NETtext - Ezekiel - 21

21:1  The word of the LORD came to me:

21:2  "Son of man, turn toward Jerusalem and speak out against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel

21:3  and say to them, 'This is what the LORD says: Look, I am against you. I will draw my sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked.

21:4  Because I will cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked, my sword will go out from its sheath against everyone from the south to the north.

21:5  Then everyone will know that I am the Lord, who drew my sword from its sheath - it will not be sheathed again!'

21:6  "And you, son of man, groan with an aching heart and bitterness; groan before their eyes.

21:7  When they ask you, 'Why are you groaning?' you will reply, 'Because of the report that has come. Every heart will melt with fear and every hand will be limp; everyone will faint and every knee will be wet with urine.' Pay attention - it is coming and it will happen, declares the sovereign LORD."

21:8  The word of the LORD came to me:

21:9  "Son of man, prophesy and say: 'This is what the Lord says:"'A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also polished.

21:10  It is sharpened for slaughter, it is polished to flash like lightning! "'Should we rejoice in the scepter of my son? No! The sword despises every tree!

21:11  "'He gave it to be polished, to be grasped in the hand - the sword is sharpened, it is polished - giving it into the hand of the executioner.

21:12  Cry out and moan, son of man, for it is wielded against my people; against all the princes of Israel. They are delivered up to the sword, along with my people. Therefore, strike your thigh.

21:13  "'For testing will come, and what will happen when the scepter, which the sword despises, is no more? declares the sovereign LORD.'

21:14  "And you, son of man, prophesy, and clap your hands together. Let the sword strike twice, even three times! It is a sword for slaughter, a sword for the great slaughter surrounding them.

21:15  So hearts melt with fear and many stumble. At all their gates I have stationed the sword for slaughter. Ah! It is made to flash, it is drawn for slaughter!

21:16  Cut sharply on the right! Swing to the left, wherever your edge is appointed to strike.

21:17  I too will clap my hands together, I will exhaust my rage; I the LORD have spoken."

21:18  The word of the LORD came to me:

21:19  "You, son of man, mark out two routes for the king of Babylon's sword to take; both of them will originate in a single land. Make a signpost and put it at the beginning of the road leading to the city.

21:20  Mark out the routes for the sword to take: "Rabbah of the Ammonites" and "Judah with Jerusalem in it."

21:21  For the king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road at the head of the two routes. He looks for omens: He shakes arrows, he consults idols, he examines animal livers.

21:22  Into his right hand comes the portent for Jerusalem - to set up battering rams, to give the signal for slaughter, to shout out the battle cry, to set up battering rams against the gates, to erect a siege ramp, to build a siege wall.

21:23  But those in Jerusalem will view it as a false omen. They have sworn solemn oaths, but the king of Babylon will accuse them of violations in order to seize them.

21:24  "Therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says: 'Because you have brought up your own guilt by uncovering your transgressions and revealing your sins through all your actions, for this reason you will be taken by force.

21:25  "'As for you, profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, the time of final punishment,

21:26  this is what the sovereign LORD says: Tear off the turban, take off the crown! Things must change! Exalt the lowly, bring down the proud!

21:27  A total ruin I will make it! It will come to an end when the one arrives to whom I have assigned judgment.'

21:28  "As for you, son of man, prophesy and say, 'This is what the sovereign LORD says concerning the Ammonites and their coming humiliation; say:"'A sword, a sword drawn for slaughter, polished to consume, to flash like lightning -

21:29  while seeing false visions for you and reading lying omens for you - to place that sword on the necks of the profane wicked, whose day has come, the time of final punishment.

21:30  Return it to its sheath! In the place where you were created, in your native land, I will judge you.

21:31  I will pour out my anger on you; the fire of my fury I will blow on you. I will hand you over to brutal men, who are skilled in destruction.

21:32  You will become fuel for the fire - your blood will stain the middle of the land; you will no longer be remembered, for I, the LORD, have spoken.'"