Ezekiel 21:3-5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 21:1-7

The prophet had faithfully delivered the message he was entrusted with, in the close of the foregoing chapter, in the terms wherein he received it, not daring to add his own comment upon it; but, when he complained that the people found fault with him for speaking parables, the word of the Lord came to him again, and gave him a key to that figurative discourse, that with it he might let the people into the meaning of it and so silence that objection. For all men shall be rendered inexcusable... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 21:3

And say to the land of Israel ,.... The inhabitants of it, signified by the "forest of the south field", Ezekiel 20:47 , thus saith the Lord, behold, I am against thee ; and sad it is to have the Lord against a people, a nation, a city, or a family, or a particular person; for there is no contending with him, or standing before him; there is always a reason for it, it is for sin when God is against a people, even his own professing people: and will draw forth my sword out of his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 21:4

Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked ,.... Some by the sword, some by famine, some by pestilence, and others by captivity; and, upon the whole, none spared, but the land left desolate: therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh, from the south to the north ; the Chaldean army shall go out of their own land against all the inhabitants of Judea, from Beersheba to Dan; this explains what is meant by all faces being burnt from the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 21:5

That all flesh may know that I the Lord have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath ,.... The same with kindling a fire in Judea; see Gill on Ezekiel 20:48 , it shall not return any more ; that is, into its sheath, until it has done all its work; meaning that the Chaldean army should not return to their own land until they had executed the whole will of God upon the Jews; this is the fire that should not be quenched, Ezekiel 20:48 and here ends the explanation of the said prophecy. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 21:3

Behold, I am against thee - Dismal news! When God is against us, who can be for us? And will draw forth my sword - War. And will cut off from thee - The land of Judea. The righteous and the wicked - All shall be removed from thee. Some shall be cut off - removed by the sword; shall be slain in battle, or by the pestilence; and some shall be cut off - die by the famine; and some shall be cut off - removed from the land by captivity. Now, among the two latter classes there might be... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 21:4

From the south to the north - The whole land shall be ravaged from one end to the other. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 21:5

It shall not return any more - That is, till all the work that I have designed for it is done. Nor did it; for Nebuchadnezzar never rested till he had subdued all the lands from the south to the north, from the Euphrates to the Nile. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 21:1-17

Irresistible slaughter. The subject matter of this prophecy is substantially the same as the foregoing. The parable is now put into plainest language. There is an advantage in using the parable method. It awakens attention. It leads men to examine and reflect. There is an excitement in discovering a riddle. Yet God will speak also to men in language plain enough tot the simplest understanding. No lost man is able to cast any blame on our God. We have "line upon line, precept upon precept."... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 21:2-3

The opening words, reproducing those of Ezekiel 20:46 , indicate that the interpretation of that parable is coming. So the three variants of "south" are shown to mean respectively Jerusalem, the holy places, and the land of Israel. So, in Ezekiel 20:3 , the righteous and the wicked take the place of the "green" and the "dry" tree, and the fire is explained as meaning the sword of the invader. The teaching of Ezekiel 18:1-32 , had shown that Ezekiel had entered, as regards the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 21:3-5

Undiscriminating infliction. It is a pathetic spectacle, this of the prophet, in his exile away in the northeast, turning by Divine command his gaze, sorrowful and sympathizing, towards Jerusalem, the holy places, the land of Israel. The present is sad enough, but Ezekiel has to bear the oppressive anticipation of the future. He hears the assurance of the God whom his countrymen have offended by their infidelity that worse calamity, even disaster, and death are about to befall the remnant... read more

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