Ezekiel 21

1. And the Word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2. “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, and preach against the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel.

3. And say to the land of Israel, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am against you, and will draw My sword out of its sheath and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.

4. Since I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked from you, therefore My sword shall be drawn from its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north,

5. Thus all flesh shall know that I, the LORD, have drawn out My sword from its sheath. It shall not be sheathed again.” ‘

6. And therefore you, son of man, sigh with the breaking of your heart; and groan with bitterness before their eyes.

7. And it will be when they say to you, ‘Why do you sigh?’ You shall answer, ‘Because of the news that it is coming; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water.’ Behold, it comes, and it shall be done,” says the Lord GOD.

8. And the Word of the LORD came to me, saying,

9. “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the LORD.’ Say, ‘A sword, a sword is sharpened and also polished.

10. It is sharpened in order to make a slaughter; it is polished so that it may glitter. Or shall we make mirth against the rod of My son, despising every tree?

11. And He has given it to be polished, to be taken by the hand. The sword, it is sharpened, and it is polished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.’

12. Cry and howl, son of man; for it shall be upon My people; it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon My people; therefore slap your thigh.

13. Because it is a trial, and what if the sword even despises the rod? It shall be no more,” says the Lord GOD.

14. “And you, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain. It is the sword of great slaughter, closing in on them from every side;

15. So that their heart may melt, and many stumble at all their gates, I have given the threatening sword. Ah! It is made like lightning; it is wrapped up for the slaughter.

16. Sharpen yourself on the right! Set yourself on the left, wherever your edge is set.

17. And also I, even I, will strike My hands together, and I will cause My fury to rest. I the LORD have spoken it.”

18. The Word of the LORD came to me saying,

19. “And you, son of man, set for yourself two ways, for the sword of the king of Babylon to come. Both of them shall come out of one land. And make a sign at the head of the way to the city.

20. You shall make a way that the sword may enter into Rabbah of the Ammonites, and into Judah, into fortified Jerusalem.

21. For the king of Babylon shall stand at the parting of the way, at the head of the two highways, to practice divination. He shall shake arrows; he shall ask household idols; he shall look at the liver.

22. At his right hand shall be the divining for Jerusalem, to set battering rams, to open the mouth for the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to pour out and to build a siege wall.

23. And it shall be to them a false divination in their eyes, those who have sworn solemn oaths. But He brings iniquity to remembrance, that they may be captured.

24. Therefore thus says the LORD God, ‘Because you have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, in that your sins are revealed in all your deeds; because you have been remembered, you shall be taken with the hand.

25. And you, O wicked and profane prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose iniquity shall have an end.

26. Thus says the Lord GOD, “Remove the diadem, and take off the crown. This shall not be as it was. Exalt the low one, and abase the high one.

27. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it. Also this shall not be until the coming of Him whose right it is. And I will give it to Him.” ‘

28. And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach.’ Even say, ‘The sword, the sword is drawn, polished for slaughter to make an end, that it may be like lightning;

29. While they see false visions for you, while they divine a lie to you, to lay you on the necks of the wicked that are to be slain, whose day has come in the time of final punishment.

30. Return it to its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you.

31. And I will pour out My indignation on you; with the fire of My wrath I will blow against you, and give you into the hand of brutal men who are skillful to destroy.

32. You shall be for fuel to the fire. Your blood shall be in the midst of the land. You shall be remembered no more; for I the LORD have spoken it.’ ”