8. The word of the Lord came to me:
9. “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Lord says:“‘A sword, a sword is sharpened,and also polished.
10. It is sharpened for slaughter, it is polished to flash like lightning!“‘Should we rejoice in the scepter of my son? No! The sword despises every tree!
11. “‘He gave it to be polished,to be grasped in the hand – the sword is sharpened, it is polished – giving it into the hand of the executioner.
12. Cry out and moan, son of man,for it is wielded against my people;against all the princes of Israel.They are delivered up to the sword, along with my people.Therefore, strike your thigh.
13. “‘For testing will come, and what will happen when the scepter, which the sword despises, is no more? declares the sovereign Lord.’