Ezekiel 21:1-17

11And the word of the Lord came to me saying, 2“Son of man, 2set your face toward Jerusalem, and 34speak against the sanctuaries and prophesy against the land of Israel; 3and say to the land of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Behold, 5I am against you; and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut off from you the 6righteous and the wicked. 4Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go forth from its sheath against 7all flesh from south to north. 5Thus all flesh will know that I, the Lord, have drawn My sword out of its sheath. It will 8not return to its sheath again.”’ 6As for you, son of man, groan with breaking 9heart and bitter grief, groan in their sight. 7And when they say to you, ‘Why do you groan?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the 10news that is coming; and 11every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will 12faint and all knees will 13be weak as water. Behold, it comes and it will happen,’ declares the Lord 14God.”

8Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9“Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord.’ Say, ‘15A sword, a sword sharpened And also polished!10Sharpened to make a 16slaughter, Polished 17to flash like lightning!’ Or shall we rejoice, the 18rod of My son 19despising every tree? 11It 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. 1220Cry out and wail, son of man; for it is against My people, it is against all the 21officials of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with My people, therefore strike your thigh. 13For there is a testing; and what if even the 22rod which despises will be no more?” declares the Lord God.

14“You therefore, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands together; and let the sword be 23doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them, 15that their 24hearts may melt, and many 25fall at all their 26gates. I have given the glittering sword. Ah! It is made for striking like lightning, it is wrapped up in readiness for slaughter. 1627Show yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your 28edge is appointed. 17I will also clap My hands together, and I will 2930appease My wrath; I, the Lord, have spoken.”