Ezekiel 21:10

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 is sharpened to make a sore slaughter - literally, 'that killing it may kill.'

It is furbished that it may glitter - literally, glitter as the lightning-flash: flashing terror into the foe.

Should we then make mirth? - it is no time for levity when such a calamity is impending (Isaiah 22:12).

It contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree. The sword has no more respect to the trivial "rod" or sceptre of Judah () than if it were any common "tree." "Tree" is the image retained from ; explained Ezekiel 21:2. God calls Judah "my son" (cf. ; ). Fairbairn arbitrarily translates, 'perchance the sceptre of my son rejoiceth (i:e., Judah proudly presumes on being My son; but such confidence is vain, for) it (the sword) despiseth every tree.' I prefer the English version to this translation (see , which confirms the English version), and also to Henderson's, 'the rod of my son

(i:e., the rod employed in punishing my son) contemneth every tree' (i:e., every prince: as in ).