THEOSISJerome of Stridon
And the Lord spoke to me, saying, Son of man, prophesy and declare, Thus saith the Lord God, The sword is sharpened and prepared; it is sharpened to strike down sacrifices, and it is polished to gleam. You who shake the scepter of My son have felled every tree. I have ordained its preparation for use; this sword is honed and ready to be in the hand of the destroyer. Lift your voice and wail, O son of man, for it rests upon My people and upon the leaders of Israel. Those who have fled will fall to the sword along with My people; therefore, strike upon your thigh, for he is tested, and when he casts down this scepter, it shall cease to exist, declares the Lord God.
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Yet you, son of man, prophesy and strike your hand against your arm, and the sword shall be doubled, the sword of the destroyers shall be tripled. It is a sword of significant defeat, which shall bring terror, causing hearts to yield in fear, resulting in great ruin. I have set a sword at all their gates, bringing confusion, sharp and polished to shine, prepared for a fierce battle. Be sharpened; go right or left, as your face directs. I will cheer and execute My wrath. I, the Lord, have spoken.
It would be excessive to enumerate all variations, especially when there is little or no significant difference. Thus, I will mention only a few. Instead of our phrase: you who shake the scepter of My son, they translated: exterminate, despise, reject every tree. Where we say: those who have fled are delivered to the sword, they translated: my strangers or inhabitants. Instead of striking upon your thigh, they said: strike with the hand. And instead of: when he casts down the scepter, their text reads: the tribe is rejected. Yet, it addresses the sword of Nebuchadnezzar, which will come upon Jerusalem, sharpened and prepared for the defeat of many while addressing himself. You shall shake and overthrow the scepter of my son, indicating the power of the Israelites, and you shall fell every tree, symbolizing the entirety of the Jewish populace. This sword, he states, is given that it might be wielded by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, a mighty man.
Therefore, O prophet, cry loudly and bear witness to the imminent disasters with great mourning. This sword shows no mercy and affects all with the coming calamities. It rests upon the people, the leaders of Israel, my strangers, and the priests dwelling in my temple. So strike your thigh or your hand, taking on the form of lamentation. This sword has been tested with Me, and when it shall topple My scepter and kingdom, it shall cease, ending with King Zedekiah. Again, O prophet, I urge you, struck with terror and wonder, to strike with your hands, for not just once but two or three times the sword shall advance to destroy. The first time it was Nebuchadnezzar taking Jechoniah; the second time during the reign of Jehoiakim; and the third time in King Zedekiah's rule. This sword was tripled during the great strike, bringing sufficient ruin that their spirits trembled and their hearts melted, creating confusion at all their gates. Thus, it is commanded to the sharp sword that gleams, finished and ready for battle, to move wherever it desires, whether to the right or left. Go boldly, following My guidance and support. I will cheer you on, acting as your patron, as you execute My will upon My adversaries with ferocity. Do not hesitate, do not fear, and do not dread what Sennacherib endured; I, the Lord, have commanded you to execute My will.
In a profound sense, one might interpret the sharp, battle-ready sword as the devil, of whom the apostle says, I will deliver such a one to Satan to wear out the flesh, that the spirit may be saved (1 Cor. 5:5). Additionally, in another instance: Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme (1 Tim. 1:20). The Psalms speak, Send forth fury, wrath, anger, and anguish, striking with fierce fury (Ps. 77:49). Some believe this sword was wielded by the angel when Jerusalem was stricken during David's reign (2 Sam. 24). Others suggest it refers to the sword mentioned in the Gospel, ‘I came not to bring peace upon the earth, but a sword’ (Matt. 10:34), signifying a division among kinships, wherein the wicked fall and the righteous rise. However, it is misguided to interpret the Savior's sword in this way, rather than recognizing the devil, who disrupts the scepters of the Lord within the Church, destroying all among the people, including leaders and strangers of God, as he was tested by the Lord when he betrayed Judas and others. After receiving the morsel, Satan entered into him (John 13).
The sword of the destroyers is doubled and tripled to remove the sins of Jerusalem, for it is acceptable from the Lord’s hand to comfort their iniquities (Isaiah 40:2). The Lord rejoices, triumphant and urging the raging sword to move right or left and in whichever direction it aims, that following the destruction of the wicked, the righteous may remain, fulfilling the scriptures: ‘What is chaff to the wheat, saith the Lord’ (Jeremiah 23:28)?