Ezekiel 21

¹The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

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

³Tell the land of Israel, ‘The LORD says: “Behold, I am against you, and will draw my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.

⁴Seeing then that I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore my sword will go out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north.

⁵All flesh will know that I, the LORD, have drawn my sword out of its sheath. It will not return any more.”’

⁶“Therefore sigh, you son of man. You shall sigh before their eyes with a broken heart and with bitterness.

⁷It shall be, when they ask you, ‘Why do you sigh?’ that you shall say, ‘Because of the news, for it comes! Every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord GOD.’”

⁸The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

⁹“Son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘The LORD says: “A sword! A sword! It is sharpened, and also polished.

¹⁰It is sharpened that it may make a slaughter. It is polished that it may be as lightning. Should we then make mirth? The rod of my son condemns every tree.

¹¹It is given to be polished, that it may be handled. The sword is sharpened. Yes, it is polished to give it into the hand of the killer.”’

Cry and wail, son of man; for it is on my people. It is on all the princes of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with my people. Therefore beat your thigh.