Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 21:10
It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, [as] every tree.
10. should we then make mirth ] lit., or shall we make mirth? These words with the rest to the end of the verse appear to have little meaning in the connexion. R V. renders the whole: “shall we then make mirth? the rod of my son, it contemneth every tree.” This is a literal rendering, the last words meaning probably that the rod (the sword of Babylon) with which Jehovah now chastises his son (the prince, or, people) contemneth (exceeds in severity) every tree, or, all wood, i.e. all rods of chastisement which are mere wood, for it is glittering steel. Some ingenuity is needed to extract the meaning, which, however, when extracted is difficult to harmonise with Eze 21:13. The words “shall we then make mirth?” still appear meaningless. For “or” or “then” Frd. Del. would find some cohortative particle after the Assyr., ha! let us make mirth! the words being those of God (cf. Eze 21:17), and the following words “contemneth every tree” meaning that in comparison with the rod he now uses all other rods of chastisement are only despicable, and useless for their purpose ( Zeit. f. Keilschritftforschung, ii. 4 p. 385). The text appears to be in disorder, and though many emendations have been proposed none of them is satisfactory. Ges., “glitter, against the prince of the tribe of my son (Judah), which despiseth all wood” prince for “should we rejoice” (nasi’ for nasis), and the idea being expressed that as Judah has hitherto despised all ordinary chastisements with the rod of wood the sword shall now be drawn against the prince. Ew., “no weak rod of my son, the softest of all wood” the words “rod of my son” being a phrase from the mouth of fathers and meaning a gentle rod. Apart from the unnatural constructions and the strong Aramaisms assumed, the sense is feeble and improbable. Smend, “woe O prince! thou hast despised the rod, contemned every tree (all wood)” rod and wood being used of chastening as before. LXX. reads: “ready (= furbished) for paralysing (enfeebling); slay, despise, set at nought every tree”! The imperatives are addressed to the sword. The words “for paralysing” may be a rendering of present Heb. read with Aramean sense; but “for” is read for “or.” It is by no means certain that LXX. found imperatives, because it renders Eze 21:9 also in the imperative. Partly following Sep. Corn., “for men who slay and plunder (lit. men of slaughter and plundering) who despise every stronghold” viz. the Chaldeans, into whose hand the sword of the Lord is to be given. (Cf. Isa 33:8; Hab 1:10.) This really gives a meaning, though it is gained at considerable cost, for some of the words assumed do not occur, the constructions are far from probable, and the changes of the text are serious. Further, in all the passage it is the sword itself that is dwelt upon and those whom it shall slay; those who are to wield it are only alluded to.
Scholars almost unanimously assume that there is ref. in the clause to former chastisement, hence “rod” and “all wood” are read in that sense. But such an idea seems little in place in the connexion; and the word rendered “rod” may mean sceptre or almost ruler (Eze 19:11; Eze 19:14), and “every tree” may be taken of other sceptres. The assumption that “contemneth every tree” (all wood) means: exceeds in severity of punishment every rod, or looks down on every other chastening rod, feeling its own superiority as an instrument of punishment, is a very far-fetched one. It is certainly possible that the word “prince” (princes) lurks in the strange “shall we then rejoice?” (Ges. Sm.). The prince and royal house are alluded to repeatedly in the chapter, e.g. Eze 21:14 ; Eze 21:25-27 ; Eze 21:29. The rendering: “against the prince (princes), the sceptre of my son (that) despiseth all wood” (i.e. other sceptres, or royal powers, Eze 19:11; Eze 19:14), is not very natural. The expression “my son,” whether applied to the king or the people, has something unexpected about it in Ezek., though “my people” is used in the passage also ( Eze 21:12), and an undertone of pity, or at least a deep feeling of the terribleness of the coming calamity, runs through the passage. The words “shall we then make mirth?” can hardly stand in any case, even in this form: “or shall we make mirth (saying), The sceptre of my son contemneth all wood!” i.e. defies every other sceptre or royal power ( La Bible Annotc). Any reference in the passage to Gen 49:9 or 2Sa 7:14 is without probability.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 10. It contemneth the rod of my son] “It,” the sword of Nebuchadnezzar, “contemneth the rod,” despises the power and influence of my son-Israel, the Jewish people: “Out of Egypt have I called MY SON.”
As every tree.] As all the stocks, kindreds, and nations, over which I have already given him commission. Can the rod of Israel be spared, when the trees of Assyria, Egypt, &c., have been cut down?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
To make a sore slaughter; to slay many, and with as little regard as men kill beasts, or to offer whole herds of wicked men in sacrifice to the offended justice of God; much after this style both David, Psa 44:22, and Isa 34:6.
May glitter, and strike a terror into the enemy.
Should we then make mirth? shall we allow ourselves in jollity, in feasts, or dances, or songs? This would be very uncomely.
It contemneth; this great, sharp and glittering sword, appointed to cut off, slights and despiseth all the resistance that can be made against it, and reckons all former chastisements were but as the rod wherewith a son is corrected; but now the sword of an enemy is drawn out, and will cut off all. Or, Nebuchadnezzar despiseth your king, the royal family, and nobles, which are compared to gods, Eze 19:10,11; and would use them as he would every common tree of the wood, as it appears he did, when he put out Zedekiahs eyes, and bound him in chains as a slave.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. to make a soreslaughterliterally, “that killing it may kill.”
glitterliterally,”glitter as the lightning flash”: flashing terror into thefoe.
should we . . . make mirthItis no time for levity when such a calamity is impending (Isa 22:12;Isa 22:13).
it contemneth the rod of myson, c.The sword has no more respect to the trivial “rod”or scepter of Judah (Ge 49:10)than if it were any common “tree.” “Tree” is theimage retained from Eze 20:47explained in Eze 21:2; Eze 21:3.God calls Judah “My son” (compare Exo 4:22;Hos 11:1). FAIRBAIRNarbitrarily translates, “Perchance the scepter of My sonrejoiceth; it (the sword) despiseth every tree.”
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter,…. To cut easily, and wound deeply, and make a slaughter of men, like beasts for sacrifice; a sacrifice to the justice of God for their sins, and so acceptable to him; and it is he indeed that sharpens it, or prepares the instruments of his vengeance, whether Chaldeans, or Romans, or both; and gives them might and courage to execute his will with great keenness of wrath and fury:
it is furbished that it may glitter; and so strike terror on those against whom it is drawn, and for whom it is prepared, as glittering armour does:
should we then make mirth? sing, and dance, and feast, and indulge ourselves in all kind of mirth and jollity, when this is the case, a drawn, sharp, glittering sword hangs over our heads? no, surely! there is good reason for you to lament and sigh, as I do; you ask me the reason of it, this is it; is there not a cause? there is; it is not a season for mirth; but for weeping and lamentation. The words may be rendered, “or let us rejoice” r; that is, if we can, ironically spoken.
It contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree; thus says the Lord God, this sword so sharpened and brightened despises the rod or sceptre (for so the word signifies) of Israel my son, my firstborn, and makes no more of it than a common stick, and cuts it to pieces, and destroys it; signifying hereby the easy destruction of the sceptre and kingdom of Judah by the sword of the Chaldeans or Romans. Some understand it of Christ the Son of God. The words may be rendered, “it is the rod of my son, it despiseth every tree” s; this sword, prepared, is no other than the rod of iron, which the Son of God makes use of to rule his enemies with, and break them in pieces; and no tree, high and low, can stand before it; it cuts down all, and destroys them, be they what they will; see Ps 2:7. Cocceius interprets the former clause, “or we shall make merry” t, of the Father and of the Son, and of their delight and pleasure, while wrath was executed on their enemies.
r “laetemar”, Castalio; “gaudeamus”, Glassius. s “virga est filii me ilia spernit, [vel] quae spermit omne lignum”, Tigurine, version, Piscator, the margin of our Bibles. t “Aut hilarabimur”, Cocceius.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(10) Make mirth.The answer to this question has already been given in Eze. 21:6, and is repeated in Eze. 21:12.
Contemneth the rod of my son.This refers to Gen. 49:9-10, in which Jacob addresses Judah as my son, and foretells that the sceptre shall not depart from him until Shiloh come. There is another allusion to the same passage in Eze. 21:27. Comp, also Eze. 17:22-23. There is, however, serious difficulty as to the construction and meaning of the clause. The ancient versions and many commentators have more or less changed the text without improvement. The original is obscure in its extreme brevity, and allows the rod of my son to be either the object (as it is taken in the text) or the subject (as in the margin). The true sense is probably that which makes the clause into an objection offered by the Jew to the prophets denunciation: But the rod of my son despiseth every tree; i.e., the Divine promise of old to Judah is sure, and his sceptre must remain whatever power arises against it. The objection was in a certain sense true, but the objectors had little idea of the means by which its truth should be established, and vainly imagined that it gave a temporal security to the kingdom of Judah, whatever might be its sins. The prophet does not notice the objection further than to go on with his prediction of the approaching desolation.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree Literally, shall we make mirth, saying, The scepter of my son contemneth all wood? Dr. Kautzsch and Professor Toy give up the text as hopelessly corrupt and without sensible meaning. The last clause may mean possibly either that the scepter of my son (Israel) defies every other scepter, or that his rod (punishment) exceeds all ordinary punishment. Smend emends the text so as to read, “Woe to the prince! thou hast despised the rod, hast contemned all wood.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“Should we then make mirth? The rod of my son it condemns every tree.”
Having revealed the warlike picture God now challenged Israel. In spite of the warnings of Jeremiah and Ezekiel they continued to enjoy life and make mirth, confident in their security as though they had no care in the world. But what was about to happen would make neither them nor God laugh. For God has chosen ‘His son’ (Nebuchadnezzar -compare Cyrus as ‘His anointed’ – Isa 45:1) whose kingly authority (or rod of punishment) has already condemned them all to slaughter (compare here Isa 10:5 – ‘Assyria, the rod of my anger’). For men as ‘trees’ see Eze 20:47.
The depicting of Nebuchadnezzar as ‘His son’ is particularly telling in view of the fact that he was dealing with those He had once called ‘My son, My firstborn’ (Exo 4:22). Now they were displaced (temporarily) by a foreigner. God can use any instrument in His purposes.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Eze 21:10. Should we then make mirth Houbigant reads, That it may cast down the sceptre of my son, sparing no wood: that is, “The sword of Nebuchadnezzar shall overthrow, the power of the king of Judah, and shall neither pity nor spare.” See Eze 21:19, &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Eze 21:10 It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, [as] every tree.
Ver. 10. Should we then make mirth? ] Not if we be in our right minds; for would it not be now a mad mirth, whenas we should be most serious and seek God? See Isa 22:12-14 . See Trapp on “ Isa 22:12 “ See Trapp on “ Isa 22:13 “ See Trapp on “ Isa 22:14 “
It contemneth the rod of my son.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
make a sore slaughter. Figure of speech Polyptbton (App-6), for emphasis. Hebrew to slay a slaughter.
glitter = flash as lightning.
should we then make mirth? or, “should we flourish [the sceptre of My son (i.e. of Judah? “
it, &c. i.e. “Jehovah’s sword despiseth the [wooden] sceptre of My son (i.e. Judah), as [it despiseth] every tree”. The Ellipsis is to be thus supplied.
rod = sceptre.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
it is furbished: Jer 46:4, Nah 3:3, Hab 3:11
should: Est 3:15, Ecc 3:4, Isa 5:12-14, Isa 22:12-14, Amo 6:3-7, Nah 1:10, Luk 21:34, Luk 21:35
it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree: or, it is the rod of my son, it despiseth every tree, Eze 21:25-27, Eze 19:11-14, Eze 20:47, 2Sa 7:14, Psa 2:7-9, Psa 89:26-32, Psa 89:38-45, Psa 110:5, Psa 110:6, Rev 2:27
Reciprocal: Num 17:2 – twelve rods Isa 34:6 – filled Eze 7:10 – the rod Eze 21:13 – contemn Eze 21:15 – it is made Eze 21:28 – The sword Hos 9:1 – Rejoice Zec 13:7 – O sword
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 21:10. By furbishing the sword it would be caused to glitter, thus making an Impressive appearance in the sight of the victims, One use of a rod was as a scepter in ruling, but the scepter in the hands of my son (meaning Zedekiah still on the throne) was to be of no avail when the sword of the Babylonians came against it.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
21:10 It is sharpened to make a grievous slaughter; it is polished that it may {f} glitter: should we then make mirth? it despiseth the {g} rod of my son, {h} [as] every tree.
(f) And so cause fear.
(g) Meaning, the sceptre showing that it will not spare the king, who would be as the son of God, and in his place.
(h) That is, the rest of the people.