Ezekiel 21:28
Now prophesy, son of man, and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says concerning the Ammonites and their contempt: ‘A sword! A sword is drawn for slaughter, polished to consume, to flash like lightning—
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The Lord GOD commands Ezekiel, addressed as "son of man," to prophesy a declaration of judgment concerning the Ammonites and their contempt.
The words — הִנָּבֵא (hi.na.Ve') means "prophesy," and אֲדֹנָי ('a.do.Nai) means "[the] Lord," grounding the command in divine authority.
The thread — The "sword, sword" declaration recurs in Ezekiel 21:9, the campaign against Rabbah and Judah is outlined in Ezekiel 21:20, and God's hearing of Ammon's reproach is recorded in Zephaniah 2:8.
Why it lands — The text states that a drawn and polished sword will execute slaughter on the Ammonites, requiring the reader to acknowledge that divine judgment targets contempt and precedes the arrival of the rightful judge.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And thou, son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; even say thou, The sword, the sword is drawn: for the slaughter it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering:
Cross-references
- Ezekiel 21:9 “Son of man, prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord says: ‘A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished—
- Ezekiel 21:20 Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and another against Judah into fortified Jerusalem.
- Zephaniah 2:8 “I have heard the reproach of Moab and the insults of the Ammonites, who have taunted My people and threatened their borders.
- Jeremiah 12:12 Over all the barren heights in the wilderness the destroyers have come, for the sword of the LORD devours from one end of the earth to the other. No flesh has peace.
- Jeremiah 49:1 Concerning the Ammonites, this is what the LORD says: “Has Israel no sons? Is he without heir? Why then has Milcom taken possession of Gad? Why have his people settled in their cities?
- Ezekiel 25:2 “Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites and prophesy against them.
- Amos 1:13 This is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of the Ammonites, even four, I will not revoke My judgment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their territory.