| Holman Christian Standard Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1The word of the LORD came to me again:" | 1And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, |
| 2Son of man, turn your face toward Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel, | 2“Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel |
| 3and say to it: This is what the LORD says: I am against you. I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off both the righteous and the wicked from you. | 3and tell her that this is what the LORD says: ‘I am against you, and I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. |
| 4Since I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked, My sword will therefore come out of its sheath against everyone from the south to the north. | 4Because I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked, My sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north. |
| 5So all the people will know that I, Yahweh, have taken My sword from its sheath--it will not be sheathed again." | 5Then all flesh will know that I, the LORD, have taken My sword from its sheath, not to return it again.’ |
| 6But you, son of man, groan! Groan bitterly with a broken heart right before their eyes. | 6But you, son of man, groan! Groan before their eyes with a broken heart and bitter grief. |
| 7And when they ask you, 'Why are you groaning?' then say: Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will become weak. Every spirit will be discouraged, and every knee will turn to water. Yes, it is coming and it will happen." This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. | 7And when they ask, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you are to say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will go limp. Every spirit will faint, and every knee will turn to water.’ Yes, it is coming and it will surely happen, declares the Lord GOD.” |
| 8The word of the LORD came to me: " | 8Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, |
| 9Son of man, prophesy: This is what the Lord says! You are to proclaim: A sword! A sword is sharpened and also polished. | 9“Son of man, prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord says: ‘A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished— |
| 10It is sharpened for slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! Should we rejoice? The scepter of My son, the sword despises every tree. | 10it is sharpened for the slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! Should we rejoice in the scepter of My son? The sword despises every such stick. |
| 11The sword is given to be polished, to be grasped in the hand. It is sharpened, and it is polished, to be put in the hand of the slayer. | 11The sword is appointed to be polished, to be grasped in the hand. It is sharpened and polished, to be placed in the hand of the slayer. |
| 12Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against My people. It is against all the princes of Israel! They are given over to the sword with My people. Therefore strike your thigh in grief. | 12Cry out and wail, O son of man, for the sword is wielded against My people; it is against all the princes of Israel! They are tossed to the sword with My people; therefore strike your thigh. |
| 13Surely it will be a trial! And what if the sword despises even the scepter? The scepter will not continue. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. | 13Surely testing will come! And what if even the scepter, which the sword despises, does not continue?’ declares the Lord GOD. |
| 14Therefore, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands together. Let the sword strike two times, even three. It is a sword for massacre, a sword for great massacre-- it surrounds them! | 14‘So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together. Let the sword strike two times, even three. It is a sword that slays, a sword of great slaughter closing in on every side! |
| 15I have appointed a sword for slaughter at all their gates, so that their hearts may melt and many may stumble. Yes! It is ready to flash like lightning; it is drawn for slaughter. | 15So that their hearts may melt and many may stumble, I have appointed at all their gates a sword for slaughter. Yes, it is ready to flash like lightning; it is drawn for slaughter. |
| 16Slash to the right; turn to the left-- wherever your blade is directed. | 16Slash to the right; set your blade to the left—wherever your blade is directed. |
| 17I also will clap My hands together, and I will satisfy My wrath. I, Yahweh, have spoken." | 17I too will strike My hands together, and I will satisfy My wrath.’ I, the LORD, have spoken.” |
| 18Then the word of the LORD came to me: " | 18Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, |
| 19Now you, son of man, mark out two roads that the sword of Babylon's king can take. Both of them should originate from the same land. And make a signpost at the fork in the road to each city. | 19“Now you, son of man, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same land. And make a signpost where the road branches off to each city. |
| 20Mark out a road that the sword can take to Rabbah of the Ammonites and to Judah into fortified Jerusalem. | 20Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and another against Judah into fortified Jerusalem. |
| 21For the king of Babylon stands at the split in the road, at the fork of the two roads, to practice divination: he shakes the arrows, consults the idols, and observes the liver. | 21For the king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He shakes the arrows, he consults the idols, he examines the liver. |
| 22The answer marked Jerusalem appears in his right hand, indicating that he should set up battering rams, give the order to slaughter, raise a battle cry, set battering rams against the gates, build a ramp, and construct a siege wall. | 22In his right hand appears the portent for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to call for the slaughter, to lift a battle cry, to direct the battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp, and to erect a siege wall. |
| 23It will seem like false divination in the eyes of those who have sworn an oath to the Babylonians, but it will draw attention to their guilt so that they will be captured." | 23It will seem like a false omen to the eyes of those who have sworn allegiance to him, but it will draw attention to their guilt and take them captive. |
| 24Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: Because you have drawn attention to your guilt, exposing your transgressions, so that your sins are revealed in all your actions, since you have done this, you will be captured by them. | 24Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you have drawn attention to your guilt, exposing your transgressions, so that your sins are revealed in all your deeds—because you have come to remembrance—you shall be taken in hand. |
| 25And you, profane and wicked prince of Israel, the day has come for your punishment." | 25And you, O profane and wicked prince of Israel, the day has come for your final punishment.’ |
| 26This is what the Lord GOD says: Remove the turban, and take off the crown. Things will not remain as they are; exalt the lowly and bring down the exalted. | 26This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Remove the turban, and take off the crown. Things will not remain as they are: Exalt the lowly and bring low the exalted. |
| 27A ruin, a ruin, I will make it a ruin! Yet this will not happen until He comes; I have given the judgment to Him." | 27A ruin, a ruin, I will make it a ruin! And it will not be restored until the arrival of Him to whom it belongs, to whom I have assigned the right of judgment.’ |
| 28Now prophesy, son of man, and say: This is what the Lord GOD says concerning the Ammonites and their contempt. You are to proclaim: A sword! A sword is drawn for slaughter, polished to consume, to flash like lightning. | 28Now prophesy, son of man, and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says concerning the Ammonites and their contempt: ‘A sword! A sword is drawn for slaughter, polished to consume, to flash like lightning— |
| 29While they offer false visions and lying divinations about you, the time has come to put you to the necks of the profane wicked ones; the day has come for your punishment. | 29while they offer false visions for you and lying divinations about you—to be placed on the necks of the wicked who are slain, whose day has come, the time of their final punishment. |
| 30Return it to its sheath! I will judge you in the place where you were created, in the land of your origin. | 30Return the sword to its sheath! In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you. |
| 31I will pour out My indignation on you; I will blow the fire of My fury on you. I will hand you over to brutal men, skilled at destruction. | 31I will pour out My anger upon you; I will breathe the fire of My fury against you; I will hand you over to brutal men, skilled in destruction. |
| 32You will be fuel for the fire. Your blood will be spilled in the land. You will not be remembered, for I, Yahweh, have spoken." | 32You will be fuel for the fire. Your blood will stain your own land. You will not be remembered, for I, the LORD, have spoken.’ ” |
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