21
1 The
LORD’s word came
to me, saying,
2 “Son
of man, set
your face
toward Jerusalem, and
preach toward
the sanctuaries, and
prophesy against
the land of Israel.
3 Tell
the land of Israel,
‘The LORD says: “Behold, I am against
you, and will draw
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 my sword
will go out
of its sheath
against all flesh
from the south to
the north.
5 All flesh
will know that I,
the LORD,
have drawn my sword
out of its sheath.
It will not return
any more.” ’
6 “Therefore
sigh, you son of man.
You shall sigh
before their eyes
with a broken heart
and with bitterness.
7 It
shall be, when
they ask you, ‘Why do
you sigh?’ that
you shall say, ‘Because
of the news, for
it comes!
Every heart will melt,
all hands will
be feeble, every spirit
will faint, and
all knees will
be weak as water. Behold,
it comes, and
it shall be
done, says the Lord
GOD.’ ”
8 The
LORD’s word came
to me, saying,
9 “Son of
man, prophesy, and say, ‘The
LORD says:
“A sword! A
sword!
It is sharpened,
and also polished.
10 It
is sharpened that
it may make
a slaughter.
It is polished
that it may
be as lightning.
Should we then
make mirth?
The rod of my son
condemns every tree.
11 It
is given to
be polished,
that it may
be handled.
The sword is sharpened.
Yes, it is polished
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.
Therefore beat your thigh.
13 “For
there is a trial.
What if even
the rod that condemns
will be no
more?” says the
Lord GOD.
14 “You
therefore, son of
man, prophesy,
and strike your hands
together.
Let the sword
be doubled the third time,
the sword of
the fatally wounded.
It is the
sword of the great
one who is fatally
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.”
18 The
LORD’s word came
to me again,
saying,
19 “Also,
you son of
man, appoint two ways,
that the sword
of the king
of Babylon may come.
They both will come
out of one land,
and mark out
a place. Mark it
out at the head
of the way to
the city.
20 You
shall appoint a
way for the
sword to come
to Rabbah of
the children of Ammon,
and to Judah in
Jerusalem the fortified.
21 For
the king of Babylon
stood at the parting
of the way,
at the head
of the two ways,
to use divination. He shook
the arrows back and
forth. He consulted
the teraphim.
He looked in
the liver.
22 In
his right hand
was the lot
for Jerusalem, to
set battering rams, to open
the mouth in the
slaughter, to
lift up the voice
with shouting, to
set battering rams against
the gates, to
cast up mounds, and
to build forts.
23 It
will be to
them as a false
divination in their sight,
who have sworn oaths
to them; but
he brings iniquity to memory,
that they may
be taken.
24 “Therefore
the Lord GOD says: ‘Because
you have caused
your iniquity to
be remembered, in
that your transgressions
are uncovered, so
that in all
your doings your sins appear;
because you have
come to memory,
you will be
taken with the
hand.
25 “ ‘You,
deadly wounded wicked one,
the prince of Israel,
whose day has come,
in the time of
the iniquity of
the end,
26 the Lord
GOD says: “Remove the turban,
and take off
the crown. This
will not be
as it was. Exalt
that which is low,
and humble that
which is high.
27 I
will overturn, overturn, overturn
it. This also
will be no
more, until he
comes whose right
it is; and
I will give
it.” ’
28 “You, son
of man, prophesy and say, ‘The
Lord GOD says this concerning
the children of Ammon,
and concerning their reproach:
“A sword! A sword
is drawn!
It is polished
for the slaughter,
to cause it
to devour,
that it may
be as lightning;
29 while
they see for
you false visions,
while they divine lies
to you,
to lay you
on the necks of
the wicked who
are deadly wounded,
whose day has
come in the time
of the iniquity
of the end.
30 Cause it
to return into its sheath.
In the place where
you were created,
in the land of
your birth, I
will judge you.
31 I
will pour out
my indignation on
you.
I will blow on
you with the fire
of my wrath.
I will deliver
you into the hand
of brutish men,
skillful to destroy.
32 You
will be for fuel
to the fire.
Your blood will
be in the middle
of the land.
You will
be remembered no
more;
for I, the
LORD, have spoken
it.” ’ ”