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Ezekiel 21:5

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Ezekiel 21:5 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “and all flesh shall know that I, Jehovah, have drawn forth my sword out of its sheath; it shall not return any more.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

and all flesh shall know that I, Jehovah, have drawn forth my sword out of its sheath; it shall not return any more.
Ezekiel 21:5 — American Standard Version

Context — Ezekiel 21

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
2Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop [thy word] toward the sanctuaries, and prophesy against the land of Israel;
3and say to the land of Israel, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.
4Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:
5and all flesh shall know that I, Jehovah, have drawn forth my sword out of its sheath; it shall not return any more.
6Sigh therefore, thou son of man; with the breaking of thy loins and with bitterness shalt thou sigh before their eyes.
7And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt say, Because of the tidings, for it cometh; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and it shall be done, saith the Lord Jehovah.
8And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
← Ezekiel 21:4Ezekiel 21:6 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“That all flesh may know that I the Lord have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath, &c.] The same with kindling a fire in Judea, (see Gill on “<262048>Ezekiel 20:48”): it shall not return any more; that is, into its sheath, until it has done all its work; meaning that the Chaldean army should not return to their own land until they had executed the whole will of God upon the Jews; this is the fire that should not be quenched, (<262048>Ezekiel 20:48) and here ends the explanation of the said prophecy.”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Shall not return - It shall not return into the scabbard 'till it hath done full execution. Ezekiel 21:6”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“all: Eze 20:48; Num 14:21-23; Deu 29:24-28; Kg1 9:7-9 it shall: Eze 21:30; Sa1 3:12; Isa 45:23, Isa 55:11; Jer 23:20; Nah 1:9 Ezekiel 21:6”
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Related study paths

Read Ezekiel 21 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification