So the sword is given to be polished, that it may be handled; it is sharpened and polished to be given into the hand of the slayer: So renders the Hebrew waw conjunction, which many translations omit (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version). This verse repeats the ideas of the sword being sharpened and polished from the previous two verses, but here another idea is present. The sword is given to someone that it may be handled (literally “to grasp in the hand”). At the end of the verse this person is identified as the slayer, that is, “a killer” (Good News Translation). The sword of judgment will be placed in the hand of God’s agent who will use it to kill and slaughter the people of Judah. God does not say who gives the sword, or to whom it is given. Because it is God’s sword of judgment, translators may assume that God is one who will give it, but we can only guess to whom he will give it. Probably the slayer refers to Nebuchadnezzar, but it is not appropriate to make this explicit in translation. It is best to keep the mysterious, threatening tone of the verse, if possible. Here is a model of this verse for languages where it is unnatural to use the passive voice:

• I have given the sword to someone to polish so he can use it. It is sharp and shiny and ready for the killer to take in his hand.

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 .