1 A nd the word of the Lord came to me saying,

And 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;

“Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, preach against the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel;

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

and say to the land of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am against you, and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut off both righteous and wicked from you.

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

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

5 T hus all flesh will know that I, the Lord, have drawn My sword out of its sheath. It will not return to its sheath again.”’

that all flesh may know that I, the Lord, have drawn My sword out of its sheath; it shall not return anymore.”’

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

Sigh therefore, son of man, with a breaking heart, and sigh with bitterness before their eyes.

7 A nd when they say to you, ‘Why do you groan?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming; and 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 will happen,’ declares the Lord God.”

And it shall be when they say to you, ‘Why are you sighing?’ that you shall answer, ‘Because of the news; when 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 is coming and shall be brought to pass,’ says the Lord God.”

8 A gain the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Again 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 sharpened And also polished!

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

10 ‘ Sharpened to make a slaughter, Polished to flash like lightning!’ Or shall we rejoice, the rod of My son despising every tree?

Sharpened to make a dreadful slaughter, Polished to flash like lightning! Should we then make mirth? It despises the scepter of My son, As it does all wood.

11 I t is given to be polished, that it may be handled; the sword is sharpened and polished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.

And He has given it to be polished, That it may be handled; This sword is sharpened, and it is polished To be given into the hand of the slayer.’

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

“Cry and wail, son of man; For it will be against My people, Against all the princes of Israel. Terrors including the sword will be against My people; Therefore strike your thigh.

13 F or there is a testing; and what if even the rod which despises will be no more?” declares the Lord God.

“Because it is a testing, And what if the sword despises even the scepter? The scepter shall be no more, ” says the Lord God.

14 “ You therefore, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them,

“You therefore, son of man, prophesy, And strike your hands together. The third time let the sword do double damage. It is the sword that slays, The sword that slays the great men, That enters their private chambers.

15 t hat their hearts may melt, and many fall at all their gates. I have given the glittering sword. Ah! It is made for striking like lightning, it is wrapped up in readiness for slaughter.

I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, That the heart may melt and many may stumble. Ah! It is made bright; It is grasped for slaughter:

16 S how yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your edge is appointed.

“Swords at the ready! Thrust right! Set your blade! Thrust left— Wherever your edge is ordered!

17 I will also clap My hands together, and I will appease My wrath; I, the Lord, have spoken.” The Instrument of God’s Judgment

“I also will beat My fists together, And I will cause My fury to rest; I, the Lord, have spoken.”

18 T he word of the Lord came to me saying,

The word of the Lord came to me again, saying:

19 “ As for you, son of man, make two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to come; both of them will go out of one land. And make a signpost; make it at the head of the way to the city.

“And son of man, appoint for yourself two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to go; both of them shall go from the same land. Make a sign; put it at the head of the road to the city.

20 Y ou shall mark a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and to Judah into fortified Jerusalem.

Appoint a road for the sword to go to Rabbah of the Ammonites, and to Judah, into fortified Jerusalem.

21 F or the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination; he shakes the arrows, he consults the household idols, he looks at the liver.

For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the road, at the fork of the two roads, to use divination: he shakes the arrows, he consults the images, he looks at the liver.

22 I nto his right hand came the divination, ‘Jerusalem,’ to set battering rams, to open the mouth for slaughter, to lift up the voice with a battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up ramps, to build a siege wall.

In his right hand is the divination for Jerusalem: to set up battering rams, to call for a slaughter, to lift the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to heap up a siege mound, and to build a wall.

23 A nd it will be to them like a false divination in their eyes; they have sworn solemn oaths. But he brings iniquity to remembrance, that they may be seized.

And it will be to them like a false divination in the eyes of those who have sworn oaths with them; but he will bring their iniquity to remembrance, that they may be taken.

24 “ Therefore, thus says the Lord God, ‘Because you have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your deeds your sins appear—because you have come to remembrance, you will be seized with the hand.

“Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have made 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 remembrance, you shall be taken in hand.

25 A nd you, O slain, wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose day has come, in the time of the punishment of the end,’

‘Now to you, O profane, wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose iniquity shall end,

26 t hus says the Lord God, ‘Remove the turban and take off the crown; this will no longer be the same. Exalt that which is low and abase that which is high.

thus says the Lord God: “Remove the turban, and take off the crown; Nothing shall remain the same. Exalt the humble, and humble the exalted.

27 A ruin, a ruin, a ruin, I will make it. This also will be no more until He comes whose right it is, and I will give it to Him.’

Overthrown, overthrown, I will make it overthrown! It shall be no longer, Until He comes whose right it is, And I will give it to Him. ”’ A Sword Against the Ammonites

28 “ And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God concerning the sons of Ammon and concerning their reproach,’ and say: ‘A sword, a sword is drawn, polished for the slaughter, to cause it to consume, that it may be like lightning—

“And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach,’ and say: ‘A sword, a sword is drawn, Polished for slaughter, For consuming, for flashing—

29 w hile they see for you false visions, while they divine lies for you—to place you on the necks of the wicked who are slain, whose day has come, in the time of the punishment of the end.

While they see false visions for you, While they divine a lie to you, To bring you on the necks of the wicked, the slain Whose day has come, Whose iniquity shall end.

30 R eturn it to its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you.

‘Return it to its sheath. I will judge you In the place where you were created, In the land of your nativity.

31 I will pour out My indignation on you; I will blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and I will give you into the hand of brutal men, skilled in destruction.

I will pour out My indignation on you; I will blow against you with the fire of My wrath, And deliver you into the hands of brutal men who are skillful to destroy.

32 Y ou will be fuel for the fire; your blood will be in the midst of the land. You will not be remembered, for I, the Lord, have spoken.’”

You shall be fuel for the fire; Your blood shall be in the midst of the land. You shall not be remembered, For I the Lord have spoken.’”