Ezekiel 21:16

16 "Show yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your edge is appointed.

Ezekiel 21:16 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 21:16

Go thee one way or another
Go to some one place: or "unite thyself" F1; to other swords, or join other soldiers holding swords; the address is to the sword, to steer its course some one way, and slay as it goes along, sparing none: either on the right, or on the left; or south, or north;
so the Targum,

``unsheathe, and slay on the south, and destroy on the north:''
whithersoever thy face is set;
or prepared, as the Targum, or appointed for destruction; this is the usual interpretation: but why may not the words be an apostrophe to the prophet, to go alone or single, either to the right or left, south or north, as his face was set, ( Ezekiel 21:2 ) , sighing and crying, smiting his hands together, in order to affect the minds of the people with the sense of their calamities coming upon them?
FOOTNOTES:

F1 (ydxath) "unito Montanus", Piscator, Polanus; "unitor te", Starckius; "in unum dirigitor", Cocceius.

Ezekiel 21:16 In-Context

14 "You therefore, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands together ; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them,
15 that their hearts may melt, and many fall at all their gates. I have given the glittering sword. Ah! It is made for striking like lightning, it is wrapped up in readiness for slaughter.
16 "Show yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your edge is appointed.
17 "I will also clap My hands together , and I will appease My wrath; I, the LORD , have spoken."
18 The word of the LORD came to me saying,

Footnotes 2

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