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 21:3KJV
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Ezekiel 21:3 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 21:3 mean?

Ezekiel 21:3 describes God announcing through Ezekiel that He is against the land of Israel and will bring judgment with a sword, removing both the righteous and the wicked. The verse shows that God’s coming action will affect everyone in the land, not just those considered guilty.

In this verse, God tells Ezekiel to speak directly to the land of Israel, declaring a message of judgment. The image of God drawing a sword out of its sheath means that God’s judgment is about to begin and will not be held back. The statement that both the righteous and the wicked will be cut off highlights how severe and sweeping this judgment will be, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation for all people in Israel.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 21:3

  • "Sword" (חֶרֶב, cherev): This word means a literal sword and is often used in the Hebrew Bible as a symbol of war or divine judgment. Here, it makes clear that the coming disaster is violent and decisive.
  • "Sheath" (תַּעַר, taʿar): The sheath is the cover for a sword. The act of drawing the sword from its sheath means that judgment, which has been restrained, is now being unleashed.
  • "Cut off" (כָּרַת, karat): This word means to sever or remove completely. Its use here shows that the judgment will not be partial but total, affecting everyone.
  • "Righteous" (צַדִּיק, tsaddiq) and "wicked" (רָשָׁע, rashaʿ): These terms refer to those who do right and those who do wrong. Mentioning both groups shows that the coming judgment is so severe that even the innocent will suffer alongside the guilty.

Why Ezekiel 21:3 matters

  • This verse corrects the idea that God’s judgment always spares the innocent; here, the whole community faces consequences, showing the seriousness of national guilt.
  • The image of the sword being drawn signals that the time for warnings is over and that God’s action is now certain and imminent.
  • Ezekiel 21:3 sets the tone for the rest of the chapter, where the theme of unavoidable judgment continues, helping the reader understand the depth of Israel’s crisis.

Where else these words appear

“sheath” Hebrew H8593 · used in 13 verses

  • Numbers 6:5 All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
  • Psalms 52:2 Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
  • Ezekiel 5:1 And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.