Ezekiel 5:12

5:12 A third of your people will die of plague or be overcome by the famine within you. ¹  A third of your people will fall by the sword surrounding you, ²  and a third I will scatter to the winds. I will unleash a sword behind them.

Ezekiel 17:21

17:21 All the choice men ³  among his troops will die ⁴  by the sword and the survivors will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken!

Ezekiel 30:6

30:6 “‘This is what the Lord says:

Egypt’s supporters will fall;

her confident pride will crumble. ⁵ 

From Migdol to Syene ⁶  they will die by the sword within her,

declares the sovereign Lord.

¹ sn The judgment of plague and famine comes from the covenant curse (Lev 26:25-26). As in v. 10, the city of Jerusalem is figuratively addressed here.

² sn Judgment by plague, famine, and sword occurs in Jer 21:9; 27:13; Ezek 6:11, 12; 7:15.

³ tc Some manuscripts and versions read “choice men,” while most manuscripts read “fugitives”; the difference arises from the reversal, or metathesis, of two letters, מִבְרָחָיו (mivrakhyv) for מִבְחָריו (mivkharyv).

⁴ tn Heb “fall.”

⁵ tn Heb “come down.”

⁶ sn Syene is known as Aswan today.