Ezekiel 21:4

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:

Seeing {H3282} then that I will cut off {H3772} from thee the righteous {H6662} and the wicked {H7563}, therefore shall my sword {H2719} go forth {H3318} out of his sheath {H8593} against all flesh {H1320} from the south {H5045} to the north {H6828}:

Since I am going to rid you of both righteous and evildoers, my sword will also go out of its scabbard against everyone, from the Negev to the north.

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

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

Ezekiel 21:4 is part of a powerful prophetic oracle where God, through the prophet Ezekiel, declares His imminent and severe judgment upon Jerusalem and the land of Israel. This verse highlights the comprehensive and seemingly indiscriminate nature of the coming calamity.

Context of Ezekiel 21:4

Chapter 21 is often referred to as "The Sword of the Lord," an extended metaphor for the devastating Babylonian invasion and subsequent destruction of Judah and Jerusalem. Ezekiel, prophesying from exile in Babylon, communicates God's unwavering resolve to bring judgment upon His people for their persistent idolatry, injustice, and rebellion. The people, especially those remaining in Judah, held onto a false sense of security, believing Jerusalem was inviolable. This prophecy shatters that illusion, emphasizing that divine wrath will spare no one in its immediate physical impact.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Judgment and Sovereignty: The verse powerfully asserts God's direct agency in the impending destruction, stating, "I will cut off" and "my sword shall go forth." This underscores His ultimate control over historical events and His righteous response to sin.
  • Indiscriminate Calamity: The phrase "I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked" is striking. It signifies that the physical consequences of the national judgment (war, famine, exile) would affect everyone within the land, regardless of their individual moral standing. While God always distinguishes between the righteous and the wicked in ultimate spiritual terms (see Malachi 3:18), the immediate temporal suffering of national judgment would be widespread.
  • The Sword of the Lord: The "sword" (Hebrew: cherev) is a potent symbol throughout prophetic literature, representing divine wrath, war, and destruction. Here, it is personified as an instrument of God's justice, unleashed "against all flesh from the south to the north," indicating a total, pervasive judgment across the entire land of Judah.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "cut off," karat, is significant. While it can mean to destroy, it often carries the nuance of being removed or excommunicated, especially from a covenant relationship or from the land. In this context, it emphasizes the severe removal of people from their homeland through death or exile. The phrase "from the south to the north" (Hebrew: mi-darom el-tzafon) literally covers the geographical expanse of Judah, emphasizing the totality and comprehensiveness of the coming invasion and devastation.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 21:4 serves as a stark reminder of the seriousness of sin and God's unwavering commitment to justice. While we live under a new covenant of grace through Jesus Christ, the principle that nations and individuals face consequences for their actions remains relevant. This verse challenges us to:

  • Take Sin Seriously: Understand that unrepentant sin, especially widespread societal sin, invites divine disfavor and potentially severe consequences.
  • Seek Righteousness: While the righteous may suffer temporally alongside the wicked in times of national calamity, their ultimate hope and salvation are secure in God. This should motivate us to pursue holiness and trust in God's ultimate justice, even when circumstances are difficult.
  • Pray for Our Nations: The judgment on Judah highlights the need for repentance and righteousness within communities and nations, urging believers to intercede for their societies.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ezekiel 20:47

    And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

  • Ezekiel 7:2

    Also, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD unto the land of Israel; An end, the end is come upon the four corners of the land.

  • Ezekiel 6:11

    ¶ Thus saith the Lord GOD; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.

  • Ezekiel 6:14

    So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations: and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.

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