Ezekiel 21

The Sword is Prepared Ezekiel 21:8–14

⁸Verse 8. Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,⁹Verse 9. “Son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘Yahweh says:“A sword! A sword!It is sharpened,and also polished.¹⁰Verse 10. It 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.¹¹Verse 11. It is given to be polished,that it may be handled.The sword is sharpened.Yes, it is polishedto give it into the hand of the killer.”’¹²Verse 12. 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.¹³Verse 13. “For there is a trial. What if even the rod that condemns will be no more?” says the Lord Yahweh.¹⁴Verse 14. “You therefore, son of man, prophesy,and strike your hands together.Let the sword be doubled the third time,the sword of the fatally wounded.It is the sword of the great one who is fatally wounded,which enters into their rooms.

The Kingdom's Fate Ezekiel 21:15–22

¹⁵Verse 15. I have set the threatening sword against all their gates, that their heart may melt, and their stumblings be multiplied. Ah! It is made as lightning. It is pointed for slaughter. ¹⁶Verse 16. Gather yourselves together. Go to the right. Set yourselves in array. Go to the left, wherever your face is set. ¹⁷Verse 17. I will also strike my hands together, and I will cause my wrath to rest. I, Yahweh, have spoken it.” ¹⁸Verse 18. Yahweh’s word came to me again, saying, ¹⁹Verse 19. “Also, you son of man, appoint two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come. They both will come out of one land, and mark out a place. Mark it out at the head of the way to the city.

²⁰Verse 20. You shall appoint a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified. ²¹Verse 21. For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shook the arrows back and forth. He consulted the teraphim. He looked in the liver. ²²Verse 22. In his right hand was the lot for Jerusalem, to set battering rams, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up mounds, and to build forts.

Divine Judgment on Israel's Prince Ezekiel 21:23–27

²³Verse 23. It will be to them as a false divination in their sight, who have sworn oaths to them; but he brings iniquity to memory, that they may be taken. ²⁴Verse 24. “Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: ‘Because you have caused your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your doings your sins appear; because you have come to memory, you will be taken with the hand. ²⁵Verse 25. “‘You, deadly wounded wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose day has come, in the time of the iniquity of the end, ²⁶Verse 26. thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Remove the turban, and take off the crown. This will not be as it was. Exalt that which is low, and humble that which is high.

²⁷Verse 27. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it. This also will be no more, until he comes whose right it is; and I will give it.”’

Judgment Against Ammon Ezekiel 21:28–32

²⁸Verse 28. “You, son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says this concerning the children of Ammon, and concerning their reproach:“A sword! A sword is drawn!It is polished for the slaughter,to cause it to devour,that it may be as lightning;²⁹Verse 29. while they see for you false visions,while they divine lies to you,to lay you on the necks of the wicked who are deadly wounded,whose day has come in the time of the iniquity of the end.³⁰Verse 30. Cause it to return into its sheath.In the place where you were created,in the land of your birth, I will judge you.³¹Verse 31. I will pour out my indignation on you.I will blow on you with the fire of my wrath.I will deliver you into the hand of brutish men,skillful to destroy.³²Verse 32. You will be for fuel to the fire.Your blood will be in the middle of the land.You will be remembered no more;for I, Yahweh, have spoken it.”’”