Ezekiel 21:9 — Meaning and Application

And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak {as} water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD. {shall be weak...: Heb. shall go into water}

Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:

It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, {as} every tree. {it contemneth...: or, it is the rod of my son, it despiseth every tree}

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.