Ezekiel 21 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Parable of the Sword of the LORD

1 [fn]And the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068 came ^H1961 to me, saying ^H559,

2 “Son ^H1121 of man ^H120, set ^H7760 your face ^H6440 against ^H413 Jerusalem ^H3389, and [fn]speak ^H5197 prophetically ^H5197 against ^H413 the sanctuaries ^H4720 and prophesy ^H5012 against ^H413 the land ^H127 of Israel ^H3478; 3 and say ^H559 to the land ^H127 of Israel ^H3478, ‘This ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 the LORD ^H3068 says ^H559: “Behold ^H2009, I am against ^H413 you; and I will draw ^H3318 My sword ^H2719 from its sheath ^H8593 and cut ^H3772 off ^H3772 from you the righteous ^H6662 and the wicked ^H7563. 4 Because ^H3282 H834 I will cut ^H3772 off ^H3772 from you the righteous ^H6662 and the wicked ^H7563, therefore ^H3651 My sword ^H2719 will go ^H3318 out ^H3318 from its sheath ^H8593 against ^H413 [fn]humanity ^H3605 H1320 from south ^H5045 to north ^H6828. 5 So [fn]humanity ^H3605 H1320 will know ^H3045 that I, the LORD ^H3068, have drawn ^H3318 My sword ^H2719 from its sheath ^H8593. It will not return ^H7725 to its sheath again ^H5750.”’ 6 As for you, son ^H1121 of man ^H120, groan ^H584 with [fn]a breaking ^H7670 heart ^H4975 and bitter ^H4814 grief ^H4814; you shall groan ^H584 in their sight ^H5869. 7 And when ^H3588 they say ^H559 to you, ‘Why ^H5921 H4100 are you groaning ^H584?’ you shall say ^H559, ‘Because ^H413 of the news ^H8052, for it is coming ^H935; and every ^H3605 heart ^H3820 will melt ^H4549, all ^H3605 hands ^H3027 will go ^H7503 limp ^H7503, every ^H3605 spirit ^H7307 will be disheartened ^H3543, and all ^H3605 [fn]knees ^H1290 will drip ^H1980 with water ^H4325. Behold ^H2009, it is coming ^H935 and it will happen ^H1961,’ declares ^H5002 the Lord ^H136 [fn]GOD ^H3068.”

8 And the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068 came ^H1961 to me, saying ^H559, 9 “Son ^H1121 of man ^H120, prophesy ^H5012 and say ^H559, ‘This ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 the LORD ^H3068 says ^H559:’ Say ^H559,

‘A sword ^H2719, a sword ^H2719 sharpened ^H2300

And also ^H1571 polished ^H4803!

10 ‘Sharpened ^H2300 to make ^H2873 a slaughter ^H2874,

Polished ^H4803 [fn]to flash ^H1961 H1300 like lightning ^H1300!’

Or ^H176 shall we rejoice ^H7797, the [fn]rod ^H7626 of My son ^H1121 despising ^H3988 every ^H3605 tree ^H6086? 11 And it is given ^H5414 to be polished ^H4803, so that it may be handled ^H8610 H3709; the sword ^H2719 is ^H2300 sharpened ^H2300 and polished ^H4803, to hand ^H5414 H3027 it over ^H5414 to the slaughterer ^H2026. 12 Cry ^H2199 out ^H2199 and wail ^H3213, son ^H1121 of man ^H120; for it is against My people ^H5971, it is against all ^H3605 the officials ^H5387 of Israel ^H3478. They are turned ^H5064 over ^H5064 to the sword ^H2719 with My people ^H5971, therefore ^H3651 [fn]slap ^H5606 your thigh ^H3409. 13 For there is a testing ^H976; and what ^H4100 if ^H518 even ^H1571 the [fn]rod ^H7626 which despises ^H3988 will cease ^H3808 to be?” declares ^H5002 the Lord ^H136 GOD ^H3068.

14 “You therefore, son ^H1121 of man ^H120, prophesy ^H5012 and clap ^H5221 your hands ^H3709; and let the sword ^H2719 be doubled ^H3717 the third ^H7992 time ^H7992, the sword ^H2719 for the slain ^H2491. It is the sword ^H2719 for the great ^H1419 one ^H1419 slain ^H2491, which surrounds ^H2314 them, 15 so ^H4616 that ^H4616 their hearts ^H3820 will waver ^H4127, and many ^H7235 fall ^H3782 at all ^H3605 their gates ^H8179. I have granted ^H5414 the slaughter ^H2878 of the sword ^H2719. Oh ^H253! It is made ^H6213 for striking like lightning ^H1300, it is sharpened ^H4803 in readiness for slaughter ^H2874. 16 Prove ^H2300 yourself sharp ^H2300, go ^H3231 to the right ^H3231; set ^H7760 yourself; go ^H8041 to the left ^H8041, wherever ^H575 your [fn]edge ^H6440 is ordered ^H3259. 17 I will also ^H1571 clap ^H5221 My hands ^H3709, and I will satisfy ^H5117 My wrath ^H2534; I, the LORD ^H3068, have spoken ^H1696.”

The Instrument of God’s Judgment

18 And the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068 came ^H1961 to me, saying ^H559,

19 “Now as for you, son ^H1121 of man ^H120, [fn]make ^H7760 two ^H8147 ways ^H1870 for the sword ^H2719 of the king ^H4428 of Babylon ^H894 to come ^H935; both ^H8147 of them will go ^H3318 out ^H3318 of one ^H259 land ^H776. And [fn]make ^H1254 a signpost ^H3027; [fn]make ^H1254 it at the head ^H7218 of the way ^H1870 to the city ^H5892. 20 You shall [fn]mark ^H7760 a way ^H1870 for the sword ^H2719 to come ^H935 to Rabbah ^H7237 of the sons ^H1121 of Ammon ^H5983, and to Judah ^H3063 into fortified ^H1219 Jerusalem ^H3389. 21 For the king ^H4428 of Babylon ^H894 stands ^H5975 at the [fn]parting ^H517 of the way ^H1870, at the head ^H7218 of the two ^H8147 ways ^H1870, to use ^H7080 divination ^H7081; he shakes ^H7043 the arrows ^H2671, he consults ^H7592 the [fn]household ^H8655 idols ^H8655, he looks ^H7200 at the liver ^H3516. 22 Into his right ^H3225 hand ^H3225 came ^H1961 the divination ^H7081, ‘Jerusalem ^H3389,’ to set ^H7760 up ^H7760 battering ^H3733 rams ^H3733, to open ^H6605 the mouth ^H6310 [fn]for [fn]slaughter ^H7524, to raise ^H7311 the voice ^H6963 with a battle ^H8643 cry ^H8643, to set ^H7760 up ^H7760 battering ^H3733 rams ^H3733 against ^H5921 the gates ^H8179, to pile ^H8210 up ^H8210 assault ^H5550 ramps ^H5550, to build ^H1129 a siege ^H1785 wall ^H1785. 23 And it will be to them like a false ^H7723 divination ^H7080 in their eyes ^H5869; they have sworn solemn ^H7650 oaths ^H7621. But he makes ^H2142 guilt ^H5771 known ^H2142, so that they may be seized ^H8610.

24 “Therefore ^H3651, this ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 the Lord ^H136 GOD ^H3068 says ^H559: ‘Because ^H3282 you have made ^H2142 your guilt ^H5771 known ^H2142, in that your offenses ^H6588 are uncovered ^H1540, so that in all ^H3605 your deeds ^H5949 your sins ^H2403 are seen ^H7200—because ^H3282 you have come ^H2142 to ^H2142 mind ^H2142, you will be seized ^H8610 by the hand ^H3709. 25 And you, slain ^H2491, wicked ^H7563 one ^H7563, the prince ^H5387 of Israel ^H3478, whose ^H834 day ^H3117 has come ^H935, in the time ^H6256 of the [fn]punishment ^H5771 of the end ^H7093,’ 26 this ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 the Lord ^H136 GOD ^H3068 says ^H559: ‘Remove ^H5493 the [fn]turban ^H4701 and take ^H7311 off ^H7311 the crown ^H5850; this ^H2088 will [fn]no ^H3808 longer be the same ^H2088. Exalt ^H1361 that which is low ^H8217, and humble ^H8213 that which is high ^H1364. 27 Ruins ^H5754, ruins ^H5754, ruins ^H5754, I will make ^H7760 it! This ^H2088 also ^H1571 will be no ^H3808 longer until ^H5704 He comes ^H935 whose ^H834 right ^H4941 it is, and I will give ^H5414 it to Him.’

28 “And you, son ^H1121 of man ^H120, prophesy ^H5012 and say ^H559, ‘This ^H3541 is ^H3541 what ^H3541 the Lord ^H136 GOD ^H3068 says ^H559 concerning ^H413 the sons ^H1121 of Ammon ^H5983 and their taunting ^H2781,’ and say ^H559: ‘A sword ^H2719, a sword ^H2719 is drawn ^H6605, sharpened ^H4803 for the slaughter ^H2874, to make it [fn]consume ^H398, so ^H4616 that ^H4616 it may be like lightning ^H1300— 29 while they see ^H2372 false ^H7723 visions ^H2372 for you, while they divine ^H7080 lies ^H3577 for you—to place ^H5414 you on the necks ^H6677 of the wicked ^H7563 who are killed ^H2491, whose ^H834 day ^H3117 has come ^H935, in the time ^H6256 of the [fn]punishment ^H5771 of the end ^H7093. 30 Return ^H7725 it to its sheath ^H8593. In the place ^H4725 where ^H834 you were created ^H1254, in the land ^H776 of your origin ^H4351, I will judge ^H8199 you. 31 I will pour ^H8210 out ^H8210 My indignation ^H2195 on you; I will blow ^H6315 on you with the fire ^H784 of My wrath ^H5678, and I will hand ^H5414 H3027 you over ^H5414 to brutal ^H1197 men ^H376, craftsmen ^H2796 of destruction ^H4889. 32 You will be [fn]fuel ^H402 for the fire ^H784; your blood ^H1818 will be in the midst ^H8432 of the land ^H776. You will not be remembered ^H2142, for I, the LORD ^H3068, have spoken ^H1696.’”