Ezekiel 21

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

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

³and tell her that this is what the LORD 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.

⁴Because I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked, My sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north.

⁵Then all flesh will know that I, the LORD, have taken My sword from its sheath, not to return it again.’

⁶But you, son of man, groan! Groan before their eyes with a broken heart and bitter grief.

⁷And 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 GOD.”

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

⁹“Son of man, prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord says: ‘A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished—

¹⁰it 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.

¹¹The 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.

¹²Cry out and wail, O son of man, for the sword is wielded against My people; it is against all the princes of Israel! They are tossed to the sword with My people; therefore strike your thigh.