Ezekiel 21:4

Because I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked, My sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD speaks through Ezekiel to a prophetic figure representing Judah during a period of imminent national collapse. He declares His direct opposition as He prepares to execute violence against the land.

The words — The Hebrew הִכְרַ֥תִּי (hikh.Ra.ti) translates literally as "I have cut off," while תֵּצֵ֨א (te.Tze') means "it will go forth," together describing the sword's deployment. These terms frame the judgment as an irreversible divine action rather than a human threat.

The thread — This pattern of inescapable divine violence against the land appears in Ezekiel 7:2 and Ezekiel 6:11, where the end arrives upon the four corners and abominations trigger judgment. The same prophetic voice later confirms the sword will not return in Ezekiel 21:5.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition that divine judgment operates beyond human merit, extending from south to north without exception. It requires the reader to acknowledge the absolute sovereignty of God's word over national fate.

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

יַ֛עַןYa.'anbecause אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-that הִכְרַ֥תִּיhikh.Ra.tiI have cut off מִמֵּ֖ךְmi.Me/khfrom/ you צַדִּ֣יקtza.Dik[the] righteous וְרָשָׁ֑עve./ra.Sha'and/ [the] wicked לָ֠כֵןLa./khen<to>/ therefore תֵּצֵ֨אte.Tze'it will go forth חַרְבִּ֧יchar.B/isword/ my מִתַּעְרָ֛הּmi./ta'.Ra/hfrom/ sheath/ its אֶל־'el-against כָּל־kol-all בָּשָׂ֖רba.Sarflesh מִנֶּ֥גֶבmi./Ne.gevfrom/ [the] south צָפֽוֹן׃tza.Fon[the] north

King James Version

Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:

Cross-references

Ezekiel 20:47 Say 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 your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and by it every face from south to north will be scorched.
Ezekiel 7:2 “O son of man, this is what the Lord GOD says to the land of Israel: ‘The end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land.
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.