action)

translationWords

heart

slaughter

gate

woe

Yahweh

declare

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

that it may glitter Heb. בָּרָק, to have a glitter, a shine, flandours, a flash, flashing (as in Deut 32: 41).

Shall we rejoice? This is a rhetorical question. Do we have anything more to be happy about?

The rod for My son disdains every stick The rod with which I strike My son to chastise him is the hardest of all rods, and it disdains the blow of every staff and every stick, for they are like nothing to it.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.