Ezekiel 21:1-13 ▼

1 And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem and speak, dripping out words against the sanctuaries and prophesy against the land of Israel

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

4 Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go out from its sheath against all flesh from south to north.

5 Thus all flesh will know that I, Yahweh, have brought out My sword from its sheath. It will not return to its sheath again.”’

6 Now as for you, son of man, groan with breaking heart and bitter grief, groan in their sight.

7 And it will be that when they say to you, ‘Why do you groan?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the report that is coming; and every heart will melt, all hands will fall limp, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming, and it will happen,’ declares Lord Yahweh.”

8 Again the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

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

10 Sharpened to make a slaughter, Polished to flash like lightning!’ Or shall we rejoice in the scepter of My son? The sword despises every tree.

11 It is given to be polished, that it may be seized by the hand; the sword is sharpened and polished, to give it into the hand of the one who kills.

12 Cry out and wail, son of man; for it is against My people; it is against all the princes of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with My people; therefore slap your thigh.

13 For there is a testing; and what if even the scepter which the sword despises will be no more?” declares Lord Yahweh.