Ezekiel 21:12-21

12Cry aloud, son of man! This sword is ready to attack my people. It will attack all the leaders of Israel. It will destroy my people and their leaders. Because of that, show that you are very upset.

13I am ready to test my people. My sword does not respect the power of any king. So my people will not escape punishment. That is what the Almighty Lord says.

14So speak my message to warn my people, son of man. Then clap your hands together. My sword must attack them many times. It is ready to kill many people. It will attack them from all directions.

15So people will shake with fear. Many of them will fall down. My sword is ready to kill them at every gate of the city. It shines like lightning. It is ready to kill!

16My sword, attack quickly on your right side! Now turn and attack on your left side! Attack in every direction that you turn!

17Then I, too, will clap my hands together. Finally, my anger will finish. I, the Lord, have spoken.’

18The Lord gave this message to me:

19‘Son of man, make a mark on two roads for the king of Babylon to follow with his army. Both these roads must start from the same country. Put a sign at the place where the two roads go in separate directions.

20Show the two places that the roads go to. One road goes to Rabbah, the big city of the Ammonites. The other road goes to Judah and its strong city, Jerusalem.

21The king of Babylon will arrive at the place where the road goes in separate directions. He will try to decide which way to go. He will use magic to ask his gods to tell him. He will shake arrows in his hands. He will pray to his idols. He will look at the livers of animals.