Ezekiel 21:12

12 Son of man, cry thou, and yell, for this sword is made in my people, this in all the dukes of Israel; they that fled be given to sword with my people. Therefore smite thou on thine hip, (Son of man, cry thou, and yell, for this sword is sent upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes, or all the leaders, of Israel; they who fled be given to the sword along with my people. And so strike thou upon thy hip,)

Ezekiel 21:12 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 21:12

Cry, howl, son of man
Not only sigh, but cry; and not cry only, but howl; signifying hereby that this would be the case of the Jews when these calamities should come upon them; and, in order to affect them with them before hand, the prophet is ordered to act such a part, as well as to express his sympathy with them: for it shall be upon my people;
that is, the sword, or the calamity signified by it; this should be not upon other nations, but upon the Lord's own people; such who professed themselves to be his people, and whom he had distinguished from all others; this is said, to affect the prophet the more, they being both the Lord's people, and his also: and it shall be upon all the princes of Israel;
who were slain in Riblah by the king of Babylon, ( Jeremiah 52:10 ) , the sword spared neither people nor princes. Terrors, by reason of the sword, shall be upon my people;
upon the rumour of the invasion, and when besieged in the city, and when attempting to make their escape by flight: or "my people are fallen by the sword" ^F21, as some: smite therefore upon thy thigh;
as one grieved in spirit, in great distress and anguish; see ( Jeremiah 31:19 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 So R. Sol Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 59. 1.

Ezekiel 21:12 In-Context

10 it is made sharp to slay sacrifices; it is made bright, (so) that it shine. Thou that movest the sceptre of my son, hast cut down each tree.

11 And I gave it to be furbished, that it be holden with hand; this sword is made sharp, and this is made bright (and it is made bright), that it be in the hand of the slayer.

12 Son of man, cry thou, and yell, for this sword is made in my people, this in all the dukes of Israel; they that fled be given to sword with my people. Therefore smite thou on thine hip, (Son of man, cry thou, and yell, for this sword is sent upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes, or all the leaders, of Israel; they who fled be given to the sword along with my people. And so strike thou upon thy hip,)

13 for it is proved; and this when it hath destroyed the sceptre, and it shall not be, saith the Lord God.

14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy thou, and smite thou hand to hand (and strike thou one hand to the other, that is, clap thy hands), and the sword be doubled, and the sword of the slayers be trebled; this is the sword of great slaying, that shall make them astonied, and to fail in heart, and multiplieth fallings.