211 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 Son of man, let your face be turned to Jerusalem, let your words be dropped in the direction of her holy place, and be a prophet against the land of Israel; 3 And say to the land of Israel, These are the words of the Lord: See, I am against you, and I will take my sword out of its cover, cutting off from you the upright and the evil. 4 Because I am going to have the upright and the evil cut off from you, for this cause my sword will go out from its cover against all flesh from the south to the north: 5 And all flesh will see that I the Lord have taken my sword out of its cover: and it will never go back. 6 Make sounds of grief, son of man; with body bent and a bitter heart make sounds of grief before their eyes. 7 And when they say to you, Why are you making sounds of grief? then say, Because of the news, for it is coming: and every heart will become soft, and all hands will be feeble, and every spirit will be burning low, and all knees will be turned to water: see, it is coming and it will be done, says the Lord.
8 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 Son of man, say as a prophet, These are the words of the Lord: Say, A sword, a sword which has been made sharp and polished: 10 It has been made sharp to give death; it is polished so that it may be like a thunder-flame: ... 11 And I have given it to the polisher so that it may be taken in the hand: he has made the sword sharp, he has had it polished, to put it into the hand of him who gives death. 12 Give loud cries and make sounds of grief, O son of man: for it has come on my people, it has come on all the rulers of Israel: fear of the sword has come on my people: for this cause give signs of grief. 13 ... 14 So then, son of man, be a prophet, and put your hands together with a loud sound, and give two blows with the sword, and even three; it is the sword of those who are wounded, even the sword of the wounded; the great sword which goes round about them. 15 In order that hearts may become soft, and the number of those who are falling may be increased, I have sent death by the sword against all their doors: you are made like a flame, you are polished for death. 16 Be pointed to the right, to the left, wherever your edge is ordered. 17 And I will put my hands together with a loud sound, and I will let my wrath have rest: I the Lord have said it.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ezekiel 21:1-17
Commentary on Ezekiel 21:1-17
(Read Ezekiel 21:1-17)
Here is an explanation of the parable in the last chapter. It is declared that the Lord was about to cut off Jerusalem and the whole land, that all might know it was his decree against a wicked and rebellious people. It behoves those who denounce the awful wrath of God against sinners, to show that they do not desire the woful day. The example of Christ teaches us to lament over those whose ruin we declare. Whatever instruments God uses in executing his judgments, he will strengthen them according to the service they are employed in. The sword glitters to the terror of those against whom it is drawn. It is a sword to others, a rod to the people of the Lord. God is in earnest in pronouncing this sentence, and the prophet must show himself in earnest in publishing it.