Ezekiel 21:8-27

8Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9“Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord.’ Say, ‘1A sword, a sword sharpened And also polished!10Sharpened to make a 2slaughter, Polished 3to flash like lightning!’ Or shall we rejoice, the 4rod of My son 5despising 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. 126Cry out and wail, son of man; for it is against My people, it is against all the 7officials 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 8rod 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 9doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them, 15that their 10hearts may melt, and many 11fall at all their 12gates. I have given the glittering sword. Ah! It is made for striking like lightning, it is wrapped up in readiness for slaughter. 1613Show yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your 14edge is appointed. 17I will also clap My hands together, and I will 1516appease My wrath; I, the Lord, have spoken.”

18The word of the Lord came to me saying, 19“As for you, son of man, 1718make two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to come; both of them will go out of one land. And 19make a signpost; 20make it at the head of the way to the city. 20You shall 21mark a way for the sword to come to 22Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and to Judah into 23fortified Jerusalem. 21For the king of Babylon stands at the 24parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use 25divination; he 26shakes the arrows, he consults the 2728household idols, he looks at the liver. 22Into his right hand came the divination, ‘Jerusalem,’ to 29set battering rams, to open the mouth 30for 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. 23And it will be to them like a false divination in their eyes; 31they have sworn solemn oaths. But he 32brings iniquity to remembrance, that they may be seized.

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. 25And you, O slain, wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose 33day has come, in the time of the 34punishment of the end,’ 26thus says the Lord God, ‘Remove the turban and take off the 35crown; this will 36no longer be the same. 37Exalt that which is low and abase that which is high. 2738A ruin, a ruin, a ruin, I will make it. This also will be no more until 39He comes whose right it is, and I will give it to Him.’