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Ezekiel 21:6

Old Testament Major Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Ezekiel 21:6 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Sigh therefore, thou son of man; with the breaking of thy loins and with bitterness shalt thou sigh before their eyes.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Sigh therefore, thou son of man; with the breaking of thy loins and with bitterness shalt thou sigh before their eyes.
Ezekiel 21:6 — American Standard Version

Context — Ezekiel 21

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
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,
9Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith Jehovah: Say, A sword, a sword, it is sharpened, and also furbished;
← Ezekiel 21:5Ezekiel 21:7 →
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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
“Sigh, therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins, &c.] As if thy loins were broke, and go as if they were, and sigh as thou goest; or as a woman in travail, having her hands upon her loins as ready to break, and in the utmost distress; or heave, and groan, and sigh, till the girdle of the loins is broke, and by these motions and gesture show the miserable state of this people, and how much thou art affected with it: and with bitterness sigh before their eyes; in the sight and hearing of the captives at Babylon; who would take care, by some means or other, to inform their brethren at Jerusalem of it, how the prophet sighed and groaned, under an apprehension and assurance of a…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“with the breaking of thy loins--as one afflicted with pleurisy; or as a woman, in labor-throes, clasps her loins in pain, and heaves and sighs till the girdle of the loins is broken by the violent action of the body (Jer 30:6).”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The prophet was directed to let the people see him sighing and prostrate, as a sign of the sorrow and weakness about to come upon the people. The breaking of thy loins - The prostration of strength; the loins being the seat of strength. return to 'Top of Page'”
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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
“Sigh therefore - Thereby express deep sorrow. Breaking of thy loins - Like a woman in travail. Ezekiel 21:7”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“21:6-7 Ezekiel’s groaning showed that in the coming judgment, the boldest heart would melt and the strong knees would become . . . weak. The judgment that had previously been announced had now become a bitter reality (cp. 7:1-4).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Sigh: Eze 21:12, Eze 6:11, Eze 9:4; Isa 22:4; Jer 4:19, Jer 9:17-21; Joh 11:33-35 with the: Isa 16:11, Isa 21:3; Jer 30:6; Dan 5:6, Dan 8:27; Nah 2:10; Hab 3:16 before: Eze 4:12, Eze 12:3-5, Eze 37:20; Jer 19:10 Ezekiel 21:7”
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Related study paths

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

Sources and verification