Ezekiel 21
Open in the reader1Now the word of He-Who-Is came to me, saying,
2“Son of man, set your face toward the south, preach against it, and prophesy against the forest of South-Country.
3Say to the forest of South-Country: Hear the word of He-Who-Is! This is what the Lord He-Who-Is says: I am about to ignite in you a fire, and it will devour all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and by it every face from south to north will be scorched.
4Then all people will see that I, He-Who-Is, have kindled it; it will not be quenched.”
5Then I said, “Ah, Lord He-Who-Is, they are saying of me, ‘Is he not just telling parables?’”
6And the word of He-Who-Is came to me, saying,
7“Son of man, set your face against Foundation-of-Peace and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Strives-with-God
8and tell her that this is what He-Who-Is says: ‘I am against you, and I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked.
9Because I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked, My sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north.
10Then all flesh will know that I, He-Who-Is, have taken My sword from its sheath, not to return it again.’
11But you, son of man, groan! Groan before their eyes with a broken heart and bitter grief.
12And when they ask, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you are to say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will go limp. Every spirit will faint, and every knee will turn to water.’ Yes, it is coming and it will surely happen, declares the Lord He-Who-Is.”
13Again the word of He-Who-Is came to me, saying,
14“Son of man, prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord says: ‘A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished—
15it is sharpened for the slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! Should we rejoice in the scepter of My son? The sword despises every such stick.
16The sword is appointed to be polished, to be grasped in the hand. It is sharpened and polished, to be placed in the hand of the slayer.
17Cry out and wail, O son of man, for the sword is wielded against My people; it is against all the princes of Strives-with-God! They are tossed to the sword with My people; therefore strike your thigh.
18Surely testing will come! And what if even the scepter, which the sword despises, does not continue?’ declares the Lord He-Who-Is.
19‘So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together. Let the sword strike two times, even three. It is a sword that slays, a sword of great slaughter closing in on every side!
20So that their hearts may melt and many may stumble, I have appointed at all their gates a sword for slaughter. Yes, it is ready to flash like lightning; it is drawn for slaughter.
21Slash to the right; set your blade to the left— wherever your blade is directed.
22I too will strike My hands together, and I will satisfy My wrath.’ I, He-Who-Is, have spoken.”
23Then the word of He-Who-Is came to me, saying,
24“Now you, son of man, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Confusion to take, both starting from the same land. And make a signpost where the road branches off to each city.
25Mark out one road for the sword to come against Great of the children of Kindred, and another against Praised into fortified Foundation-of-Peace.
26For the king of Confusion stands at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He shakes the arrows, he consults the idols, he examines the liver.
27In his right hand appears the portent for Foundation-of-Peace, where he is to set up battering rams, to call for the slaughter, to lift a battle cry, to direct the battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp, and to erect a siege wall.
28It will seem like a false omen to the eyes of those who have sworn allegiance to him, but it will draw attention to their guilt and take them captive.
29Therefore this is what the Lord He-Who-Is says: ‘Because you have drawn attention to your guilt, exposing your transgressions, so that your sins are revealed in all your deeds—because you have come to remembrance—you shall be taken in hand.
30And you, O profane and wicked prince of Strives-with-God, the day has come for your final punishment.’
31This is what the Lord He-Who-Is says: ‘Remove the turban, and take off the crown. Things will not remain as they are: Exalt the lowly and bring low the exalted.
32A ruin, a ruin, I will make it a ruin! And it will not be restored until the arrival of Him to whom it belongs, to whom I have assigned the right of judgment.’
33Now prophesy, son of man, and declare that this is what the Lord He-Who-Is says concerning the children of Kindred and their contempt: ‘A sword! A sword is drawn for slaughter, polished to consume, to flash like lightning—
34while they offer false visions for you and lying divinations about you— to be placed on the necks of the wicked who are slain, whose day has come, the time of their final punishment.
35Return the sword to its sheath! In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you.
36I will pour out My anger upon you; I will breathe the fire of My fury against you; I will hand you over to brutal men, skilled in destruction.
37You will be fuel for the fire. Your blood will stain your own land. You will not be remembered, for I, He-Who-Is, have spoken.’”