Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezekiel 21:9
Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:
Eze 21:9-11
Should we then make mirth?
Mirth unreasonable in the unconverted
I. Because they are under condemnation. The sword is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter. Should we then make mirth? It is unreasonable in a condemned malefactor to make mirth. Would it not greatly shock every feeling mind to see a company of men condemned to die, meeting and making merry, talking lightly and jestingly, as if the sword was not over them?
II. Because Gods instruments of destruction are all ready. Not only are Christless persons condemned already, but the instruments of their destruction are prepared and quite ready, The sword of vengeance is sharpened and also furbished. The, disease by which every unconverted man is to die is quite ready–it is perhaps in his veins at this very moment. The accident by which he is to drop into eternity is quite ready–all the parts and means of it are arranged. The arrow that is to strike him is on the string–perhaps it has left the string, and is even now flying towards him.
III. Because the sword may come down at any one moment. Not only are Christless persons condemned already, and not only is the sword of vengeance quite ready, but the sword may come down at any one moment. It is not so with malefactors: their day is fixed and told them, so that they can count their time. If they have many days, they make merry today at least, and begin to be serious tomorrow. But not so Christless persons: their day is fixed, but it is not told them. It may be this very moment. Ah! should they then make mirth?
IV. Because God has made no promise to Christless souls to stay His hand one moment. God has laid Himself under no manner of obligation to you. He has nowhere promised that you shall see tomorrow, or that you shall hear another sermon. There is a day near at hand when you shall not see tomorrow.
V. It is a sore slaughter.
1. Sore, because it will be on all who are Christless.
2. Sore slaughter, because the sword is the sword of God. (R. MCheyne.)
Untimely mirth
Lightfoot says: I have heard it more than once and again, from the sheriffs who took all the gunpowder plotters and brought them up to London, that every night when they came to their lodging by the way, they had their music and dancing a good part of the night. One would think it strange that men in their case should be so merry. More marvellous still is it that those between whom and death there is but a step should sport away their time as if they should live on for ages. Though the place of torment is within a short march of all unregenerate men, yet see how they make mirth, grinning and jesting between the jaws of hell! (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
As if he pointed to it, crying out as one that suddenly seeth some dreadful sight. A mighty sword, or many; so the ingemination may imply the forces of Nebuchadnezzar and his confederates.
Sharpened; prepared to wound, slay, and that with greater speed and sureness.
Furbished; to terrify the weaker courage, to dazzle the eyes of such as encounter it: in a word, the danger is as near as if an army come up in array, and their swords in their bends ready to go on and fight.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. swordnamely, of God (De32:41). The Chaldeans are His instrument.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Son of man, prophesy and say, thus saith the Lord,…. Deliver out the following prophecy in the name of the Lord:
say, a sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished; it is not only drawn out of its sheath, as before, but is made sharp and bright, and ready for use. It is repeated, either to show the certainty of it, or to express the terror and anguish of mind on account of it; persons in distress generally repeating that which is the occasion of it. The Targum interprets it of two swords, the sword of the Babylonians, and the sword of the Ammonites; first the one was to be used, and then the other: this latter, Jarchi and Kimchi observe, was fulfilled by Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slaying Gedaliah, sent for that purpose by Baalis king of the Ammonites, Jer 40:14, but if two distinct swords are meant, I should rather think the sword of the Chaldeans, and the sword of the Romans, are intended. Cocceius, before observed, interprets it only of the latter; but Abendana both of the sword of the king of Babylon, and of the sword of the Romans.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Eze 21:9 Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:
Ver. 9 A sword, a sword is sharpened. ] a Not only drawn, but sharpened, that it may wound swiftly and deadly; furbished also, that it may the more affray and make the quicker despatch. And that no doubt may be made of it, the ward sword is doubled.
a Exacutus et extersus, sharp and clean.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the LORD = Jehovah. App-4. Some codices, with three early printed editions (one Rabbinic in margin), read Adonai. App-4.
A sword, a sword. Figure of speech Epizeuxis (App-6), for emphasis = a great or sharp sword.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
A sword: Eze 21:3, Eze 21:15, Eze 21:28, Deu 32:41, Deu 32:42, Job 20:25, Isa 66:16, Jer 12:12, Jer 15:2, Amo 9:4
sharpened: Psa 7:11-13, Isa 27:1, Isa 34:5, Isa 34:6
Reciprocal: Psa 7:12 – he will Isa 5:28 – arrows Jer 29:16 – General Jer 46:4 – furbish Eze 14:17 – I bring Eze 33:2 – When I bring the sword upon a land Zec 13:7 – O sword Mat 24:6 – ye shall hear
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Eze 21:9-10. Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened The sword was unsheathed in the foregoing verses; here it is fitted to do execution, which the prophet is commanded to lament. 1. It is sharpened, that it may cut, and wound, and make sore slaughter. The wrath of God will put an edge upon it; and whatever instruments he shall be pleased to use in executing his judgments, he will fill them with strength, courage, and fury, according to the service they are employed in. 2. It is furbished, that it may glitter, to the terror of those against whom it is drawn. It shall be a kind of flaming sword. Though the glory of Gods justice may seem to have been eclipsed for a while, (like a sword rusting in the scabbard,) during the day of his patience, and the delay of his judgments; yet it will shine out again, and be made to glitter. 3. It is a victorious sword, nothing shall stand before it. It contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree It makes no distinction between the sceptre and common wood; between the branches of the royal family, descended from David and Solomon, (who were honoured with the title of Gods sons,) and the meanest of the people. This seems to be the meaning of the clause, provided our translation be just; but it is rendered very differently in some other versions. The Vulgate reads, Qui moves sceptrum filii mei, succidisti omne lignum, Thou who removest the sceptre of my son, hast cut down every tree; which Capellus understands of Nebuchadnezzar, who took away the sceptre, and overturned the kingdom. The marginal reading, It is the rod of my son, it despiseth every tree, may be understood in two senses. It may either mean, It is the rod whereby I chastise my son, namely, my people Israel. These, collectively considered, are termed Gods son, Exo 4:22-23; Hos 11:1; as being selected and chosen from all others, to stand to him in the relation of sons and daughters. Or, it may signify, It is the rod of my son, the Messiah, appointed by me to be the judge of the world, and invested with authority to execute judgment. This rod despiseth every tree; for it is the rod of iron, whereby the Son of God breaks the power of his enemies, Psa 2:9, and dashes them in pieces like a potters vessel, without respect of persons.