Ezekiel 21:12

Bishop's Bible

Crye and houle sonne of man, for it commeth vpon my people [it commeth] vpon all the princes of Israel: the terrours of the sworde shalbe vpon my people, smite therfore thou vpon thy thygh.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
"‘Son of man, shout out and scream because the sword will be used against my people and all the rulers of Israel. They wanted war—so they will be with my people when the sword comes. So slap your thigh to show your sadness,

New Living Translation
"Son of man, cry out and wail; pound your thighs in anguish, for that sword will slaughter my people and their leaders— everyone will die!

New American Standard Bible
"Cry out and wail, son of man; for it is against My people, it is against all the officials of Israel. They are turned over to the sword with My people, therefore slap your thigh.

New Century Version
Shout and yell, human, because the sword is meant for my people, for all the rulers of Israel. They will be killed by the sword, along with my people. So beat your chest in sadness.

New English Translation
Cry out and moan, son of man, for it is wielded against my people; against all the princes of Israel. They are delivered up to the sword, along with my people. Therefore, strike your thigh.

Update Bible Version
Cry and wail, son of man; for it is on my people, it is on all the princes of Israel: they are delivered over to the sword with my people; smite therefore on your thigh.

Webster's Bible Translation
Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it [shall be] upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon [thy] thigh.

Amplified Bible
"Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against My people; it is against all the princes of Israel. They are thrown to the sword along with My [terrified] people. Therefore strike your thigh and strike your chest [in grief].

English Standard Version
Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against my people. It is against all the princes of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with my people. Strike therefore upon your thigh.

World English Bible
Cry and wail, son of man; for it is on my people, it is on all the princes of Israel: they are delivered over to the sword with my people; strike therefore on your thigh.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Sone of man, crie thou, and yelle, for this swerd is maad in my puple, this in alle the duykis of Israel; thei that fledden ben youun to swerd with my puple. Therfor smite thou on thin hipe, for it is preuyd;

English Revised Version
Cry and howl, son of man: for it is upon my people, it is upon all the princes of Israel: they are delivered over to the sword with my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh.

Berean Standard Bible
Cry out and wail, O son of man, for it is against My people; it is against all the princes of Israel! They are tossed to the sword with My people; therefore strike your thigh.

Contemporary English Version
Groan in sorrow, Ezekiel; the sword is drawn against my people and their leaders. They will die! So give up all hope.

American Standard Version
Cry and wail, son of man; for it is upon my people, it is upon all the princes of Israel: they are delivered over to the sword with my people; smite therefore upon thy thigh.

Bible in Basic English
Give loud cries and make sounds of grief, O son of man: for it has come on my people, it has come on all the rulers of Israel: fear of the sword has come on my people: for this cause give signs of grief.

Complete Jewish Bible
Then, when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?' you will answer, ‘Because of the news, because it's coming. All hearts will melt, all hands hang limp, all spirits faint and all knees turn to water; here, it's coming, it will happen,' says Adonai Elohim ."

Darby Translation
Cry and howl, son of man; for it shall be against my people, it shall be against all the princes of Israel: they are given up to the sword along with my people: smite therefore upon the thigh.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And 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 slack, and every spirit shall be faint, and all knees shall drip with water; behold, it cometh, and it shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.'

King James Version (1611)
Cry and howle, sonne of man, for it shalbe vpon my people, it shalbe vpon all the princes of Israel: terrours, by reason of the sword, shall be vpon my people: smite therefore vpon thy thigh.

New Life Bible
Cry out in a loud voice, son of man, for the sword is against My people. It is against all the leaders of Israel. They are going to be killed with My people, so beat your upper leg in sorrow.

New Revised Standard
Cry and wail, O mortal, for it is against my people; it is against all Israel's princes; they are thrown to the sword, together with my people. Ah! Strike the thigh!

Geneva Bible (1587)
Cry, and houle, sonne of man: for this shall come to my people, and it shal come vnto all the princes of Israel: the terrours of the sword shall be vpon my people: smite therefore vpo thy thigh.

George Lamsa Translation
Cry and wail, Son of man; for it is against my people and against all the princes of Israel;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Make an outcry and howl son of man, For the same hath come against my people, the same is against all the princes of Israel,- Who are thrown to the sword with my people, Therefore smite thou upon thy thigh.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Cry, and howl, O son of man, for this sword is upon my people, it is upon all the princes of Israel, that are fled: they are delivered up to the sword with my people, strike therefore upon thy thigh,

Revised Standard Version
Cry and wail, son of man, for it is against my people; it is against all the princes of Israel; they are delivered over to the sword with my people. Smite therefore upon your thigh.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Cry out and howl, son of man: for this sword is come upon my people, this sword is come upon all the princes of Israel: they shall be as strangers: judgment with the sword is come upon my people: therefore clap thine hands, for sentence has been passed:

Good News Translation
Howl in grief, mortal man; this sword is meant for my people and for all the leaders of Israel. They are going to be killed with all the rest of my people. Beat your breast in despair!

Christian Standard Bible®
“Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against my people. It is against all the princes of Israel! They are given over to the sword with my people. Therefore strike your thigh in grief.

Hebrew Names Version
Cry and wail, son of man; for it is on my people, it is on all the princes of Yisra'el: they are delivered over to the sword with my people; strike therefore on your thigh.

King James Version
Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh.

Lexham English Bible
Cry and wail, son of man, for it is against my people; it is against all of the princes of Israel. They are thrown to the sword with my people; therefore strike your thigh.

Literal Translation
Cry out and howl, son of man. For it shall be on My people. It shall be on all the rulers of Israel; they are thrown to the sword with My people, so slap your thigh,

Young's Literal Translation
Cry and howl, son of man, For it hath been among My people, It [is] among all the princes of Israel, Cast unto the sword have been My people. Therefore strike on thy thigh,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Crie (o thou sonne of man) and howle, for this swearde shal smyte my people, & all the rulers in Israel, which with my people shall be slayne downe to the grounde thorow this swearde.

THE MESSAGE
"Yell out and wail, son of man. The sword is against my people! The princes of Israel and my people—abandoned to the sword! Wring your hands! Tear out your hair!

New King James Version
"Cry and wail, son of man; For it will be against My people, Against all the princes of Israel. Terrors including the sword will be against My people; Therefore strike your thigh.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Cry out and wail, son of man; for it is against My people, it is against all the officials of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with My people, therefore strike your thigh.

Legacy Standard Bible
Cry out and wail, son of man; for it is against My people; it is against all the princes of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with My people; therefore slap your thigh.

Contextual Overview

⁸ Agayne, the worde of the Lorde came vnto me, saying: ⁹ Thou sonne of man, prophecie and speake, thus saith the Lorde God, Speake, the sworde the sworde is sharpened and well furbished. ¹⁰ Sharpened is it to make a great slaughter, and furbished that it may glitter: Shall we then make mirth? It contemneth the rodde of my sonne [as] all other trees. ¹¹ He hath geuen it to be furbished, to holde it in the hande: this sworde is sharpened, and furbished, to geue it into the hande of the slayer. ¹² Crye and houle sonne of man, for it commeth vpon my people [it commeth] vpon all the princes of Israel: the terrours of the sworde shalbe vpon my people, smite therfore thou vpon thy thygh. ¹³ Because it is a triall: and what if it contemne the rodde? It shalbe no more saith the Lorde. ¹⁴ Prophecie thou sonne of man, & smite thy handes together, & let the sworde be doubled thrise, [euen] the sworde of the great slaughter, entryng into their priuie chaumbers, ¹⁵ To make them faynt at the heartes, and to multiplie their falles, in all their gates, haue I geuen the terrour of the sworde: Ah it is made bright, and dressed for the slaughter. ¹⁶ Get thee one way or other, either vpon the right hande or vpon the left, whyther soeuer thy face turneth. ¹⁷ I will smite my handes together also, and make my wrathfull indignation to rest: euen I the Lorde haue sayde it.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

howl: Ezekiel 21:6, Ezekiel 9:8, Ezekiel 30:2, Jeremiah 25:34, Joel 1:13, Micah 1:8

terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my: or, they are thrust down to the sword with my. smite. This was an expression of deep affliction. Ezekiel 21:14, Ezekiel 6:11, Jeremiah 31:12

Reciprocal: Leviticus 26:36 - I will send Isaiah 13:6 - Howl ye Jeremiah 4:8 - howl Jeremiah 31:19 - I smote Zephaniah 1:11 - Howl

Cross-References

Genesis 17:19
Unto who God sayd: Sara thy wife shall beare thee a sonne in deede, & thou shalt call his name Isahac: and I wyll establishe my couenaunt with hym for an euerlastyng couenaunt [and] with his seede after hym.

Genesis 17:21
But my couenaunt wyl I make with Isahac whiche Sara shall beare vnto thee, euen this tyme twelue moneth.

Genesis 21:7
She sayd also: who would haue sayde vnto Abraham, that Sara shoulde haue geuen chyldren sucke? for I haue borne [him] a sonne in his olde age.

Genesis 21:8
The chylde grewe, and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isahac was weaned.

1 Samuel 8:7
And the Lorde saide vnto Samuel, Heare the voyce of the people in all that they say vnto thee: For they haue not cast thee away, but they haue cast me away, that I should not raigne ouer them.

1 Samuel 8:9
Now therefore hearken vnto their voyce: howbeit yet testifie vnto them, & shewe them the maner of the king that shall raigne ouer them.

Isaiah 46:10
In the beginning of a thing I shewe the ende therof, & I tell before thinges that are not yet come to passe: My deuise standeth stedfastly stablished, and I fulfill all my pleasure.

Hebrews 11:18
To whom it was saide, that in Isaac shall thy seede be called.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Cry, howl, son of man,.... Not only sigh, but cry; and not cry only, but howl; signifying hereby that this would be the case of the Jews when these calamities should come upon them; and, in order to affect them with them before hand, the prophet is ordered to act such a part, as well as to express his sympathy with them:

for it shall be upon my people; that is, the sword, or the calamity signified by it; this should be not upon other nations, but upon the Lord's own people; such who professed themselves to be his people, and whom he had distinguished from all others; this is said, to affect the prophet the more, they being both the Lord's people, and his also:

and it shall be upon all the princes of Israel; who were slain in Riblah by the king of Babylon, Jeremiah 52:10, the sword spared neither people nor princes.

Terrors, by reason of the sword, shall be upon my people; upon the rumour of the invasion, and when besieged in the city, and when attempting to make their escape by flight: or "my people are fallen by the sword" u, as some:

smite therefore upon thy thigh; as one grieved in spirit, in great distress and anguish; see Jeremiah 31:19.

u So R. Sol Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 59. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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. Proud as the people are, they shall be brought to sorrow.

Ezekiel 21:12

Terrors - Better as in the margin.

Smite upon thy thigh - A token of mourning (compare the marginal reference note).

Ezekiel 21:13

Or,

For it is put to the proof, and if it contemneth even the rod, What shall not be? saith the Lord

i. e., What horrors will not arise when the sword shall cut down without regard the ruling scepter of Judah!

Ezekiel 21:14

Doubled the third time - i. e., “thrice doubled” to express its violence and force.

The sword of the slain - The sword whereby men are to be slain.

Of the great men ... - Or, The sword of the mighty slain, which presseth hard upon them.

Ezekiel 21:15

The point of the sword - The threatening sword or terror; as in Genesis 3:24, “the flaming sword.”

And their ruins be multiplied - literally, “to the multiplication of stumblingblocks,” that is, so that the causes of their fall may be more numerous. Compare Jeremiah 46:16.

Made bright ... - Or,

Ah! It is prepared for a lightning-flash, Drawn for slaughter.

Ezekiel 21:16

The prophet addresses the sword,

Gather thyself up, O sword, to the right or to the left.

Another rendering is: “Turn thee backwards! get thee to the right! Set thee forwards (?)!get thee to the left! O whither is thy face appointed?

Ezekiel 21:17

The Lord smites together His hands in anger (marginal reference), man in consternation.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Ezekiel 21:12. Smite - upon thy thigh. — See on Jeremiah 31:19. So HOMER, Il. xv. ver. 113: -

Ὡς εφατ'· αυταρ Αρης θαλερω πεπληγετο μηρω

Χερσι καταπρηνεσσ,ολοφυρομενος δε προσηυδα.

"She spake; and, with expanded arms his thighs

Smiting, thus sorrowful the god exclaimed."

COWPER.