Ezekiel 21

The Sword of the LORD

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

2 “Son of man, turn your face toward Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel

3 and say to the land of Israel, ‘This is what the LORD says: Look, I am against you. I am pulling My sword out of its sheath, and I will cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked.

4 Because I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked, My sword will come out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north.

5 Then everyone will know that I, the LORD, have drawn My sword from its sheath. It will not return again.’

6 As for you, son of man, groan with breaking heart and bitter grief. Groan right in their sight.

7 And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you will say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, every hand will go limp, every spirit will faint, and every knee will drip with fear. Look, it is coming, and it will happen,’ declares the Lord GOD.

8 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

9 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the LORD says: A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished.

10 Sharpened for slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! Should we rejoice, The scepter of My son despises every tree.

11 The sword is given to be polished, to be placed in the hand. It is sharpened and polished, ready to be put into the hand of the executioner.

12 Cry out and wail, son of man, because it is against My people; it is against all the princes of Israel. They are handed over to the sword along with My people. So beat your chest.

13 For testing will come, what if even the scepter that despises will be no more,” declares the Lord GOD.

14 “So you, son of man, prophesy. Strike your hands together. Let the sword strike twice, even three times, the sword for slaughter. It is the sword of great slaughter surrounding them.

15 So hearts may melt and many stumble, I have stationed the sword for slaughter at all their gates. It flashes like lightning and is sharpened for slaughter.

16 Cut to the right; set yourself to the left, wherever your edge is turned.

17 I Myself will strike My hands together, and I will satisfy My wrath. I, the LORD, have spoken.”

Babylon Chooses Jerusalem

18 The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

19 “Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to come, both starting from the same land. Put up a signpost where the road branches to a city.

20 Mark a road for the sword to come to Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and another to Judah, into fortified Jerusalem.

21 For the king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road, at the crossroads, to practice divination. He shakes the arrows, consults the idols, looks at the liver.

22 In his right hand is the divination for Jerusalem, to set battering rams, to open the mouth for slaughter, to lift the voice with war cries, to set battering rams against the gates, to build siege ramps, and to raise siege walls.

23 It will seem like a false divination to them, because they have sworn oaths. But he will remind them of their guilt so they will be captured.

24 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you have brought your guilt to remembrance by your open rebellion, making your sins visible in all your actions, because you have been remembered, you will be captured by the hand.’

25 And you, profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, the time of final punishment.

26 This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Remove the turban and take off the crown. Things will not stay the same. Exalt the low and bring down the high.

27 A ruin, a ruin, a ruin, I will make it. This also will not be until He comes whose right it is, and I will give it to Him.’

Judgment on Ammon

28 And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says concerning the sons of Ammon and their insults.’ Say, ‘A sword, a sword is drawn for slaughter, polished to destroy, to flash like lightning,

29 while they see false visions for you, while they divine lies for you, to place you on the necks of the wicked who are slain, whose day has come at the time of final punishment.’

30 Return it to its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you.

31 I will pour out My indignation on you. I will blow on you with the fire of My wrath. I will hand you over to brutal men, skilled in destruction.

32 You will be fuel for the fire. Your blood will be in the midst of the land. You will not be remembered, for I, the LORD, have spoken.”