The Razor of Judgment

1  וְאַתָּ֨ה (And you), בֶן־ (son) אָדָ֜ם (of man), קַח־ (take) לְךָ֣׀ (for yourself) חֶ֣רֶב (a sword), חַדָּ֗ה (sharp) תַּ֤עַר (the razor), הַגַּלָּבִים֙ (of barber) תִּקָּחֶ֣נָּה (take it) לָּ֔ךְ (to yourself) וְהַעֲבַרְתָּ֥ (and pass it) עַל־ (over) רֹאשְׁךָ֖ (your head) וְעַל־ (and over) זְקָנֶ֑ךָ (your beard). וְלָקַחְתָּ֥ (Take) לְךָ֛ (for yourself) מֹאזְנֵ֥י (scales) מִשְׁקָ֖ל (of weighing), וְחִלַּקְתָּֽם׃ (and you shall divide the hair). 2  שְׁלִשִׁ֗ית (A third) בָּא֤וּר (with fire) תַּבְעִיר֙ (you shall burn) בְּת֣וֹךְ (in the midst) הָעִ֔יר (of the city), כִּמְלֹ֖את (at the completion). יְמֵ֣י (Of the days) הַמָּצ֑וֹר (of the siege) וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֣ (and you shall take) אֶת־ (-) הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֗ית (a third), תַּכֶּ֤ה (and strike it) בַחֶ֙רֶב֙ (with the sword); סְבִ֣יבוֹתֶ֔יהָ (around it) וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית֙ (and a third) תִּזְרֶ֣ה (you shall scatter) לָר֔וּחַ (to the wind); וְחֶ֖רֶב (and a sword) אָרִ֥יק (I will unsheathe) אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃ (after them).

3  וְלָקַחְתָּ֥ (And you shall take) מִשָּׁ֖ם (from them) מְעַ֣ט (a few) בְּמִסְפָּ֑ר (in number), וְצַרְתָּ֥ (and you shall bind) אוֹתָ֖ם (them) בִּכְנָפֶֽיךָ׃ (in your skirts). 4  וּמֵהֶם֙ (And some of them) ע֣וֹד (again), תִּקָּ֔ח (you shall take) וְהִשְׁלַכְתָּ֤ (and cast) אוֹתָם֙ (them) אֶל־ (into) תּ֣וֹךְ (the midst) הָאֵ֔שׁ (of the fire), וְשָׂרַפְתָּ֥ (and you shall burn) אֹתָ֖ם (them) בָּאֵ֑שׁ (in the fire); מִמֶּ֥נּוּ (from there) תֵצֵא־ (will go out) אֵ֖שׁ (a fire) אֶל־ (into) כָּל־ (all) בֵּ֥ית (the house) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃פ (of Israel).

5  כֹּ֤ה (Thus) אָמַר֙ (says) אֲדֹנָ֣י (the Lord) יְהֹוִ֔ה (YHWH); זֹ֚את (This is) יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם (Jerusalem); בְּת֥וֹךְ (in the midst) הַגּוֹיִ֖ם (of the nations) שַׂמְתִּ֑יהָ (I have set her) וּסְבִיבוֹתֶ֖יהָ (and all around her) אֲרָצֽוֹת׃ (the countries). 6  וַתֶּ֨מֶר (And she has rebelled) אֶת־ (-) מִשְׁפָּטַ֤י (against My ordinances) לְרִשְׁעָה֙ (for wickedness) מִן־ (more than) הַגּוֹיִ֔ם (the nations), וְאֶ֨ת־ (and) חֻקּוֹתַ֔י (against My statutes) מִן־ (more than) הָאֲרָצ֖וֹת (the countries) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that are) סְבִיבוֹתֶ֑יהָ (around her) כִּ֤י (for) בְמִשְׁפָּטַי֙ (My ordinances) מָאָ֔סוּ (they have refused) וְחֻקּוֹתַ֖י (and My statutes), לֹא־ (not) הָלְכ֥וּ (have they walked) בָהֶֽם׃ס (in them).

7  לָכֵ֞ן (Therefore) כֹּֽה־ (thus) אָמַ֣ר׀ (says) אֲדֹנָ֣י (the Lord) יְהוִ֗ה (YHWH) יַ֤עַן (Because) הֲמָנְכֶם֙ (of your⁺ turbulence) מִן־ (above) הַגּוֹיִם֙ (the nations) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that are) סְבִיבֽוֹתֵיכֶ֔ם (around you⁺) בְּחֻקּוֹתַי֙ (in My statutes), לֹ֣א (not) הֲלַכְתֶּ֔ם (have you⁺ walked) וְאֶת־ (and) מִשְׁפָּטַ֖י (My ordinances), לֹ֣א (not) עֲשִׂיתֶ֑ם (have you⁺ done) וּֽכְמִשְׁפְּטֵ֧י (and according to the ordinances) הַגּוֹיִ֛ם (of the nations) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that are) סְבִיבוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם (around you⁺) לֹ֥א (not) עֲשִׂיתֶֽם׃ס (have you⁺ done).

8  לָכֵ֗ן (Therefore) כֹּ֤ה (thus) אָמַר֙ (says) אֲדֹנָ֣י (the Lord) יְהוִ֔ה (YHWH); הִנְנִ֥י (Behold, I) עָלַ֖יִךְ (am against you) גַּם־ (even) אָ֑נִי (I), וְעָשִׂ֧יתִי (and I will do) בְתוֹכֵ֛ךְ (in your midst) מִשְׁפָּטִ֖ים (judgments) לְעֵינֵ֥י (in the eyes) הַגּוֹיִֽם׃ (of the nations). 9  וְעָשִׂ֣יתִי (And I will do) בָ֗ךְ (among you) אֵ֚ת (-) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (what) לֹֽא־ (not) עָשִׂ֔יתִי (I have done), וְאֵ֛ת (and) אֲשֶֽׁר־ (that which) לֹֽא־ (not) אֶעֱשֶׂ֥ה (I will do) כָמֹ֖הוּ (like it), ע֑וֹד (again) יַ֖עַן (because) כָּל־ (of all) תּוֹעֲבֹתָֽיִךְ׃ס (your abominations). 10  לָכֵ֗ן (Therefore) אָב֞וֹת (fathers) יֹאכְל֤וּ (shall eat) בָנִים֙ (the sons) בְּתוֹכֵ֔ךְ (in your midst) וּבָנִ֖ים (and sons) יֹאכְל֣וּ (shall eat) אֲבוֹתָ֑ם (their fathers); וְעָשִׂ֤יתִי (and I will execute) בָךְ֙ (on you) שְׁפָטִ֔ים (judgments) וְזֵרִיתִ֥י (and I will scatter) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) שְׁאֵרִיתֵ֖ךְ (your remnant) לְכָל־ (to every) רֽוּחַ׃פ (wind).

Famine, Sword, and Dispersion

11  לָכֵ֣ן (Therefore), חַי־ (by the life of), אָ֗נִי (Me) נְאֻם֮ (a declaration) אֲדֹנָ֣י (of the Lord) יְהוִה֒ (YHWH); אִם־ (surely) לֹ֗א (neither) יַ֚עַן (because) אֶת־ (-) מִקְדָּשִׁ֣י (My sanctuary) טִמֵּ֔את (you have defiled) בְּכָל־ (with all) שִׁקּוּצַ֖יִךְ (your detestable things), וּבְכָל־ (and with all) תּוֹעֲבֹתָ֑יִךְ (your abominations), וְגַם־ (also) אֲנִ֤י (I) אֶגְרַע֙ (I will diminish you) וְלֹא־ (and not) תָח֣וֹס (will show pity), עֵינִ֔י (My eye) וְגַם־ (and) אֲנִ֖י (I) לֹ֥א (not) אֶחְמֽוֹל׃ (will have pity).

12  שְׁלִשִׁתֵ֞יךְ (A third of you) בַּדֶּ֣בֶר (by pestilence), יָמ֗וּתוּ (they will die) וּבָֽרָעָב֙ (and by famine) יִכְל֣וּ (they will be consumed) בְתוֹכֵ֔ךְ (in your midst) וְהַ֨שְּׁלִשִׁ֔ית (and a third) בַּחֶ֖רֶב (by the sword) יִפְּל֣וּ (will fall) סְבִיבוֹתָ֑יִךְ (all around you) וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית֙ (and a third) לְכָל־ (to all) ר֣וּחַ (the winds), אֱזָרֶ֔ה (I will scatter) וְחֶ֖רֶב (and a sword) אָרִ֥יק (I will unsheath) אַחֲרֵיהֶֽם׃ (after them).

13  וְכָלָ֣ה (And shall be completed), אַפִּ֗י (and My nose) וַהֲנִחוֹתִ֧י (and I will cause to rest) חֲמָתִ֛י (My fury) בָּ֖ם (upon them) וְהִנֶּחָ֑מְתִּי (and I will be avenged); וְֽיָדְע֞וּ (and they will know) כִּי־ (that) אֲנִ֣י (I) יְהוָ֗ה (YHWH) דִּבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ (have spoken it) בְּקִנְאָתִ֔י (in My zeal), בְּכַלּוֹתִ֥י (in my completing) חֲמָתִ֖י (My fury) בָּֽם׃ (against them).

14  וְאֶתְּנֵךְ֙ (And I will make you) לְחָרְבָּ֣ה (a desolation), וּלְחֶרְפָּ֔ה (and a reproach) בַּגּוֹיִ֖ם (among the nations) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that are) סְבִיבוֹתָ֑יִךְ (around you) לְעֵינֵ֖י (before the eyes) כָּל־ (of everyone) עוֹבֵֽר׃ (passing by). 15  וְֽהָ֨יְתָ֜ה (And it will be) חֶרְפָּ֤ה (a reproach) וּגְדוּפָה֙ (and a taunt), מוּסָ֣ר (a warning) וּמְשַׁמָּ֔ה (and a horror) לַגּוֹיִ֖ם (to the nations) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that are) סְבִיבוֹתָ֑יִךְ (around you) בַּעֲשׂוֹתִי֩ (in my making) בָ֨ךְ (against you) שְׁפָטִ֜ים (judgments) בְּאַ֤ף (in anger) וּבְחֵמָה֙ (and in fury) וּבְתֹכְח֣וֹת (and with rebukes). חֵמָ֔ה (Of fury) אֲנִ֥י (I) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) דִּבַּֽרְתִּי׃ (have spoken).

16  בְּֽשַׁלְּחִ֡י (In my sending) אֶת־ (-) חִצֵּי֩ (arrows) הָרָעָ֨ב (of famine), הָרָעִ֤ים (the evil) בָּהֶם֙ (against them) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (which) הָי֣וּ (shall be) לְמַשְׁחִ֔ית (for destruction), אֲשֶׁר־ (which) אֲשַׁלַּ֥ח (I will send) אוֹתָ֖ם (-) לְשַֽׁחֶתְכֶ֑ם (to destroy you⁺) וְרָעָב֙ (and the famine) אֹסֵ֣ף (I am adding) עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם (upon you⁺) וְשָׁבַרְתִּ֥י (and will cut off) לָכֶ֖ם (unto you⁺) מַטֵּה־ (the supply) לָֽחֶם׃ (of bread). 17  וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֣י (And I will send) עֲ֠לֵיכֶם (against you⁺) רָעָ֞ב (famine) וְחַיָּ֤ה (and beasts), רָעָה֙ (and evil) וְשִׁכְּלֻ֔ךְ (and they will bereave you) וְדֶ֥בֶר (and pestilence) וָדָ֖ם (and blood) יַעֲבָר־ (will pass) בָּ֑ךְ (through you) וְחֶ֙רֶב֙ (and the sword) אָבִ֣יא (I will bring) עָלַ֔יִךְ (upon you) אֲנִ֥י (I) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) דִּבַּֽרְתִּי׃פ (have spoken).