Ezekiel 21 · Verse 16

Ezekiel 21:16

Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set.
Ezekiel 21:16, King James Version

Ezekiel 21:16 in other translations

BSBSlash to the right; set your blade to the left— wherever your blade is directed.
WEBGather yourselves together. Go to the right. Set yourselves in array. Go to the left, wherever your face is set.
ASVGather thee together, go to the right, set thyself in array, go to the left, whithersoever thy face is set.
YLTTake possession of the right, place thyself at the left, Whither thy face is appointed.
DARBYGather up strength, go to the right hand, turn thee, go to the left, whithersoever thy face is appointed.
BBEBe pointed to the right, to the left, wherever your edge is ordered.
WebsterGo thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set.

What does Ezekiel 21:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. Apostrophe to the sword. Go ... one way--or, "Concentrate thyself"; "Unite thy forces on the right hand" [Grotius]. The sword is commanded to take the nearest route for Jerusalem, "whither their face was set," whether south or north ("right hand or left"), according to where the several parts of the Chaldean host may be. or other, ... on the left--rather "set thyself on the left." The verbs are well-chosen. The main "concentration" of forces was to be on "the right hand," or south, the part of Judea in which Jerusalem was, and which lay south in marching from Babylon, whereas the Chaldean forces advancing on Jerusalem from Egypt, of which Jerusalem was north, were fewer, and therefore "set thyself" is the verb used.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Go thee one way or other - Thou shalt prosper, O sword, whithersoever thou turnest; against Ammon, or Judea, or Egypt.

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 21:16 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.

הִתְאַחֲדִ֥יhit.'a.cha.Dibe sharpH258
הֵימִ֖נִיhei.Mi.nigo to [the] rightH3231
הָשִׂ֣ימִיha.Si.micause to setH7760
הַשְׂמִ֑ילִיhas.Mi.ligo to [the] leftH8041
אָ֖נָה'A.nahwhere?H575
פָּנַ֥יִךְpa.Na.yikh[is] face yourH6440
מֻעָדֽוֹת\׃mu.'a.DotsetH3259

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

Cross references for Ezekiel 21:16

  • Ezekiel 21:4

    Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:

  • Ezekiel 16:46

    And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.

  • Ezekiel 14:17

    Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:

  • Genesis 13:9

    Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

  • Ezekiel 21:20

    Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Go.
4,20; 14:17; 16:46
either.
Ge 13:9
or on the left. Heb. set thyself, take the left hand.

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

Context

  • Ezekiel 21:15

    I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter.

  • Ezekiel 21:16

    Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set.

  • Ezekiel 21:17

    I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest: I the Lord have said it.

Read all of Ezekiel 21

Ezekiel 21:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Ponte á una parte, ponte á la diestra, ó ponte á la siniestra, hacia donde tu rostro se determinare.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il l’a donnée à fourbir, pour qu’on la prenne dans la main; c’est une épée aiguisée, et elle est fourbie, pour la mettre dans la main de celui qui tue.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Aber man hat es zu schleifen gegeben, um es in der Hand zu führen. Das Schwert, geschärft ist es und geschliffen, um es in die Hand des Würgers zu geben.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Exacuere, vade ad dexteram sive ad sinistram, quocumque faciei tuæ est appetitus.