Ezekiel 21:14

“Thou, therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together, &c.] As being in the greatest agony for what is coming upon thy people: or “strike hand to hand”f307; clap them together, as encouraging the enemy with his drawn, sharp, and glittering sword, to make use of it, and do execution with it: and let the sword be doubled the third time; some think this has reference to the three captivities of Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and Zedekiah: others to the threefold calamity in Zedekiah’s time; the first, the taking of him; the second, the taking of the city; the third, the carrying captive the residue along with Gedaliah: or to the three times the Chaldeans came against Jerusalem, after this…”

“smite . . . hands together-- (Num 24:10), indicative of the indignant fury with which God will "smite" the people. sword . . . doubled the third time--referring to the threefold calamity:--(1) The taking of Zedekiah (to whom the "rod," or scepter, may refer); (2) the taking of the city; (3) the removal of all those who remained with Gedaliah. "Doubled" means "multiplied" or "repeated." The stroke shall be doubled and even trebled. of the slain--that is, by which many are slain. As the Hebrew is singular, FAIRBAIRN makes it refer to the king, "the sword of the great one that is slain," or "pierced through." entereth . . . privy chambers-- (Jer 9:21). The sword shall overtake them, not merely…”

“The second word of judgment: the glittering and destroying sword. The passage may be called the “Lay of the Sword;” it is written in the form of Hebrew poetry, with its characteristic parallelism. Ezekiel 21:10 It contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree - The rod is the scepter of dominion, assigned to Judah Genesis 49:10. The destroying sword of Babylon despises the scepter of Judah; it despises every tree. Others render the verse, “Shall we make mirth” (saying), “the rod of my son,” (the rod which corrects my people) “contemneth” (treats with scorn, utterly confounds) “every tree” (every other nation); or, the scepter of my people “contemneth” (proudly despises) every other nation.…”

“And smite - In token of amazement and sorrow. Of the slain - Wherewith many shall be slain. Privy chambers - Where they were hidden in hope to escape. Ezekiel 21:15”

“21:14-17 As the representative of the Lord, Ezekiel was to clap his hands in a threatening gesture and take the sword and brandish it . . . three times to represent the completeness of the coming massacre. There would be nowhere to run and nowhere to hide from the slashing sword of judgment when the Lord was ready to satisfy his fury by destroying his people. Their hearts would melt with terror at the awful massacre.”

“smite: Eze 21:17, Eze 6:11; Num 24:10 hands together: Heb. hand to hand let the: Lev 26:21, Lev 26:24; Kg2 24:1, Kg2 24:10-16, Kg2 25:1-7; Dan 3:19 entereth: Eze 8:12; Kg1 20:30, Kg1 22:25; Amo 9:2 Ezekiel 21:15”