‏ Ezekiel 21

CHAPTER 21

Babylon -- God's Sword of Judgment

1And [³came ¹the word ²of the lord] to me, saying, 2On account of this, prophesy O son of man, and firmly fix   your face against Jerusalem, and look upon   their holy places, and prophesy against the land   of Israel! 3And you shall say to the land   of Israel, Thus says Adonai the lord; Behold, I am  against you, and I will pull   my knife from out of   its sheath, and I will utterly destroy from you the lawless one and unjust one. 4Because I will utterly destroy [⁴from out of ⁵you ¹the unjust one ²and ³the lawless one], so shall [²come forth   ¹my knife] from out of   its sheath against all flesh, from the east unto the north. 5And [³shall realize ¹all ²flesh] that I the lord  pulled out   my knife from out of   its sheath; and it shall not turn back any longer. 6And you, O son of man, groan in the breaking of your loins. And in griefs you shall moan before their eyes. 7And it will be if they should say to you, For what reason  do you moan? that you shall say, For the message, for it comes, and [³shall be devastated ¹every ²heart], and [³shall be disabled ¹all ²hands], and [³shall expire ¹all ²flesh], and every spirit, and all thighs shall be tainted by wetness. Behold, it comes and it shall be, says the lord    God. 8And [³came ¹the word ²of the lord] to me, saying, 9O son of man, prophesy! And you shall say, Thus says Adonai the lord; Say, O broadsword, O broadsword, sharpen and be enraged! 10so that you should slay victims for slaughter. Be sharpened! so that you should become   shiny. Prepare for paralysis! Slay! Treat with contempt! Put aside every tree! 11And he made it ready   [²to hold ¹for his hand]. [³is made very sharp ¹The ²broadsword], it is ready   to put it into the hand of one piercing. 12Shout aloud and shriek, O son of man! for it happened unto   my people. It is  come upon all the ones guiding   Israel. They shall sojourn upon the broadsword. It happened unto   my people. On account of this, clap with   your hand! 13for justice has been done. And what if even the tribe be thrust away? It will not be, says Adonai the lord. 14And you, O son of man, prophesy, and clap hand upon hand! And repeat the broadsword! The third broadsword is of slain ones, [³broadsword ⁴of the slain ¹the ²great]. And you shall amaze them, 15so that [³should be devastated ¹the ²heart], and [³should be multiplied ¹the ones ²being weakened] at every gate of theirs. They have been delivered up as victims for slaughter by the broadsword. Well done keen one  being for slaughter. Well done one being for shining. As lightning go forth! 16Sharpen from the right and from the left! wherever   your face should be aroused. 17[³also ²I ¹And] will clap my hand to my hand, and I will slacken   my rage; I the lord, have spoken. 18And [³came ¹the word ²of the lord] to me, saying, 19And you, O son of man, set in order to yourself two ways!   [⁴to enter ¹for the broadsword ²of the king ³of Babylon]. From out of [²place ¹one] shall come forth the two companies; and [²a hand ³at ⁴the top ⁵of the street ⁶of the city ⁷upon ⁸the corner ⁹of the street ¹set in order], 20for the [²to enter ¹broadsword] upon Rabbath of the sons of Ammon, and upon   Judah, and upon Jerusalem in an assault. 21For [³shall stand ¹the king ²of Babylon] upon the ancient way, upon the corner of the two streets   to use oracles for divination,   to stir up the rod, and to ask among the carved images, and [²livers ¹to watch]. 22From his right became the oracle against Jerusalem,   to throw up a siege mound,   to open wide the mouth in yelling, to raise up high a voice with a cry,   to throw up a siege mound against   her gates, and to throw up an embankment, and to build a range of weapons. 23And he to them was as one using oracles for divination before them, and he himself calling to mind their iniquity   to be seized. 24On account of this, Thus says Adonai the lord  Because you called to mind   your iniquities in the uncovering   of your impiety   to see   your sins, in all   your lawlessnesses, and in all   your practices; because you called to mind, in these you shall be captured. 25And you, O profane lawless one guiding   Israel, whose [²is come   ¹day] in time of iniquity -- an end, 26thus says Adonai the lord; Remove the turban, and put aside the crown! This [²not ⁴such ¹will ³be]. You abased the high, and raised up high the low. 27Injustice, Injustice, I will appoint it. Neither this [²such ¹will be] until of which time  [³shall come ¹the one who ²is fit], and I will deliver up to him.

Judgment against the Sons of Ammon

28And you, O son of man, prophesy! And you shall say, Thus says Adonai the lord  to the sons of Ammon, and concerning   their scorning. And you shall say, O broadsword, O broadsword, being unsheathed for victims for slaughter, and being unsheathed for consummation, arise so as to shine! 29In   [³vision ¹your   ²vain], and in   your using [²oracles ¹lying]   to deliver yourself upon the necks of the slain lawless ones which is come the day in the time of iniquity -- the end. 30Return to   your sheath! In   this place which you were engendered in   [²land   ¹your own], I will judge you. 31And I will pour out upon you   my anger. In the fire of my anger I will breathe against you, and I will deliver you into the hands [²men ¹of barbaric] contriving corruption. 32By fire you will be a thing devoured;   your blood will be in the midst   of your land; in no way shall there be memory of you; for I the lord  have spoken.