For it will not be a testing—what could it do if you despise the rod?: In Hebrew this sentence makes no sense as it stands, as the attempts of the translations show. All attempts at translation are basically guesswork. Literally the Hebrew seems to say “Surely it has been tested, and what if even the rod that [the sword] despised will not survive.” What “has been tested”? It may be the rod, but more likely it is the people of Judah, so Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version say “I am testing my people.” A possible meaning for this sentence is that God had tested the nation, found it sinful, and now intended to punish it (this is a theme that has appeared frequently in Ezekiel already). However, the punishment threatened to end the Davidic dynasty of kings which God had promised King David would never end. This theological issue of the reliability of God’s promises was the problem for Ezekiel and his audience. They were struggling with the fact that human sin had negated God’s promise to King David. This may be the point here. Following this understanding, a possible model for the sentence is “Surely my people are being tested. What will happen if the sword takes no account of the authority of the king so that he does not survive?” Again Revised Standard Version changes the subject of the verb despise and should not be followed.

Says the Lord GOD: See Ezek 21.7. This concluding solemn declaration is the only sure expression in the verse.

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 .