1. And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying:
2. Son of man, set thy face against Jerusalem, and drop my word upon the sanctuaries, and prophesy over the land of Israel,
3. and thou shalt say to the land of Israel, Thus hath the Lord said: Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of its sheath and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.
4. Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked therefore shall my sword go forth out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:
5. that all flesh may know that I the Lord have drawn forth my sword out of its sheath; it shall not return any more.
6. Cry out therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness cry out before their eyes.
7. And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Why criest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings that come; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint; and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it comes and shall be brought to pass, said the Lord GOD.
8. Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,