Ezekiel 21:1-13 ▼

1 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem, and 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, I am against you; and I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you the 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 humanity from south to north.

5 So humanity will know that I, the LORD, have drawn My sword from its sheath. It will not return to its sheath again.”’

6 As for you, son of man, groan with 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 news, for it is coming; and every heart will melt, all hands will go limp, every spirit will be disheartened, and all knees will drip with water. Behold, it is coming and it will happen,’ declares the Lord 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, ‘A sword, a sword sharpened And also polished!

10 ‘Sharpened to make a slaughter, Polished to flash like lightning!’ Or shall we rejoice, the rod of My son 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 Cry out and wail, son of man; for it is against My people, it is against all the officials of Israel. They are turned over to the sword with My people, therefore slap your thigh.

13 For there is a testing; and what if even the rod which despises will cease to be?” declares the Lord GOD.