Ezekiel 21:1-17

1The word of the Lord came to me:

2"Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel

3and say to the land of Israel, Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am against you and will draw my sword from its sheath and will cut off from you both righteous and wicked.

4Because I will cut off from you both righteous and wicked, therefore my sword shall be drawn from its sheath against all flesh from south to north.

5And all flesh shall know that I am the Lord. I have drawn my sword from its sheath; it shall not be sheathed again.

6"As for you, son of man, groan; with breaking heart and bitter grief, groan before their eyes.

7And when they say to you, 'Why do you groan?' you shall say, 'Because of the news that it is coming. Every heart will melt, and all hands will be feeble; every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming, and it will be fulfilled,'" declares the Lord God.

8And the word of the Lord came to me:

9"Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord, say: "A sword, a sword is sharpened and also polished,

10sharpened for slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! (Or shall we rejoice? You have despised the rod, my son, with everything of wood.)

11So the sword is given to be polished, that it may be grasped in the hand. It is sharpened and polished to be given into the hand of the slayer.

12Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against my people. It is against all the princes of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with my people. Strike therefore upon your thigh.

13For it will not be a testing—what could it do if you despise the rod?" declares the Lord God.

14"As for you, son of man, prophesy. Clap your hands and let the sword come down twice, yes, three times, the sword for those to be slain. It is the sword for the great slaughter, which surrounds them,

15that their hearts may melt, and many stumble. At all their gates I have given the glittering sword. Ah, it is made like lightning; it is taken up for slaughter.

16Cut sharply to the right; set yourself to the left, wherever your face is directed.

17I also will clap my hands, and I will satisfy my fury; I the Lord have spoken."