Sharpened for slaughter, polished to flash like lightning: The description of what happens to the sword is repeated here for emphasis. Since this is poetry, the repetition is normal for Hebrew; often the repetition serves to add some additional detail. For slaughter renders an emphatic Hebrew expression, which is literally “to slaughter a slaughter.” It refers to a lot of killing, so it may be rendered “for a great slaughter” or “to kill very many people.” For those languages in which an indefinite slaughter is difficult to express, it may be necessary to specify that God will kill the people of Judah; for example, sharpened for slaughtered may be rendered “I have sharpened my sword to kill many of you” (similarly Contemporary English Version). Polished to flash like lightning means the sword is so shiny that it flashes as brightly as lightning. It does not mean that it moves as quickly as lightning. As well as blinding an enemy with bright reflections, a shiny sword is one that is well cared for. Translators may render these two lines as “Yes, I have sharpened my sword to slaughter many, and polished it until it flashes like a stroke of lightning” or “Yes, that sword is sharp enough to kill many of you, and it is so shiny it will flash like a lightning bolt.”

The meaning of the rest of this verse is not clear. Some translations simply omit it because they cannot make sense out of it (so Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, Moffatt, Bible en français courant).

Or do we make mirth?: The Hebrew word translated Or can also mean “not,” and this clause may be read as a question (for example, “Should we rejoice?”; so Revised Standard Version, New International Version, King James Version) or as a negative statement (for example, “We should not rejoice”; so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). The reason for the mirth is not clear. It may be that Ezekiel’s audience was tempted to be happy at this prophecy of coming judgment because they thought it would come only on their enemies. But because the judgment was coming on the nation of Judah, God had to use a rhetorical question or a clear negative statement to prevent them from being happy. Alternatively, the people may have been relying on God’s promise to the king of Judah for their safety, but God makes it clear that he will punish them for their sins. This clause may be rendered “Or are you rejoicing?” without giving any reason for the joy.

You have despised the rod, my son, with everything of wood is literally “rod of my son she despises every tree.” This clause can be understood in three ways as follows:

(1) It refers to the way Judah despised and disregarded all the warnings and discipline that God had imposed on the nation. Good News Translation follows this interpretation by saying “for my people have disregarded every warning and punishment” (similarly Revised Standard Version/New Revised Standard Version, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New American Bible).
(2) It refers to the sword of God that takes no account of the status of anyone it is sent to punish. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh follows this interpretation with “My son, it [the sword] scorns the rod and every stick” (similarly New International Version, New Living Translation, King James Version / New King James Version).
(3) It refers to the way the king of Judah, Zedekiah, despised Nebuchadnezzar and disregarded the threat of the Babylonians. But this involves the Hebrew word for rod being interpreted as a feminine noun, although it is usually masculine. This is possible but unusual. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project follows this interpretation with “the scepter of my son (that is, of the king Zedekiah) looks down upon all [other] scepters” (similarly New American Standard Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

For number 1, the rod and wood refer to rods of discipline, that is, sticks that fathers use to punish their sons, and my son refers to the nation of Judah. For numbers 2 and 3, the rod and wood refer to royal scepters, that is, sticks that kings hold as symbols of power, and my son refers to King Zedekiah. Although the obscurity of the verse makes it difficult to recommend any one of these interpretations, number 2 seems to fit the context best. A possible model for the last half of this verse that follows number 2 is “Do not rejoice. My son, it [the sword] takes no account of the authority of the king [or, of the rods of authority of the king].” However, because the verse is so obscure, translators may follow either of the other interpretations if they prefer. Good News Translation provides a model for number 1, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch has a good model for number 3, saying “Don’t say, ‘We have reason to be happy because our king laughs at all other rulers.’ ” Revised Standard Version changes the Hebrew text here by saying you have despised instead of “she/it [the sword or rod] has despised.” It should not be used as a model here.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .