Ezekiel 21:9-17 ▼

9 |Son of Man, prophesy and say, 'This is what the Lord GOD says: 'A sword! A sword is being sharpened. It's also being polished.

10 It's being sharpened for slaughter, and being polished to gleam like lightning.' |We shouldn't be rejoicing, should we, while my Son's scepter, the sword, is despising every tree?

11 It's intended to be polished so it can be grasped in the hand. The sword is sharpened. It's polished for placement into the hand of the executioner.|

12 Cry and wail, you Son of Man! It's headed against my people. It's also against all the princes of Israel, who have been tossed to the sword, along with my people. So it's time to grieve like you mean it,

13 because testing is sure to come. 'In putting the sword to the test along with the scepter, it won't keep on rejecting, will it?' declares the Lord GOD.|

14 |Now, Son of Man, prophesy as you strike your hands together. Let the sword that fatally wounds be doubled and tripled. That great, slaughtering sword closes in on them. I've set in place a slaughtering sword at the entrance to all their gates,

15 so that their hearts melt and the number of those who stumble increase. I've set in place a slaughtering sword at the entrance to all their gates. Oh, no! It's made like lightning. It's drawn to slaughter.

16 Be sharp! Attack on the right, or parry to your left, wherever you point your sword.

17 I will also clap my hands; then my anger will subside. I, the LORD have spoken it.|