21 The Lord gave this message to me: 2 ‘Son of man, look towards Jerusalem. Speak about the things in my holy place that are wrong. Speak my message to warn the people of Israel. 3 Say to them, “This is what the Lord says: I am now your enemy. I will take my sword in my hand. I will use it to kill both righteous people and wicked people. 4 I will remove righteous people and wicked people from among you. So I will use my sword to attack everyone in the land, from the north to the south. 5 Then all the people will know that I am the Lord . I am the one who is punishing them with my sword. And I will not put it back in its place.”
6 So now, son of man, cry aloud. Let the people see how sad and upset you are. 7 They will ask you, “Why are you so sad?” Then you will say, “I am sad because of the news that will soon come. Every one of you will be very afraid. Your hands will be weak and your knees will shake.” You can be sure that this will happen very soon. That is what the Almighty Lord says.’
8 The Lord gave this message to me: 9 ‘Son of man, speak my message to the people. Say, “This is what the Lord says:
Look at my sword! It is sharp and it shines brightly.
10 It is sharp and it is ready to kill people.
It shines as bright as lightning!
Should we trust in the power of our king?
No! This sword does not respect any kingdom.
11 Now it is sharp and it shines.
It is ready for someone to take in their hand.
It is ready for the killer to use it.”
12 Cry 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.
13 I 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.
14 So 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.
15 So 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!
16 My sword, attack quickly on your right side!
Now turn and attack on your left side!
Attack in every direction that you turn!
17 Then I, too, will clap my hands together.
Finally, my anger will finish.
I, the Lord , have spoken.’
18 The 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. 20 Show 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. 21 The 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. [ b ] 22 The arrow in his right hand shows him that he should go to Jerusalem. He will command his army to go and kill the people there. His soldiers will use heavy pieces of wood to knock down the walls and gates of the city. They will shout as they attack the city. They will build heaps of earth against the city's walls. 23 The people in Jerusalem had promised to serve the king of Babylon. So they think that he will not attack them. But he will tell them about the wrong things that they have done. Because of that he will take them as his prisoners. [ c ]
24 So this is what the Almighty Lord says: You have shown everyone that you are guilty of many sins. Everything that you do shows your sins very clearly. Because you are guilty, your enemies will take you as their prisoners.
25 I say this to you, wicked king of Israel. The time for your final punishment has now arrived. 26 This is what the Almighty Lord says:
Take off the special cloth from the king's head.
Remove his crown!
Everything will change!
Give honour to humble people!
Make proud people ashamed!
27 I will cause your city to become a heap of stones.
I will destroy the kingdom.
This will happen when my chosen man comes.
I have chosen him to punish the city.
Then I will give him authority over the city, because it belongs to him.
28 You, son of man, must speak my message about the Ammonites. They have insulted Israel. This is what the Almighty Lord says:
A sword is ready to destroy them.
It shines brightly like lightning and it is ready to kill.
29 Their visions about the battle have deceived them.
What they think will happen is only lies.
The sword will punish wicked people with death.
The time for their final punishment has now arrived.
30 Now put the sword back in its place! [ d ]
I will judge you in your own land,
in the place where you were born.
31 I will punish you very strongly,
because I am so angry with you.
I will put you under the power of cruel men
who know how to destroy people.
32 You will be like wood that helps a fire to burn.
You will die a violent death in your own land.
Nobody will remember you any more.
I, the Lord , have said this.’
21 So the word of the Lord came to me again. He said, 2 “Son of man, [ a ] look toward Jerusalem and speak against their holy places. Speak against the land of Israel for me. 3 Say to the land of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord said: I am against you! I will pull my sword from its sheath. I will remove all people from you—the good and the evil. 4 I will cut off both good people and evil people from you. I will pull my sword from its sheath and use it against all people from south to north. 5 Then everyone will know that I am the Lord . They will know that I have pulled my sword from its sheath. My sword will not go back into its sheath again until it is finished.’
6 “Son of man, make sad sounds like a sad person with a broken heart. Make these sad sounds in front of the people. 7 Then they will ask you, ‘Why are you making these sad sounds?’ Then you must say, ‘Because of the sad news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear. All hands will become weak. Every spirit will become weak. All knees will be like water.’ Look, that bad news is coming. These things will happen!” This is what the Lord God said.
8 The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 9 “Son of man, speak to the people for me. Say this, ‘This is what the Lord says:
“‘Look, a sword, a sharp sword,
and it has been polished.
10 The sword was made sharp for killing.
It was polished to flash like lightning.
My son, you ran away from the stick I used to punish you.
You refused to be punished with that wooden stick.
11 So the sword has been polished.
Now it can be used.
The sword was sharpened and polished.
Now it can be put in the hand of the killer.
12 “‘Son of man, shout out and scream because the sword will be used against my people and all the rulers of Israel. They wanted war—so they will be with my people when the sword comes. So slap your thigh to show your sadness, 13 because it is not just a test. You refused to be punished with the wooden stick, so what else should I use to punish you? A sword? ’” This is what the Lord God said.
14 “Son of man, clap your hands to show your sadness,
and speak to the people for me.
Let the sword come down twice, no, three times!
This sword is for killing the people.
This is the sword for the great killing.
This sword will cut into them.
15 Their hearts will melt with fear,
and many people will fall.
The sword will kill many people by the city gates.
Yes, the sword will flash like lightning.
It was polished to kill the people!
16 Sword, be sharp!
Cut on the right side.
Cut straight ahead.
Cut on the left side.
Go wherever your edge was chosen to go.
17 “Then I, too, will clap my hands
and stop showing my anger.
I, the Lord , have spoken!”
18 The word of the Lord came to me. He said, 19 “Son of man, draw two roads that the sword of the king of Babylon can use to come to Israel. Both roads will come from the same country. Then draw a sign at the head of the road to the city. 20 Use the sign to show which road the sword will use. One road leads to the Ammonite city of Rabbah. The other road leads to Judah, to the protected city, Jerusalem. 21 The king of Babylon has come to where the two roads separate. He uses magic to learn which way to go: He shakes his arrows, he asks his family idols, and he looks at the liver [ b ] from an animal he has killed.
22 “The signs tell him to take the road on his right, the road leading to Jerusalem, where he will use battering rams. [ c ] The signs tell him to give the command for his soldiers to begin the killing. They will shout the battle cry and set the battering rams against the gates. They will build a wall of dirt around the city and a dirt road leading up to the walls. They will build wooden towers to attack the city. 23 But the people in Jerusalem will think this is all a big mistake. They will not believe that this could happen, because they had made a peace agreement with Babylon’s king. But the king will remind them that they are guilty of breaking that agreement, and he will take them captive.”
24 This is what the Lord God says: “You have done many evil things. Your sins are very clear. You forced me to remember that you are guilty, so the enemy will catch you in his hand. 25 And you, evil leader of Israel, you will be killed. Your time of punishment has come! The end is here!”
26 This is what the Lord God says: “Take off the turban! Take off the crown! The time has come to change. The important leaders will be brought low, and those who are not important now will become important leaders. 27 I will completely destroy that city! But this will not happen until the right man becomes the new king. Then I will let him have this city.”
28 “Son of man, speak to the people for me. Say this, ‘This is what the Lord God says to the people of Ammon and their shameful god:
“‘Look, a sword!
The sword is out of its sheath.
It has been polished.
The sword is ready to kill.
It was polished to flash like lightning!
29 “‘Your visions are useless.
Your magic will not help you.
It is only a bunch of lies.
The sword is now at the throats of evil men.
They will soon be only dead bodies.
Their time has come.
The time has come for their evil to end.
30 “‘Put the sword back in its sheath. Babylon, I will judge you in the place where you were created, in the land where you were born. 31 I will pour out my anger against you. My anger will burn you like a hot wind. I will hand you over to cruel men. [ d ] Those men are skilled at killing people. 32 You will be like fuel for the fire. Your blood will flow deep into the earth—people will never remember you again. I, the Lord , have spoken!’”
21 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,
3 And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the Lord ; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his 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 his 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 his sheath: it shall not return any more.
6 Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.
7 And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: 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 cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord God .
8 Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
9 Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord ; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:
10 It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree.
11 And he hath 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: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh.
13 Because it is a trial, and what if the sword contemn even the rod? it shall be no more, saith 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: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy chambers.
15 I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter.
16 Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set.
17 I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest: I the Lord have said it.
18 The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying,
19 Also, thou son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come: both twain shall come forth out of one land: and choose thou a place, choose it at the head of the way to the city.
20 Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced.
21 For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver.
22 At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort.
23 And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight, to them that have sworn oaths: but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.
24 Therefore thus saith the Lord God ; Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand.
25 And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end,
26 Thus saith the Lord God ; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high.
27 I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.
28 And thou, son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; even say thou, The sword, the sword is drawn: for the slaughter it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering:
29 Whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end.
30 Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity.
31 And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skilful to destroy.
32 Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no more remembered: for I the Lord have spoken it.
21 [ a ] And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, ( A ) set your face against Jerusalem, and [ b ] ( B ) speak prophetically against the sanctuaries and prophesy against the land of Israel; 3 and say to the land of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Behold, ( C ) I am against you; and I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you the ( D ) righteous and the wicked. 4 Because I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will go out from its sheath against [ c ] ( E ) humanity from south to north. 5 So [ d ] humanity will know that I, the Lord , have drawn My sword from its sheath. It will ( F ) not return to its sheath again.”’ 6 As for you, son of man, groan with [ e ] a breaking heart and bitter grief; you shall groan in their sight. 7 And when they say to you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the ( G ) news, for it is coming; and ( H ) every heart will melt, all hands will go limp, every spirit will be disheartened, and all [ f ] knees will drip with water. Behold, it is coming and it will happen,’ declares the Lord [ g ] God .”
8 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says:’ Say,
‘ ( I ) A sword, a sword sharpened
And also polished!
10 Sharpened to make a ( J ) slaughter,
Polished [ h ] to flash like lightning!’
Or shall we rejoice, the [ i ] rod of My son ( K ) despising every tree? 11 And it is given to be polished, so that it may be handled; the sword is sharpened and polished, to hand it over to the slaughterer. 12 ( L ) Cry out and wail, son of man; for it is against My people, it is against all the ( M ) officials of Israel. They are turned over to the sword with My people, therefore [ j ] slap your thigh. 13 For there is a testing; and what if even the [ k ] rod which despises will cease to be?” declares the Lord God .
14 “You therefore, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands; and let the sword be ( N ) doubled the third time, the sword for the slain. It is the sword for the great one slain, which surrounds them, 15 so that their ( O ) hearts will waver, and many ( P ) fall at all their ( Q ) gates. I have granted the slaughter of the sword. Oh! It is made for striking like lightning, it is sharpened in readiness for slaughter. 16 Prove yourself sharp, go to the right; set yourself; go to the left, wherever your [ l ] edge is ordered. 17 I will also clap My hands, and I will ( R ) satisfy My wrath; I, the Lord , have spoken.”
18 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 19 “Now as for you, son of man, [ m ] ( S ) make two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to come; both of them will go out of one land. And [ n ] make a signpost; [ o ] make it at the head of the way to the city. 20 You shall [ p ] mark a way for the sword to come to ( T ) Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and to Judah into ( U ) fortified Jerusalem. 21 For the king of Babylon stands at the [ q ] parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use ( V ) divination; he ( W ) shakes the arrows, he consults the [ r ] ( X ) household idols, he looks at the liver. 22 Into his right hand came the divination, ‘Jerusalem,’ to ( Y ) set up battering rams, to open the mouth [ s ] for [ t ] slaughter, to raise the voice with a battle cry, to set up battering rams against the gates, to pile up assault ramps, to build a siege wall. 23 And it will be to them like a false divination in their eyes; ( Z ) they have sworn solemn oaths. But he ( AA ) makes guilt known, so that they may be seized.
24 “Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: ‘Because you have made your guilt known, in that your offenses are uncovered, so that in all your deeds your sins are seen—because you have come to mind, you will be seized by the hand. 25 And you, slain, wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose ( AB ) day has come, in the time of the [ u ] punishment of the end,’ 26 this is what the Lord God says: ‘Remove the [ v ] turban and take off the ( AC ) crown; this will [ w ] no longer be the same. ( AD ) Exalt that which is low, and humble that which is high. 27 ( AE ) Ruins, ruins, ruins, I will make it! This also will be no longer until ( AF ) He comes whose right it is, and I will give it to Him .’
28 “And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord God says concerning the sons of Ammon and their ( AG ) taunting,’ and say: ‘A sword, a sword is drawn, sharpened for the slaughter, to make it [ x ] ( AH ) consume, so that it may be like lightning— 29 while they see ( AI ) false visions for you, while they divine lies for you—to place you on the necks of the wicked who are killed, whose day has come, in the ( AJ ) time of the [ y ] punishment of the end. 30 ( AK ) Return it to its sheath. In the ( AL ) place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you. 31 I will ( AM ) pour out My indignation on you; I will ( AN ) blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and I will hand you over to brutal men, ( AO ) craftsmen of destruction. 32 You will be [ z ] ( AP ) fuel for the fire; your blood will be in the midst of the land. You will ( AQ ) not be remembered, for I, the Lord , have spoken.’”
21 [ a ] The word of the Lord came to me: ( A ) 2 “Son of man, set your face against ( B ) Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary. ( C ) Prophesy against ( D ) the land of Israel 3 and say to her: ‘This is what the Lord says: I am against you. ( E ) I will draw my sword ( F ) from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. ( G ) 4 Because I am going to cut off the righteous and the wicked, my sword ( H ) will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north. ( I ) 5 Then all people will know that I the Lord have drawn my sword ( J ) from its sheath; it will not return ( K ) again.’ ( L )
6 “Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief. ( M ) 7 And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning? ( N ) ’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear ( O ) and every hand go limp; ( P ) every spirit will become faint ( Q ) and every leg will be wet with urine.’ ( R ) It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord .”
8 The word of the Lord came to me: 9 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says:
“‘A sword, a sword,
sharpened and polished—
10 sharpened for the slaughter, ( S )
polished to flash like lightning!
“‘Shall we rejoice in the scepter of my royal son? The sword despises every such stick. ( T )
11 “‘The sword is appointed to be polished, ( U )
to be grasped with the hand;
it is sharpened and polished,
made ready for the hand of the slayer.
12 Cry out and wail, son of man,
for it is against my people;
it is against all the princes of Israel.
They are thrown to the sword
along with my people.
Therefore beat your breast. ( V )
13 “‘Testing will surely come. And what if even the scepter, which the sword despises, does not continue? declares the Sovereign Lord .’
14 “So then, son of man, prophesy
and strike your hands ( W ) together.
Let the sword strike twice,
even three times.
It is a sword for slaughter—
a sword for great slaughter,
closing in on them from every side. ( X )
15 So that hearts may melt with fear ( Y )
and the fallen be many,
I have stationed the sword for slaughter [ b ]
at all their gates.
Look! It is forged to strike like lightning,
it is grasped for slaughter. ( Z )
16 Slash to the right, you sword,
then to the left,
wherever your blade is turned.
17 I too will strike my hands ( AA ) together,
and my wrath ( AB ) will subside.
I the Lord have spoken. ( AC ) ”
18 The word of the Lord came to me: 19 “Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword ( AD ) of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost ( AE ) where the road branches off to the city. 20 Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites ( AF ) and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem. 21 For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He will cast lots ( AG ) with arrows, he will consult his idols, ( AH ) he will examine the liver. ( AI ) 22 Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry, ( AJ ) to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp ( AK ) and to erect siege works. ( AL ) 23 It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind ( AM ) them of their guilt ( AN ) and take them captive.
24 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins in all that you do—because you have done this, you will be taken captive.
25 “‘You profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, ( AO ) whose time of punishment has reached its climax, ( AP ) 26 this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take off the turban, remove the crown. ( AQ ) It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low. ( AR ) 27 A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come; ( AS ) to him I will give it.’ ( AT )
28 “And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says about the Ammonites ( AU ) and their insults:
“‘A sword, ( AV ) a sword,
drawn for the slaughter,
polished to consume
and to flash like lightning!
29 Despite false visions concerning you
and lying divinations ( AW ) about you,
it will be laid on the necks
of the wicked who are to be slain,
whose day has come,
whose time of punishment has reached its climax. ( AX )
30 “‘Let the sword return to its sheath. ( AY )
In the place where you were created,
in the land of your ancestry, ( AZ )
I will judge you.
31 I will pour out my wrath on you
and breathe ( BA ) out my fiery anger ( BB ) against you;
I will deliver you into the hands of brutal men,
men skilled in destruction. ( BC )
32 You will be fuel for the fire, ( BD )
your blood will be shed in your land,
you will be remembered ( BE ) no more;
for I the Lord have spoken.’”
