Ezekiel 21:14
New International Version
“So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together. Let the sword strike twice, even three times. It is a sword for slaughter— a sword for great slaughter, closing in on them from every side.

New Living Translation
“Son of man, prophesy to them and clap your hands. Then take the sword and brandish it twice, even three times, to symbolize the great massacre, the great massacre facing them on every side.

English Standard Version
“As for you, son of man, prophesy. Clap your hands and let the sword come down twice, yes, three times, the sword for those to be slain. It is the sword for the great slaughter, which surrounds them,

Berean Standard Bible
‘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!

King James Bible
Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy chambers.

New King James Version
“You therefore, son of man, prophesy, And strike your hands together. The third time let the sword do double damage. It is the sword that slays, The sword that slays the great men, That enters their private chambers.

New American Standard Bible
“You therefore, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them,

NASB 1995
“You therefore, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them,

NASB 1977
“You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and clap your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them,

Legacy Standard Bible
“You therefore, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them,

Amplified Bible
“Therefore, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time [in intensity], the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great slaughter which surrounds them [so that no one can escape, even by hiding in their inner rooms],

Christian Standard Bible
“So you, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands together: Let the sword strike two times, even three. It is a sword for massacre, a sword for great massacre — it surrounds them!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands together. Let the sword strike two times, even three. It is a sword for massacre, a sword for great massacre— it surrounds them!

American Standard Version
Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thy hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the deadly wounded: it is the sword of the great one that is deadly wounded, which entereth into their chambers.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But you, son of man, prophesy and clap hands, hand on hand, and sword shall be doubled with sword, it is a third of the slain and the sword of the slain, for great is he who shakes them!

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thou, son of man, prophesy, and clap thine hands, and take a second sword: the third sword is the sword of the slain, the great sword of the slain: and thou shalt strike them with amazement, lest the heart should faint

Contemporary English Version
Ezekiel, warn my people, then celebrate my victory by clapping your hands. My vicious sword will attack again and again, killing my people with every stroke.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Thou therefore, O son of man, prophesy, and strike thy hands together, and let the sword be doubled, and let the sword of the slain be tripled: this is the sword of a great slaughter, that maketh them stand amazed,

English Revised Version
Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the deadly wounded: it is the sword of the great one that is deadly wounded, which entereth into their chambers.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So prophesy, son of man. Clap your hands! Let the sword strike again and again. It's the sword for killing. It's the sword for killing many people. It's the sword that surrounds them.

Good News Translation
"Now, mortal man, prophesy. Clap your hands, and the sword will strike again and again. It is a sword that kills, a sword that terrifies and slaughters.

International Standard Version
"Now, Son of Man, prophesy as you strike your hands together. Let the sword that fatally wounds be doubled and tripled. That great, slaughtering sword closes in on them. I've set in place a slaughtering sword at the entrance to all their gates,

JPS Tanakh 1917
Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thy hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of those to be slain; it is the sword of the great one that is to be slain, which compasseth them about.

Literal Standard Version
And you, son of man, prophesy, | And strike hand on hand, | And the sword is bent a third time, | The sword of the wounded! It [is] the sword of the wounded—the great one, | That is entering the inner chamber to them.

Majority Standard Bible
‘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!

New American Bible
As for you, son of man, prophesy, and clap your hands! Let the sword strike twice, a third time. It is a sword of slaughter, A sword for slaughtering, whirling around them all,

NET Bible
"And you, son of man, prophesy, and clap your hands together. Let the sword strike twice, even three times! It is a sword for slaughter, a sword for the great slaughter surrounding them.

New Revised Standard Version
And you, mortal, prophesy; strike hand to hand. Let the sword fall twice, thrice; it is a sword for killing. A sword for great slaughter— it surrounds them;

New Heart English Bible
"You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and strike your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the deadly wounded: it is the sword of the great one who is deadly wounded, which enters into their rooms.

Webster's Bible Translation
Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thy hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their private chambers.

World English Bible
“You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and strike your hands together. Let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the fatally wounded. It is the sword of the great one who is fatally wounded, which enters into their rooms.

Young's Literal Translation
And thou, son of man, prophesy, And smite hand on hand, And bent is the sword a third time, The sword of the wounded! It is the sword of the wounded -- the great one, That is entering the inner chamber to them.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The LORD's Sword of Judgment
13Surely 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! 15So 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.…

Cross References
Leviticus 26:21
If you walk in hostility toward Me and refuse to obey Me, I will multiply your plagues seven times, according to your sins.

Leviticus 26:24
then I will act with hostility toward you, and I will strike you sevenfold for your sins.

2 Kings 24:1
During Jehoiakim's reign, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded. So Jehoiakim became his vassal for three years, until he turned and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar.

2 Kings 24:10
At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched up to Jerusalem, and the city came under siege.

2 Kings 25:1
So in the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army. They encamped outside the city and built a siege wall all around it.

Ezekiel 21:13
Surely testing will come! And what if even the scepter, which the sword despises, does not continue?' declares the Lord GOD.


Treasury of Scripture

You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite your hands together. and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which enters into their privy chambers.

smite

Ezekiel 21:17
I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest: I the LORD have said it.

Ezekiel 6:11
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.

Numbers 24:10
And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.

hands together [heb] hand to hand

Leviticus 26:21,24
And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins…

2 Kings 24:1,10-16
In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him…

2 Kings 25:1
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about.

entereth

Ezekiel 8:12
Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.

1 Kings 20:30
But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.

1 Kings 22:25
And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

Jump to Previous
Chambers Deadly Doubled Entereth Enters Great Hands Private Privy Prophesy Slain Smite Strike Sword Third Time Together Twice Wounded
Jump to Next
Chambers Deadly Doubled Entereth Enters Great Hands Private Privy Prophesy Slain Smite Strike Sword Third Time Together Twice Wounded
Ezekiel 21
1. Ezekiel prophesies against Jerusalem with a sign of sighing
8. The sharp and bright sword
18. against Jerusalem
25. against the kingdom
28. and against the Ammonites














(14) Smite thine hands together.--A gesture of strong emotion (see Ezekiel 21:17, Ezekiel 22:13, and comp. Note on Ezekiel 6:11; Numbers 24:10).

Let the sword be doubled the third time.--The exact translation is here also obscure and difficult, but the meaning is plain that the activity of the sword is to be intensified to the utmost.

The sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain.--Literally, the sword of the overthrown (plural), it is the sword of the overthrown (sing.), of the great one. The word translated slain does not necessarily mean actually killed, but is used in a moral as well as physical sense; and in Ezekiel 20:16; Ezekiel 20:21; Ezekiel 20:24, as often, the verb from which this adjective is formed is translated polluted. The sword is called "the sword of the overthrown" because it is the means of their overthrow, and "the sword of the great one overthrown," with especial reference to the king. . . .

Verse 14. - Smite thine hands together, etc. Another gesture follows, either of horror and lamentation, or perhaps, looking to ver. 17, of imperative command. The sword is to do its thrice-redoubled work (the words emphasize generally the intensity, and are scarcely to be taken numerically, of the repeated invasions of the Chaldeans); it is "the sword of the slain" (better, pierced ones, or, with Revised Version, the deadly wounded). The next clause should be taken, with the Revised Version, in the singular - the sword of the great one that is deadly wounded; sc. the sword should smite the king as well as the people. For entereth into their privy chambers, read, with the Revised Version (margin), Ewald, and Keil, it compasseth them about.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So then,
וְאַתָּ֣ה (wə·’at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

son
בֶן־ (ḇen-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of man,
אָדָ֔ם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

prophesy
הִנָּבֵ֕א (hin·nā·ḇê)
Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 5012: To prophesy, speak, by inspiration

and strike
וְהַ֖ךְ (wə·haḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 5221: To strike

your hands together.
כַּ֣ף (kap̄)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 3709: Hollow or flat of the hand, palm, sole (of the foot), a pan

Let the sword
חֶ֤רֶב (ḥe·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

strike two times,
וְתִכָּפֵ֞ל (wə·ṯik·kā·p̄êl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 3717: To fold together, to repeat

even three.
שְׁלִישִׁ֙תָה֙ (šə·lî·ši·ṯāh)
Number - ordinal feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 7992: Third, feminine a, third, a third, a third-story cell)

It
הִ֗יא (hî)
Pronoun - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

is a sword
חֶ֣רֶב (ḥe·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

[that] slays,
חֲלָלִ֔ים (ḥă·lā·lîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2491: Pierced, polluted

a sword
חֶ֚רֶב (ḥe·reḇ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

that slays
חָלָ֣ל (ḥā·lāl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2491: Pierced, polluted

the great—
הַגָּד֔וֹל (hag·gā·ḏō·wl)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

it surrounds them!
הַחֹדֶ֖רֶת (ha·ḥō·ḏe·reṯ)
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 2314: To inclose, to beset


Links
Ezekiel 21:14 NIV
Ezekiel 21:14 NLT
Ezekiel 21:14 ESV
Ezekiel 21:14 NASB
Ezekiel 21:14 KJV

Ezekiel 21:14 BibleApps.com
Ezekiel 21:14 Biblia Paralela
Ezekiel 21:14 Chinese Bible
Ezekiel 21:14 French Bible
Ezekiel 21:14 Catholic Bible

OT Prophets: Ezekiel 21:14 You therefore son of man prophesy (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 21:13
Top of Page
Top of Page