21:1 1 The word of the Lord came to me: 21:2 “Son of man, turn toward2 Jerusalem3 and speak out against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel 21:3 and say to them,4 ‘This is what the Lord says: I am against you. I will draw my sword5 from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked.6 21:4 Because I will cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked, my sword will go out from its sheath against everyone7 from the Negev 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 heart8 and bitterness, groan before their eyes. 21:7 When they ask you, ‘Why do you groan?’ you will reply, ‘Because of the report that has come. Every heart will melt with fear and every hand will be weak, everyone9 will faint and every knee be wet with urine.’10 It is ready to happen and it will take place, 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!11
21:11 “‘It is presented to be polished,
to be grasped in the hand.
The sword is sharpened, it is polished,
and ready to be placed in the hand of the executioner.
21:12 Cry and wail, 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?12 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 will close in on them.
21:15 Hearts will melt with fear and many will 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!
Do your work on the left,
wherever your edge13 is appointed to strike.
21:17 I too will clap my hands together,
I will satisfy14 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 come; 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 one route for the sword to take to Rabbah of the Ammonites, and another leading to Judah and fortified Jerusalem.15 21:21 For the king of Babylon stands at the fork16 of the road at the head of the two routes. He looks for omens;17 he shakes arrows, he consults idols,18 he inspects19 animal livers.20 21:22 Into his right hand comes the lot for Jerusalem. He sets up battering rams, to give the signal21 for slaughter, to shout out the battle cry,22 to set up battering rams against the gates, to erect a siege ramp, to build a siege wall. 21:23 But they will view it as a false omen; they have sworn solemn oaths.23 However, he will accuse them of guilt and capture them.24
21:24 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘You have proven your own guilt by uncovering your transgressions and revealing your sins through all your actions. For this reason you will be taken by force.25
21:25 “‘As for you, profane and wicked prince of Israel,26
your day has come,
the time of final punishment.
21:26 This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
Tear off the turban,27
take off the crown!
Things must change!28
Exalt the lowly,
bring down the proud!29
21:27 A total ruin I will make it!30
It will come to an end
when the one arrives to whom I have assigned judgment.’31
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;32 say:
“‘A sword, a sword drawn for slaughter,
polished to consume,33 to flash like lightning.
21:29 They see false visions about you,
and detect lying omens,34
but you will strike the necks of the profane, wicked ones,35
whose day has come,
the time of final punishment.
21:30 Return it to its sheath!36
In the place where you were created,37
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;38
You will no longer be remembered,
for I the Lord have spoken.’”
The Sins of Jerusalem