Ezequiel 21:9-19

9 Hijo de hombre, profetiza, y di: Así dijo el Señor DIOS: Di: El cuchillo, el cuchillo está afilado, y aun acicalado;

10 para degollar víctimas está afilado, acicalado está para que relumbre. ¿Hemos de alegrarnos? Viene menospreciando a la vara de mi hijo como a todo árbol.

11 Y lo dio a acicalar para tenerlo en la mano; el cuchillo está afilado, y está acicalado, para entregarlo en mano del matador.

12 Clama y aúlla, oh hijo de hombre; porque éste será sobre mi pueblo, será él sobre todos los príncipes de Israel. Temores de cuchillo serán a mi pueblo; por tanto, hiere el muslo;

13 porque él será prueba. Y qué sería si no menospreciase la vara, dijo el Señor DIOS.

14 Tú, pues, hijo de hombre, profetiza y bate una mano con otra, y dóblese el cuchillo la tercera vez, el cuchillo de muertos; éste es cuchillo de gran matanza que los penetrará,

15 Para que el corazón desmaye, y las ruinas se multipliquen; en todas las puertas de ellos he puesto espanto de cuchillo. ¡Ay! Que es hecho para que relumbre, y es aderezado para degollar.

16 Ponte a una parte, ponte a la diestra, o ponte a la siniestra, hacia donde tu rostro se determinare.

17 Y yo también batiré mi mano con mi mano, y haré descansar mi ira. Yo, el SEÑOR, he hablado.

18 Y vino Palabra del SEÑOR a mí, diciendo:

19 Y tú, hijo de hombre, señálate dos caminos por donde venga el cuchillo del rey de Babilonia; de una misma tierra salgan ambos: y pinta un ejército; en el principio del camino de la ciudad lo harás.

Ezequiel 21:9-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 21

This chapter contains an explanation of a prophecy in the latter part of the preceding chapter; and a new one, concerning the sword of the Chaldeans, and the destruction of the Jews and Ammonites by it. The prophecy of the fire in the forest is explained, Eze 21:1-5, upon which the prophet is directed to show his concern at it by sighing, in order to awaken the attention of the people to it, Eze 21:6,7, then follows a prophecy of a very sharp and bright sword, which should do great execution upon the people and princes of Israel; and therefore the prophet, in order to affect them, with it, is bid to howl and cry, and smite on his thigh; and smite his hands together, and the Lord says he would do so; all which is designed to set forth the greatness of the calamity and the distress, Eze 21:8-17, next the prophet is ordered to represent the king of Babylon as at a place where two ways met, and as at a loss which way to take, and as determined by divination to go to Jerusalem first, Eze 21:18-24, and then Zedekiah, the then reigning prince of Israel, has his doom pronounced on him, and he is ordered to be stripped of his regalia; and an intimation is given that there should be no more king over Israel of the house of David until the Messiah came, Eze 21:26,27 and the chapter is concluded with a prophecy of the destruction of the Ammonites in their own land, which should certainly be, though their diviners might, say the contrary, Eze 21:28-31.

above excuse or complaint about speaking in parables; wherefore the prophet is ordered to speak in plainer language to the people. It is very probable that the prophet delivered the prophecy recorded in the latter part of the preceding chapter in the figurative terms in which he received it; and he here is bid to explain it to the people, or to repeat it to them in clearer expressions. 28904-950610-1207-Eze21.2