Ezekiel 21:16
New International Version
Slash to the right, you sword, then to the left, wherever your blade is turned.

New Living Translation
O sword, slash to the right, then slash to the left, wherever you will, wherever you want.

English Standard Version
Cut sharply to the right; set yourself to the left, wherever your face is directed.

Berean Standard Bible
Slash to the right; set your blade to the left—wherever your blade is directed.

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

New King James Version
“Swords at the ready! Thrust right! Set your blade! Thrust left— Wherever your edge is ordered!

New American Standard Bible
Prove yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your edge is ordered.

NASB 1995
“Show yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your edge is appointed.

NASB 1977
“Show yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your edge is appointed.

Legacy Standard Bible
Show yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your edge is appointed.

Amplified Bible
Turn O sword and cut right or cut left, whichever way your thirst for blood and your edge direct you.

Christian Standard Bible
Slash to the right; turn to the left — wherever your blade is directed.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Slash to the right; turn to the left— wherever your blade is directed.

American Standard Version
Gather thee together, go to the right, set thyself in array, go to the left, whithersoever thy face is set.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Grasp firmly my right hand and grasp firmly my left hand, to the place that my face is prepared

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And do thou go on, sharpen thyself on the right and on the left whithersoever thy face may set itself.

Contemporary English Version
It will slash right and left, wherever the blade is pointed.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Be thou sharpened, go to the right hand, or to the left, which way soever thou hast a mind to set thy face.

English Revised Version
Gather thee together, go to the right; set thyself in array, go to the left; whithersoever thy face is set.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Sword, cut to the right. Cut to the left or wherever your blade is turned.

Good News Translation
Cut to the right and the left, you sharp sword! Cut wherever you turn.

International Standard Version
Be sharp! Attack on the right, or parry to your left, wherever you point your sword.

JPS Tanakh 1917
Go thee one way to the right, or direct thyself to the left; whither is thy face set?

Literal Standard Version
Take possession of the right, place yourself at the left, | To where your face is appointed.

Majority Standard Bible
Slash to the right; set your blade to the left—wherever your blade is directed.

New American Bible
Slash to the right! turn to the left, Wherever your edge is directed!

NET Bible
Cut sharply on the right! Swing to the left, wherever your edge is appointed to strike.

New Revised Standard Version
Attack to the right! Engage to the left! —wherever your edge is directed.

New Heart English Bible
'Gather yourselves together, go to the right, set yourselves in array, go to the left, wherever your face is set.'

Webster's Bible Translation
Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set.

World English Bible
Gather yourselves together. Go to the right. Set yourselves in array. Go to the left, wherever your face is set.

Young's Literal Translation
Take possession of the right, place thyself at the left, Whither thy face is appointed.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The LORD's Sword of Judgment
15So that their hearts may melt and many may stumble, I have appointed at all their gates a sword for slaughter. Yes, it is ready to flash like lightning; it is drawn for slaughter. 16Slash to the right; set your blade to the left— wherever your blade is directed. 17I too will strike My hands together, and I will satisfy My wrath.’ I, the LORD, have spoken.”…

Cross References
Ezekiel 21:15
So that their hearts may melt and many may stumble, I have appointed at all their gates a sword for slaughter. Yes, it is ready to flash like lightning; it is drawn for slaughter.

Ezekiel 21:17
I too will strike My hands together, and I will satisfy My wrath.' I, the LORD, have spoken."


Treasury of Scripture

Go you one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, wherever your face is set.

Go

Ezekiel 21:4,20
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 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:

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.

either

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.

or on the left.

Jump to Previous
Appointed Array Blade Cut Direct Directed Edge Either Face Gather Hand Ordered Pointed Possession Right Sharp Sharply Show Sword Thyself Together Turn Way Wherever Whither Whithersoever
Jump to Next
Appointed Array Blade Cut Direct Directed Edge Either Face Gather Hand Ordered Pointed Possession Right Sharp Sharply Show Sword Thyself Together Turn Way Wherever Whither Whithersoever
Ezekiel 21
1. Ezekiel prophesies against Jerusalem with a sign of sighing
8. The sharp and bright sword
18. against Jerusalem
25. against the kingdom
28. and against the Ammonites














(16) Go thee one way or other.--An address to the sword, the animation of which is singularly lost in our version; the sword is addressed as a host, to be prepared for instant action in every quarter: "Gather thyself up (close up ranks) right; set thyself, left."

Verse 16. - Go thee one way or another, etc.; i.e. as in the following, to the right hand or the left - to the north or the south. Whichever way the prophet turned (Ezekiel 20:47), he would see nothing but the sword and its work of slaughter. Jehovah had given that command with the gesture of supreme authority. He would not rest till he had appeased his wrath by letting it work itself out even to the end. With these words the "Lay of the Sword of Jehovah" ends, and there is again an interval of silence.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Slash
הִתְאַחֲדִ֥י (hiṯ·’a·ḥă·ḏî)
Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 258: Go one way or other

to the right;
הֵימִ֖נִי (hê·mi·nî)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 3231: To go to or choose the right, to use the right hand

set your blade
הָשִׂ֣ימִי (hā·śî·mî)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

to the left—
הַשְׂמִ֑ילִי (haś·mî·lî)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 8041: To use the left hand, pass in that direction)

wherever
אָ֖נָה (’ā·nāh)
Interrogative
Strong's 575: Where?, whither?, when?, hither and thither

your blade
פָּנַ֥יִךְ (pā·na·yiḵ)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

is directed.
מֻעָדֽוֹת׃ (mu·‘ā·ḏō·wṯ)
Verb - Hofal - Participle - feminine plural
Strong's 3259: To fix upon, to meet, to summon, to direct, to engage


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 21:16 Gather you together go to the right (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 21:15
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