Ezekiel 21:1-17 ▼

1 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 |Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, and speak against the sanctuaries, and prophesy against the land of Israel;

3 and tell the land of Israel, 'Thus says the LORD: |Look, I am against you, and will draw forth my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.

4 Seeing then that I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of its sheath against all flesh from the Negev to the north:

5 and all flesh shall know that I, the LORD, have drawn forth my sword out of its sheath; it shall not return any more.|'

6 |Sigh therefore, you son of man; with the breaking of your thighs and with bitterness you will sigh before their eyes.

7 It shall be, when they tell you, 'Why do you sigh?' that you shall say, 'Because of the news, for it comes; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: look, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord GOD.'|

8 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, it is sharpened, and also furbished;

10 it is sharpened that it may make a slaughter; it is furbished that it may be as lightning: shall we then make mirth? The rod of my son, it condemns every tree.

11 It is given to be furbished, that it may be handled: the sword, it is sharpened, yes, it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the killer.|'

12 Cry and wail, son of man; for it is on my people, it is on all the princes of Israel: they are delivered over to the sword with my people; strike therefore on your thigh.

13 For there is a trial; and what if even the rod that condemns shall be no more?| says the Lord GOD.

14 |You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and strike your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the deadly wounded: it is the sword of the great one who is deadly wounded, which enters into their rooms.

15 I have set the threatening sword against all their gates, that their heart may melt, and their stumblings be multiplied: Ah. It is made as lightning, it is pointed for slaughter.

16 'Gather yourselves together, go to the right, set yourselves in array, go to the left, wherever your face is set.'

17 I will also strike my hands together, and I will cause my wrath to rest: I, the LORD, have spoken it.|