Ezekiel 21:1-17

Jubilee Bible 2000

21 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

² Son of man, set thy face against Jerusalem, and drop my word upon the sanctuaries, and prophesy over the land of Israel,

³ and thou shalt say to the land of Israel, Thus hath the LORD said: Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of its sheath and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.

⁴ Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked therefore shall my sword go forth out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:

⁵ that all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of its sheath; it shall not return any more.

⁶ Cry out therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness cry out before their eyes.

⁷ And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Why criest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings that come; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint; and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it comes and shall be brought to pass, said the Lord GOD.

⁸ ¶ Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

⁹ Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus hath the LORD said: Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:

¹⁰ it is sharpened to slay victims; it is furbished that it may glitter; should we then make mirth? it despises the rod of my son, as every tree.

¹¹ And he has given it to be furbished, that it may be handled; this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.

¹² Cry and howl, son of man, for it shall be upon my people; it shall be upon all the princes of Israel; fear of the sword shall be upon my people; therefore smite the thigh

¹³ because it shall be a trial. What shall be if it does not despise the rod? said the Lord GOD.

¹⁴ Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy and smite thine hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain; this is the sword of great slaughter that shall pierce them.

¹⁵ I have set the fear of the sword in all their gates, that their heart may faint and their ruins be multiplied; ah! it is made so that it might shine; it is prepared for the slaughter.

¹⁶ Go one way or other, either on the right hand or on the left, wherever thy face is set.

¹⁷ I will also smite my hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest; I the LORD have spoken.