1. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
2. Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, and proclaim your word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,
3. And say to the land of Israel, Thus says the LORD; Behold, I am against you, and will draw forth my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.
4. Seeing then that I will cut off from you 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. Sigh therefore, you son of man, with breaking heart; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.
7. And it shall be, when they say unto you, Why sigh you? that you shall answer, For the tidings; because it comes: 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, says the Lord GOD.
8. Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9. Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also polished:
10. It is sharpened to make a great slaughter; it is polished that it may flash like lightning: should we then make mirth? it despised the rod of my son, like every tree.
11. And he has given it to be polished, that it may be used: this sword is sharpened, and it is polished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.
12. Cry and wail, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: strike therefore upon your thigh.
13. Because it is a trial, and what if the sword despise even the rod? it shall be no more, says the Lord GOD.
14. You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and strike your hands together, and let the sword strike twice, even the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which enters into their private chambers.
15. I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made bright, it is polished for the slaughter.
16. Go you one way or the other, either on the right hand, or on the left, wherever your face is set.
17. I will also strike my hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest: I the LORD have said it.