“Say to the land of Israel!
Thus says Yahweh!
‘I am coming
Against you!
I will draw
My sword
Out of its sheath!
I will cut off
From you
Both the righteous
With the wicked!
Because I will cut off
From you
Both the righteous
With the wicked,
Therefore my sword
Shall go
Out of its sheath
Against all flesh,
From south to north.
All flesh
Shall know
That I,
Yahweh,
Have drawn my sword
Out of its sheath.
It shall not be
Sheathed again.”
Yahweh told Ezekiel to tell the land of Israel that he was going to go against them with a drawn sword. He was going to take his sword out of its sheath or holder against both the righteous and the wicked. His sword was not going to go back into that sheath or holder. He was going to raise his sword against everyone from south to north. They all would know that Yahweh had drawn his sword from his sheath. Thus it would not be returned to its sheath again.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 