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The Sword of the Lord

21 [a]Yahweh spoke his word to me. He said, “Son of man, turn to Jerusalem, preach against the holy places. Prophesy against the land of Israel. Tell the land of Israel, ‘This is what Yahweh says: I am against you. I will take my sword out of its scabbard and kill the righteous people and the wicked people among you. I’m going to kill the righteous people and the wicked people among you. That is why my sword will come out of its scabbard to be used against everyone from the south to the north. Then everyone will know that I, Yahweh, have taken my sword from its scabbard, and I will not put it back again.’

“So, son of man, groan with a breaking heart and with bitter crying while the people watch you. When they ask you why you are groaning, say, ‘News has come that will discourage everyone. People’s hands will hang limp, their hearts will lose courage, and their knees will become as weak as water. It’s coming! It will surely take place!’ declares Adonay Yahweh.”

Yahweh spoke his word to me. He said, “Son of man, prophesy. Tell them, ‘This is what Adonay says:

A sword, a sword is sharpened and polished,
10 It’s sharpened to kill
    and polished to flash like lightning.
    How can we rejoice?
        My son has refused to be disciplined or punished.[b]
11 The sword has been handed over to be polished,
    to be placed in the hand.
    The sword is being sharpened and polished
    to be placed in the hands of killers.

12 “‘Cry and mourn, son of man,
    because the sword will be used against my people
        and against all the princes of Israel.
    I will throw the princes and my people on the sword.
    So beat your breast, and grieve.
13 Testing will surely come.
    What if you refuse to be disciplined again?
        Won’t you be tested? declares Adonay Yahweh.
14 So prophesy, son of man.
    Clap your hands!
        Let the sword strike again and again.
            It’s the sword for killing.
            It’s the sword for killing many people.
                It’s the sword that surrounds them.
15 I have appointed my sword to slaughter people at all their gates
    so that their hearts will sink and many will die.
    Yes! It’s ready to flash like lightning.
    It’s polished to kill.
16 Sword, cut to the right.
    Cut to the left
        or wherever your blade is turned.
17 I will also clap my hands and rest from my fury.
    I, Yahweh, have spoken.’”

The Sword of the King of Babylon

18 Yahweh spoke his word to me. He said, 19 “Son of man, mark two roads that the king of Babylon and his sword can take. Both of these roads should start from the same country. Make a sign, and put it where the roads start to fork toward the cities. 20 Mark the road that the king and his sword can take to the Ammonite city of Rabbah, and mark the road that leads to Judah and the fortified city of Jerusalem. 21 The king of Babylon will stop where the roads branch off, where there is a fork in the road. Then he will look for omens. He will shake some arrows, ask his household gods for help, and examine animal livers. 22 The omens will indicate that he should go to the right, to Jerusalem. So he will set up his battering rams there, give the order to kill, raise a battle cry, aim the battering rams against the city gates, put up ramps, and set up blockades. 23 The people won’t believe this because they have made treaties with other nations. But the king of Babylon will remind them of their sins, and they will be captured.

24 “This is what Adonay Yahweh says: You make people remember how sinful you are because you openly do wrong. You show your sins in everything you do. So you will be taken captive.

25 “You dishonest and wicked prince of Israel, the time for your final punishment has come. 26 This is what Adonay Yahweh says: Take off your turban, and get rid of your crown. Things are going to change. Those who are unimportant will become important, and those who are important will become unimportant. 27 Ruins! Ruins! I will turn this place into ruins! It will not be restored until its rightful owner comes. Then I will give it to him.

28 “Son of man, prophesy. Tell them, ‘This is what Adonay Yahweh says about the Ammonites and their insults:

A sword, a sword is drawn ready to kill.
    It’s polished to destroy and flash like lightning.
29 People see false visions about you
    and prophesy lies about you.
    The sword will be placed on the necks of dishonest, wicked people,
    for whom the time of final punishment has come.

30 “‘Return your sword to its scabbard.
    In the place where you were created,
        in the land where you were born,
            there I will judge you.
31 I will pour out my fury on you
    and breathe on you with my fiery anger.
    I will hand you over to cruel people who are skilled in destruction.
32 You will be fuel for the fire.
    You will die in the land.
        You will no longer be remembered.
    I, Yahweh, have spoken.’”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 21:1 Ezekiel 21:1–32 in English Bibles is Ezekiel 21:6–37 in the Hebrew Bible.
  2. Ezekiel 21:10 Hebrew meaning of this sentence uncertain.

Babylon as God’s Sword of Judgment

21 [a]The word of the Lord came to me:(A) “Son of man, set your face against(B) Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary.(C) Prophesy against(D) the land of Israel 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) 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) Then all people will know that I the Lord have drawn my sword(J) from its sheath; it will not return(K) again.’(L)

“Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief.(M) 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.”

The word of the Lord came to me: “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.’”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-32 is numbered 21:6-37.
  2. Ezekiel 21:15 Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.