Ezekiel 21 · Verse 12

Ezekiel 21:12

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.
Ezekiel 21:12, King James Version

Ezekiel 21:12 in other translations

BSBCry out and wail, O son of man, for the sword is wielded against My people; it is against all the princes of Israel! They are tossed to the sword with My people; therefore strike your thigh.
WEBCry 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. Therefore beat your thigh.
ASVCry 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.
YLTCry 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,
DARBYCry 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.
BBEGive 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.
WebsterCry 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.

What does Ezekiel 21:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. terrors by reason of the sword, &c.--rather, "they (the princes of Israel) are delivered up to the sword together with My people" [Glassius]. smite ... upon ... thigh--a mark of grief (Jr 31:19).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 Smite - upon thy thigh - See on Jer 31:19 (note). So Homer, Il. 15 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.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 21:1-17

The ruin of Judah under the emblem of a sharp sword. (Ezek 21:1-17) The approach of the king of Babylon described. (Ezek 21:18-27) The destruction of the Ammonites. (Ezek 21:28-32) Verses 1-17 Here is an explanation of the parable in the last chapter. It is declared that the Lord was about to cut off Jerusalem and the whole land, that all might know it was his decree against a wicked and rebellious people. It…

Read the full comment on Ezekiel 21:1-17 →

Ezekiel 21:12 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

זְעַ֤קze.'Akcry outH2199
וְהֵילֵל֙ve.hei.Leland wailH3213
בֶּן\־ben-O son ofH1121
אָדָ֔ם'a.DamhumankindH120
כִּי\־ki-forH3588
הִיא֙hi'itH1931
הָיתָ֣הhai.Tahit has comeH1961
בְעַמִּ֔יve.'a.Mion people myH5971
הִ֖יאhi'itH1931
בְּכָל\־be.khol[is] on allH3605
נְשִׂיאֵ֣יne.si.'Ei[the] princes ofH5387
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
מְגוּרֵ֤יme.gu.ReithrownH4048
אֶל\־'el-toH413
חֶ֙רֶב֙che.rev[the] swordH2719
הָי֣וּha.Yuthey have beenH1961
אֶת\־'et-withH854
עַמִּ֔י'a.Mipeople myH5971
לָכֵ֖ןla.Khen<to> thereforeH3651
סְפֹ֥קse.FokslapH5606
אֶל\־'el-<to>H413
יָרֵֽךְ\׃ya.Rekha thighH3409

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezekiel 21:12

  • Ezekiel 21:6

    Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.

  • Joel 1:13

    Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.

  • Jeremiah 25:34

    Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.

  • Ezekiel 6:11

    Thus saith the Lord God; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.

  • Jeremiah 31:12

    Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.

  • Ezekiel 9:8

    And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?

  • Ezekiel 21:14

    Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy chambers.

  • Jeremiah 31:19

    Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

  • Micah 1:8

    Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.

  • Ezekiel 30:2

    Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Howl ye, Woe worth the day!

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
howl.
6; 9:8; 30:2; Jer 25:34; Joe 1:13; Mic 1:8
terrors by reason of the shall be upon my. or, they arethrust down to the sword with my. smite. This was an expression of deep affliction.
14; 6:11; Jer 31:12

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ezekiel 21:11

    And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled: this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.

  • Ezekiel 21:12

    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.

  • Ezekiel 21:13

    Because it is a trial, and what if the sword contemn even the rod? it shall be no more, saith the Lord God.

Read all of Ezekiel 21

Ezekiel 21:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Clama y aulla, oh hijo del hombre; porque ésta será sobre mi pueblo, será ella sobre todos los príncipes de Israel. Temores de espada serán á mi pueblo: por tanto, hiere el muslo;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il arrivera que, quand ils te diront: Pourquoi gémis-tu? tu diras: C’est à cause de la rumeur, car elle vient; et tout cœur sera défaillant, et toutes les mains deviendront lâches, et tout esprit faiblira, et tous les genoux se fondront en eau. Voici, elle vient, elle est là, dit le Seigneur, l’ Éternel.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es soll geschehen, wenn sie zu dir sprechen: Warum seufzest du? so sollst du sprechen: Wegen des kommenden Gerüchtes und jedes Herz wird zerschmelzen, und alle Hände werden erschlaffen, und jeder Geist wird verzagen, und alle Knie werden zerfließen wie Wasser; siehe, es kommt und wird geschehen, spricht der Herr, Jehova.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Clama et ulula, fili hominis, quia hic factus est in populo meo, hic in cunctis ducibus Israël qui fugerant: gladio traditi sunt cum populo meo: idcirco plaude super femur,