King James Version

What Does Ezekiel 21:3 Mean?

Ezekiel 21:3 in the King James Version says “And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his s...” — study this verse from Ezekiel chapter 21 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.”

Ezekiel 21:3 · KJV

Context

1

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2

Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,

3

And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.

4

Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:

5

That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more.

Read Ezekiel 21 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
"And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked." The terrifying declaration "I am against thee" (hineni elayikh, הִנְנִי אֵלַיִךְ) reverses holy war—God fights against Israel, not for them. The drawn sword represents active judgment, not passive permission. Shockingly, both "righteous and wicked" face the sword—comprehensive judgment spares none. This doesn't contradict selective preservation (9:4) but emphasizes judgment's comprehensive scope affecting all residents.

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Historical & Cultural Context

When Babylon conquered Jerusalem, both righteous and wicked experienced the siege, violence, and exile. Daniel, Ezekiel, and other faithful Jews suffered exile alongside idolaters. However, the righteous experienced judgment as discipline leading to restoration, while the wicked faced it as deserved punishment leading to destruction. The same event served different divine purposes for different people—purifying the righteous, punishing the wicked.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does God being 'against' His people illustrate the reversal of covenant protection through disobedience?
  2. What does both righteous and wicked facing the sword teach about judgment's comprehensive scope?
  3. In what ways does the same trial serve different purposes (discipline vs. punishment) for different people?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 15 words
אָמַ֣ר1 of 15

“And say”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

לְאַדְמַ֣ת2 of 15

“to the land”

H127

soil (from its general redness)

יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל3 of 15

“of Israel”

H3478

he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity

כֹּ֚ה4 of 15
H3541

properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now

אָמַ֣ר5 of 15

“And say”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוָ֔ה6 of 15

“the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

הִנְנִ֣י7 of 15
H2005

lo!; also (as expressing surprise) if

אֵלַ֔יִךְ8 of 15
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

וְהוֹצֵאתִ֥י9 of 15

“Behold I am against thee and will draw forth”

H3318

to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim

חַרְבִּ֖י10 of 15

“my sword”

H2719

drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement

מִתַּעְרָ֑הּ11 of 15

“out of his sheath”

H8593

a knife or razor (as making bare); also a scabbard (as being bare, i.e., empty)

וְהִכְרַתִּ֥י12 of 15

“and will cut off”

H3772

to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e., make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutt

מִמֵּ֖ךְ13 of 15
H4480

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses

צַדִּ֥יק14 of 15

“from thee the righteous”

H6662

just

וְרָשָֽׁע׃15 of 15

“and the wicked”

H7563

morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Ezekiel. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Ezekiel 21:3 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Ezekiel 21:3 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezekiel 5:8Job 9:22Jeremiah 21:13Ezekiel 21:19Ezekiel 21:9-11Nahum 3:5

Test Your Knowledge

Ezekiel 21 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterEzekiel Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

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