1. The word of Adonai came to me saying:
2. “Son of man, set your face toward Teman and proclaim to the South. Prophesy against the brush land of the Negev.
3. Say to the brush land of the South: ‘Hear the word of Adonai!’ Thus says Adonai Elohim: ‘Behold, I will kindle a fire in you. It will devour every moist tree in you and every dry tree. Its leaping flame will not be extinguished. All faces from the south to the north will be scorched by it.
4. All flesh will see that I, Adonai, have kindled it; it will not be extinguished.’”
5. Then I said, “Ah, Adonai! They say of me. ‘Isn’t he just speaking in parables?’”
6. Then the word of Adonai came to me saying:
7. “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem and proclaim to the sanctuaries and prophesy against the land of Israel.
8. Say to the land of Israel, thus says Adonai Elohim: ‘Behold, I am against you. I will draw My sword from its sheath. I will cut off the righteous and the wicked from you.
9. Since I will cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked, therefore My sword will come out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north.
10. All flesh will know that I, Adonai, have drawn My sword from its sheath; it will not return any more.
11. As for you, son of man, groan, with breaking of your sides and with bitterness you will groan before their eyes.
12. Now when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you will say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, every hand will be limp, every spirit will be faint, and all knees will turn to water. Behold, it is coming, and it will happen!’” It is a declaration of Adonai Elohim.