Ezekiel 21:30

Translation
King James Version
Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Shall I cause it to return H7725 into his sheath H8593? I will judge H8199 thee in the place H4725 where thou wast created H1254, in the land H776 of thy nativity H4351.
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Complete Jewish Bible
Cause it to return to its scabbard! I will judge you in the place where you were created, in the land of your origin.
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Berean Standard Bible
Return the sword to its sheath! In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you.
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American Standard Version
Cause it to return into its sheath. In the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy birth, will I judge thee.
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World English Bible Messianic
Cause it to return into its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your birth, will I judge you.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Shall I cause it to returne into his sheath? I will iudge thee in the place where thou wast created, euen in the land of thine habitation.
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Young's Literal Translation
Turn it back unto its scabbard, In the place where thou wast produced, In the land of thy birth I do judge thee.
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See also
Jeremiah 47:6Jeremiah 47:7Ezekiel 16:38Genesis 15:14Ezekiel 21:4Ezekiel 21:5Ezekiel 16:3
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In the KJVVerse 20,975 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 21:30 delivers a profound and unyielding declaration of God's impending judgment upon Judah and Jerusalem. Through a powerful rhetorical question, the Lord emphasizes that His instrument of wrath, the "sword" of divine judgment, will not be sheathed until its devastating purpose is fully accomplished, signifying the irreversible and certain nature of the coming calamity. The subsequent pronouncement, "I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity," underscores the profound irony and righteous justice of God's judgment being executed precisely in the heartland of Israel, the very site of their miraculous national birth and the covenant relationship that they had so grievously violated.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel 21 is a dramatic prophetic oracle often referred to as the "Song of the Sword," where the "sword" serves as a vivid and terrifying metaphor for God's divine judgment and the impending Babylonian invasion. Leading up to verse 30, the Lord, speaking through Ezekiel, meticulously details the sharpening, polishing, and readiness of this sword, emphasizing its unstoppable nature and the comprehensive devastation it is poised to inflict upon the land and its inhabitants, including the princes of Israel. The preceding verses vividly portray the sword's path, its readiness for slaughter, and the terror it will unleash, making it unequivocally clear that this is not a mere threat but a divinely orchestrated and certain catastrophe. While Ezekiel 21:28 briefly addresses judgment against Ammon, verse 30 sharply refocuses the oracle's intense gaze back onto Judah, underscoring the direct and personal nature of their impending doom.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: This prophecy is delivered during the tumultuous period of the Babylonian exile, roughly between 593-571 BC, a time of profound national crisis for the kingdom of Judah. Jerusalem, the revered capital city and the spiritual epicenter of the nation, was under siege and would ultimately fall in 586 BC. The poignant phrase "land of thy nativity" carries immense historical and cultural weight for the Israelites. It directly references Israel's foundational origins as a chosen nation, formed by God's sovereign hand in the land of Canaan. It powerfully evokes the sacred covenant established at Sinai and the unique, intimate relationship God had with His people, who were, in a spiritual and national sense, "born" in that land through His divine election, miraculous deliverance, and providential provision. For God's severe judgment to occur in this very sacred and foundational place signifies a profound breach of covenant and a full circle of accountability, where the site of their spiritual birthright becomes the very stage for their severe discipline and chastisement.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching theological and narrative themes prevalent throughout Ezekiel and the broader prophetic literature. Firstly, it highlights Unstoppable Divine Judgment, reiterating God's unwavering resolve to execute perfect justice against persistent rebellion and covenant unfaithfulness. The rhetorical question concerning the sword not returning to its sheath powerfully underscores the certainty, finality, and inevitability of God's wrath, a dominant theme woven throughout Ezekiel's prophecies. Secondly, it emphasizes Judgment in the Place of Sin, illustrating the principle that consequences are often faced precisely where the transgression occurred. Jerusalem, the very heart of Israel's covenant life and tragically, also the epicenter of their idolatry, moral corruption, and spiritual apostasy, becomes the poignant stage for their punishment, a striking and just irony. This principle of accountability for sin in its originating context is also powerfully articulated in other prophetic warnings, such as those found throughout Jeremiah 25. Lastly, the verse profoundly underscores God's Sovereignty and Justice, affirming His absolute control over the course of human history and His impeccably righteous character. He is not a passive or distant observer but an active, righteous judge who orchestrates necessary consequences for sin, even employing foreign powers like Babylon as instruments of His divine will, a truth clearly articulated in Habakkuk 1:6.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • return (Hebrew, shûwb', H7725): A primitive root meaning "to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively." In this context, it signifies the cessation, reversal, or withdrawal of an action. The rhetorical question, "Shall I cause it to return into his sheath?" emphatically implies that the divine judgment, once unleashed, will not be recalled, halted, or mitigated until its full purpose is achieved, thereby accentuating its unstoppable and irreversible nature.
  • judge (Hebrew, shâphaṭ', H8199): A primitive root meaning "to judge, i.e., pronounce sentence (for or against); by implication, to vindicate or punish; by extension, to govern." Here, it unequivocally denotes God's sovereign act of pronouncing and executing a punitive sentence against Judah. This is not merely a legal pronouncement but an active, decisive, and sovereign intervention to bring about the just consequences for sin, powerfully demonstrating God's role as the ultimate, righteous arbiter of justice for His people.
  • created (Hebrew, bârâʼ', H1254): A primitive root meaning "(absolutely) to create; (qualified) to cut down (a wood), select, feed (as formative processes)." In this specific and deeply significant context, "where thou wast created" refers metaphorically to Israel's formation and establishment as a distinct nation by God's own hand, particularly within the promised land of Canaan. It speaks directly to their divine origin, miraculous election, and covenant relationship, profoundly highlighting the tragic irony that the very place of their miraculous birth and gracious covenant would become the scene of their severe judgment due to their persistent unfaithfulness.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Shall I cause [it] to return into his sheath?": This is a powerful and loaded rhetorical question, designed to elicit a resounding "No" in the listener's mind. The "it" implicitly refers to the "sword" of divine judgment, which has been the dominant and terrifying metaphor throughout the preceding verses of the chapter. The "sheath" is its scabbard, the place where a sword is put away, signifying the end of its use or the cessation of hostilities. Thus, the question emphatically declares that God's judgment, once drawn and unleashed, will not be withdrawn, halted, or mitigated until its destructive purpose against Judah is fully and completely accomplished. It conveys the absolute certainty, inevitability, and finality of the impending doom.
  • "I will judge thee": This is a direct, unequivocal, and declarative statement of God's sovereign intent. The "I" is Yahweh, the covenant Lord of Israel, asserting His personal authority and active role, and "thee" refers specifically to Judah/Jerusalem, the primary recipient of this severe judgment. This clause underscores God's personal involvement and active commitment to bringing about this severe discipline, emphasizing His righteous character as the ultimate and just judge over His people's profound unfaithfulness and rebellion.
  • "in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity.": This concluding phrase adds a layer of profound irony, poignant justice, and deep theological significance to the judgment. Both "the place where thou wast created" and "the land of thy nativity" refer to the sacred land of Israel, specifically the territory of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem. This was the very land where God chose Abraham, miraculously formed Israel into a distinct nation, established His covenant with them, and continually manifested His presence and provision. For judgment to fall precisely in this sacred, foundational, and divinely blessed place highlights the depth of Israel's apostasy and the perfectly just nature of God's response, bringing the consequences of their persistent sin full circle to the very heart of their national identity, spiritual origin, and covenant relationship.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 21:30 masterfully employs several potent literary devices to convey its stark and unyielding message of divine judgment. The most prominent is the Rhetorical Question, "Shall I cause [it] to return into his sheath?", which functions not to solicit an answer but to powerfully emphasize the absolute certainty, irreversibility, and unyielding nature of God's impending judgment. This technique dramatically underscores the divine resolve and the utter futility of any hope for a reprieve. Metaphor is central to the entire chapter, with the "sword" serving as a vivid and terrifying representation of God's instrument of judgment, implying sharpness, swiftness, and destructive power. In this specific verse, the image of the sword remaining unsheathed powerfully reinforces the ongoing, relentless, and unceasing nature of the judgment. Furthermore, there is profound Irony embedded in the declaration "I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity." The very land that was the hallowed site of God's gracious election, miraculous covenant formation, and the "birth" of His chosen people, tragically becomes the very stage for their severe punishment. This highlights the devastating consequences of covenant unfaithfulness and the full, righteous circle of divine accountability.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 21:30 stands as a powerful and sobering testament to God's unwavering commitment to justice and His absolute sovereignty over all nations and their destinies. It profoundly underscores the theological principle that persistent sin, particularly covenant unfaithfulness and rebellion against divine revelation, inevitably incurs divine judgment. This judgment is never arbitrary but is meted out with perfect righteousness, often bringing consequences to the very sphere where the sin was committed, highlighting a divine principle of proportional justice. The verse also starkly highlights the inherent tension between God's gracious election of Israel as His chosen people and His righteous demand for their obedient faithfulness, demonstrating unequivocally that even His chosen people are not exempt from accountability for their rebellion. It serves as a stark and timeless reminder that God's patience, though vast, has limits, and that His word, once declared, will be fulfilled with absolute certainty.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 21:30 offers timeless and profoundly sobering truths for contemporary reflection and spiritual application. It powerfully reminds us that God is not a passive or distant deity but is actively and righteously involved in the affairs of humanity, and His justice is not a mere abstract concept but a dynamic, active force in the world. For individuals, communities, and nations today, this verse serves as a profound warning that persistent rebellion against God's revealed will and the neglect of His gracious covenant relationship carry inevitable and often severe consequences. It challenges us to deeply consider our own "place of nativity" – our spiritual origins, the abundant blessings we have received, and the specific contexts in which we have encountered and received God's grace – and to honestly examine whether our actions and our lives are consistent with the covenant relationship we claim to have with Him. It calls for genuine, heartfelt repentance and a decisive turning back to God, recognizing that His judgments, though severe and often painful, are always righteous, just, and ultimately aimed at upholding His holiness and drawing His people back into faithful relationship with Himself. The certainty of divine judgment should not lead to despair, but rather to a healthy, reverential fear of the Lord that motivates humble obedience, sincere devotion, and a deeper, more profound appreciation for His boundless mercy and grace.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what specific areas of my life or within our community might we be inadvertently taking God's grace or His blessings for granted, echoing ancient Israel's complacency regarding their "land of nativity"?
  • How does the certainty of God's righteous judgment, as vividly depicted in this verse, shape my understanding of His immutable character and my personal motivation for living a life of humble obedience?
  • What concrete, specific actions can I commit to taking today to align my life more fully with God's revealed will, acknowledging that consequences for disobedience are real and ultimately inevitable?

FAQ

What does the "sword" symbolize in Ezekiel 21?

Answer: In Ezekiel 21, the "sword" is a powerful, pervasive, and terrifying symbol for God's divine judgment and destructive power. It represents the primary instrument through which God will execute His righteous wrath and bring about the impending Babylonian invasion, which will lead to the devastating destruction of Jerusalem and Judah. The vivid imagery of a sharpened, polished, and unsheathed sword emphasizes the absolute certainty, swiftness, and severity of the judgment, indicating that it is ready for immediate and decisive action, as powerfully depicted throughout Ezekiel 21.

Why is it significant that judgment occurs "in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity"?

Answer: This phrase carries profound theological and deeply ironic significance. "The place where thou wast created" and "the land of thy nativity" both refer to the sacred land of Israel, specifically the territory of Judah and its capital, Jerusalem. This was the very place where God miraculously "created" Israel as a distinct nation, establishing His covenant with them, providing for them, and continually manifesting His glorious presence among them. For judgment to occur precisely in this foundational, sacred, and divinely blessed land highlights the profound depth of Israel's unfaithfulness and their grievous covenant breach. It powerfully underscores the divine principle of accountability, where the consequences of sin are experienced precisely in the context of one's greatest blessings and spiritual origins, thereby emphasizing the perfect justice of God's response to their persistent rebellion. It serves as a stark reminder that spiritual privilege does not exempt one from judgment if accompanied by persistent disobedience, a theme powerfully echoed in Amos 3:2.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Ezekiel 21:30 speaks of a specific, historical judgment upon ancient Israel, its profound theological undercurrents find their ultimate and perfect Christ-centered fulfillment. The "sword" of God's judgment, which the Lord declared would not return to its sheath until its devastating purpose was accomplished, ultimately points to the ultimate judgment against sin that was perfectly and decisively executed at the cross of Calvary. On the cross, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, bore the full, unspeakable weight of divine wrath that humanity justly deserved. He became sin for us, enduring the unsheathed sword of God's holy justice so that all who believe might be spared from its eternal consequences. Furthermore, the declaration "I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity" prophetically foreshadows Christ's own profound experience. Though He was utterly without sin, Jesus, the Son of Man who came to serve and give his life as a ransom, was "judged" and crucified in the very land of His "nativity" and the spiritual heartland of Israel, Jerusalem. His suffering and death in that specific, covenantally significant place highlights the culmination of God's redemptive plan and the profound, tragic irony that the very Savior was rejected and executed by those He came to save. Ultimately, through His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, Christ offers a "new creation" (as powerfully declared in 2 Corinthians 5:17), a spiritual rebirth that transcends physical nativity, providing the only true escape from the judgment that the old creation faced, and establishing Him as the righteous judge of all humanity (as unequivocally declared in John 5:22).

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Commentary on Ezekiel 21 verses 28–32

The prediction of the destruction of the Ammonites, which was effected by Nebuchadnezzar about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem, seems to come in here upon occasion of the king of Babylon's diverting his design against Rabbath, when he turned it upon Jerusalem. Upon this the Ammonites grew very insolent, and triumphed over Jerusalem; but the prophet must let them know that forbearance is no acquittance; the reprieve is not a pardon; their day also is at hand; their turn comes next, and it will be but a poor satisfaction to them that they are to be devoured last, to be last executed.

I. The sin of the Ammonites is here intimated; it is their reproach, Eze 21:28. 1. The reproach they put upon themselves when they hearkened to their false prophets (for such it seems there were among them as well as among the Jews), who pretended to foretel their perpetual safety in the midst of the desolations that were made of the countries round about them: "They see vanity unto thee and divine a lie, Eze 21:29. They flatter thee with promises of peace, and thou art such a fool as to suffer thyself to be imposed upon by them and to encourage them therein by giving credit to them." Note, Those that feed themselves with a self-conceit in the day of their prosperity prepare matter for a self-reproach in the day of their calamity. 2. The reproach they put upon the Israel of God, when they triumphed in their afflictions, and thereby added affliction to them, which was very barbarous and inhuman. Their divines, by puffing them up with a conceit that they were a better people than Israel, being spared when they were cut off, and with a confidence that their prosperity should always continue, made them so very haughty and insolent that they did even tread on the necks of the Israelites that were slain, slain by the wicked Chaldeans, who had commission to execute God's judgments upon them when their iniquity had an end, that is, when the measure of it was full. We shall meet with this again, Eze 25:3, etc. Note, Those are ripening apace for misery who trample upon the people of God in their distress, whereas they ought to tremble when judgment begins at the house of God.

II. The utter destruction of the Ammonites is threatened. For the reproach cast on the church by her neighbours will be returned into their own bosom, Psa 79:12. Let us see how terrible the threatening is and the destruction will be. 1. It shall come from the wrath of God, who resents the indignities and injuries done to his people as done to himself (Eze 21:31): I will pour out my indignation as a shower of fire and brimstone upon thee. The least drop of divine indignation and wrath will create tribulation and anguish enough to the soul of man that does evil; what then would a full stream of that indignation and wrath do? "I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath; that is, I will blow up the fire of my wrath against thee; it shall burn with the utmost vehemence." Thou shalt be for fuel to this fire, Eze 21:32. Note, Wicked men make themselves fuel to the fire of God's wrath; they are consumed by it, and it is inflamed by them. 2. It shall be effected by the sword of war; to them he must cry, as before to Israel, because they had triumphed in Israel's overthrow: The sword, the sword is drawn (Eze 21:28, compare Eze 21:9, Eze 21:10); it is drawn to consume because of the glittering, because it is brandished and glitters, and is fit to be made use of. God's executions will answer his preparations. This sword, when it is drawn, shall not return into its sheath (Eze 21:30) till it has done the work for which it was drawn. When the sword is drawn it does not return till God causes it to return, and he is in one mind and who can turn him? Who can change his purpose? 3. The persons employed in it are brutish men, and skilful to destroy. Men of such a bad character as this, who have the wit of men to do the work of wild beasts - human reason, which makes them skilful, but no human compassion, which makes them skilful only to destroy - though they are the scandal of mankind, yet sometimes are made use of to serve God's purposes. God delivers the Ammonites into the hands of such, and justly, for they themselves were brutish, and delighted in the destruction of God's Israel. We have reason to pray, as Paul desired to be prayed for, that we may be delivered from wicked and unreasonable men (Th2 3:2), men that seem made for doing mischief. 4. The place where they should thus be reckoned with: "I will judge thee where thou wast created, where thou wast first formed into a people, and where thou hast been settled ever since, and therefore where thou seemest to have taken root; the land of thy nativity shall be the land of thy destruction." Note, God can bring ruin upon us even where we are most secure, and turn us out of that land which we thought we had a title to not to be disputed and a possession of not to be disturbed. Thy blood shall be shed not only in thy borders, but in the midst of thy land. Lastly, I shall be an irreparable ruin: "Though thou mayest think to recover thyself, it is in vain to think of it; thou shalt be no more remembered with any respect," Psa 9:6. Justly is their name blotted out who would have Israel's name for ever lost.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 28–32. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 35, 36, and following) And I will bring you into a desert of peoples, and there I will judge you face to face. Just as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, says the Lord. And I will subject you to my scepter, and I will bring you into the bonds of the covenant, and I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked: from their place of residence I will bring them out, and they will not enter the land of Israel, and you will know that I am the Lord. Thus says the Lord: I will do for you who are in Babylon, and now serve idols, what I did for your ancestors in Egypt. I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face, just as I contended with them in judgment when they came out of Egypt. And after I have judged you, I will subject you to my scepter and rule, and I will make a covenant with you and bring you into your land with the bonds of love, so that bound by my love, you will never be able to depart from me. But I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked, who persist in the hardness of their hearts in evil deeds, not for possession, but for rejection. And I will indeed bring them out of the land of their dwelling, so that when they are brought out, they will not enter the land of Israel; but they will perish in various regions. And by the distinction between good and evil, you shall know that I am the Lord, who judges all things. The rest of the discourse hastens, and we briefly go through each point, in order to provide only the meaning to the readers.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Ver. 23, 24 onwards) Again, I raised my hand against them in the wilderness, to scatter them among the nations and disperse them in the lands, because they had not performed my judgments, and had rejected my commandments, and had violated my Sabbaths, and their eyes had been after the idols (or thoughts) of their fathers. Therefore, I also gave them statutes that were not good, and judgments in which they would not live, and I defiled them in their offerings (or transgressions), as they offered (or led astray) everything that opens the womb because of their sins (for which the Septuagint translated, to destroy them and what they had overlooked): and they will know that I am the Lord. Where in the Old Testament, against their children, who fell in the wilderness, the Lord lifted up His hand to scatter them among the nations, Scripture does not say; but it is to be believed that this was done in accordance with what is reported here. Or he signifies by this, that after they entered the promised land, they were given over at various times, for many sins, to different nations and kings, and at that time the commandments of the Lord, which were good according to their nature, and the judgments by which believers could live, were made not good for them, since they were in no way able to keep the precepts of the law in captivity, and to do what the divine word commanded. He did not say, 'I gave them evil commandments,' but, 'not good commandments.' For it does not immediately follow that what is not good is evil, as the Apostle teaches, it is good for a man not to touch a woman; but because of incontinence, let each possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor (I Cor. VII). And if he does not do this, it is neither good nor evil. Therefore, God gave them, dispersed among the nations, not good commandments, that is, he allowed them to follow their own thoughts and desires, to do what is not appropriate. And he defiled them in his gifts: just as a Priest separates lepers from the people, and shows that they are defiled; while they offer to idols what they should offer to God. And they pass everything that opens the womb through the fire of Baal, that is, the firstborn; so that after they have deserted God and been handed over to the worship of idols, then they may understand that He is the Lord whom they have provoked to anger by their own fault. Symmachus interpreted this passage more explicitly, treating the future as past. Therefore, I will also give them bad precepts and judgments for which they will not live, and I will defile them because of their gifts, as they consecrate and offer everything that opens the womb, so that I may destroy them, and they will know that I am the Lord. And the meaning is this: because I have seen the sons of the fathers equaling the wickedness of their ancestors and doing the same things for which they offended God, I wanted to divide them into nations and disperse them throughout the whole world, and give them bad precepts and judgments in which they would not live, so that I may defile them with their gifts, for they consecrated everything that opens the womb to idols, and I may destroy them forever, and they will know that I am the Lord. Through which he showed that he had not given them good commandments who dwelt in the wilderness, but to those whom he wanted to scatter among the nations, and to make foreigners in the whole world, he gave them a desire for things that he did not give: so that there they would do good commandments of God, not good because of their own fault, while they exhibited to idols what God had commanded to be exhibited. This can also be said, that before the offense, they received only the Ten Commandments; but after idolatry and blasphemy, they received multiple ceremonies of the law, so that they would offer victims to God rather than to demons, and by comparison with sacrilege, what was not good in itself became lighter, and by no means evil, because it was offered to God, and yet not good, because they offended the author of good.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 27, 29 onwards) Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them: Thus says the Lord God: Moreover, your fathers have blasphemed against me and have treated me with contempt, even as they spurned me. And I brought them into the land that I had lifted my hand to give them ((Vulgate adds: that land)): they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices and presented there the irritation of their offerings, and they placed there the fragrance of their sweetness, and they poured out their ((Vulgate is silent on this)) libations there. And I said to them, 'What is the high place to which you are going?' And its name was called the High Place until this day. Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: As for your fathers, they have provoked Me to anger by their iniquities, by the fact that they have fallen away from Me. So I brought them into the land that I had lifted My hand in an oath to give them.' They saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices. They also presented there the provocation of their gifts, and they set there their pleasing aroma, and they poured out there their drink offerings. And I said to them: What is abbana, because you enter there? And they called its name abbana until this day. I wanted, he said, to scatter them in the wilderness, and to give them not good precepts, so that they would sacrifice to idols what they should have offered to me, and consecrate all their first-fruits to them by fire, so that I might kill them and destroy them. But when he says, I wanted, he shows that he did not do what he wanted. And that which follows: 'And they shall know that I am the Lord,' is not found in the Septuagint. For it did not seem fitting to them to know after their destruction that he himself is the Lord. But you, son of man, speak again to them, that is, to the elders of the house of Israel, who have come to inquire of you: Your fathers, from whom you have descended, have also blasphemed against me and held me in contempt; after I brought them into the land which I had given them to possess, they turned against me to provoke me. For when they saw every high hill and leafy tree, they would sacrifice on the mountains and in the groves and thickets, and offer victims to the idols, and pour out libations. And when I saw this, I said to them: What is this, Bama? for it is called high: or why do you enter into such a place which you have chosen for yourselves in all the hills, so that even today these places are called Bamoth, and the ancient error retains its original name? Regarding Bama, which we translate as excelsum, there is an error in the Septuagint edition, where it is written as ἀββανὰ, which does not resonate in the Hebrew language. Bama can mean 'in which' if the two syllables are divided into two words, but in the present context, that sense does not fit. However, wherever it is written in the Books of Kings and Chronicles: 'The people still sacrificed and offered incense on the high places,' Bama in the singular and Bamoth in the plural mean 'high places.'
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 28 and following) And you, son of man, prophesy and say: Thus says the Lord God to the sons of Ammon and to their disgrace. And you shall say: Sword, sword, draw yourself out for slaughter: hone yourself to kill and to shine. Although they seem vain to you and their divinations are lies, so that you may be given over to the necks of the wicked wounded, whose appointed day has come in the time of iniquity. Return to your sheath, in the place where you were created: in the land of your birth I will judge you. And I will pour out my indignation upon you; I will blow upon you the fire of my wrath, and I will deliver you into the hands of brutish men, skillful to destroy. You shall be fuel for the fire; your blood shall be in the midst of the land; you shall be forgotten, for I the Lord have spoken.” The sword of the king of Babylon has been at the head of the two roads, in the fork of the two ways, to use divination. He has shaken the arrows; he has consulted the household gods; he has looked at the liver. When it is conquered and captured, it is predicted that both his kingdom and priesthood shall perish forever. The rest belonged to the sons of Ammon, and the order of division itself demanded what had happened on the left path. Therefore, the prophet is commanded to speak to the sons of Ammon, and to their reproach, that they themselves are to be captured, and he directs the same sword speech to them: Oh sword, sword, which is ready for slaughter, which is sharpened, so that you may shine and kill: although idols may have responded to you, and everything that is answered by demons is empty, so that you may threaten the necks of the wounded, and fulfill what the Lord had threatened long ago; nevertheless, after completing your work, which you have done against the sons of Ammon, return to your sheath, that is, to Babylon, to the place where you were made and created: so that in the land of your birth I may judge you, and I will pour out my indignation upon you, and you shall be captured by the power of the Medes and Persians. What is said more fully in the book of Isaiah, in a vision against Babylon: Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them. And a little later: And Babylon, that glorious one among kingdoms, renowned for its pride among the Chaldeans, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, it shall never be inhabited until the end (Isa. XIII, 17 et seqq.). And because once he was speaking in the person of the sword about the king, or rather the kingdom of Babylon, it retains the metaphor. In the fire, he says, of my wrath I will blow upon you; to make you be consumed by fire and delivered into the hands of ignorant and foolish men, who do not have the skill to forge swords and sharpen them; so that you may no longer be sharpened, polished, and shine for killing; but be the food of fire, and let your blood, which you have shed before all who watch, overflow within you; and be consigned to eternal oblivion, and perish forever, for I the Lord have spoken, and what I have spoken, I have done.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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