Ezekiel 21:5-15

5 That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more.
6 Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.
7 And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak[a] as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD.
8 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9 Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:
10 It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth[b] the rod of my son, as every tree.
11 And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled*: this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.
12 Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors[c] by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh.
13 Because it is a trial,[d] and what if the sword contemn even the rod? it shall be no more, saith the Lord GOD.
14 Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands[e]* together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy chambers.
15 I have set the point[f] of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter.

Footnotes 6

  • [a]. shall be weak...: Heb. shall go into water
  • [b]. it contemneth...: or, it is the rod of my son, it despiseth every tree
  • [c]. terrors...: or, they are thrust down to the sword with my people
  • [d]. Because...: or, When the trial hath been, what then? shall they not also belong to the despising rod?
  • [e]. hands...: Heb. hand to hand
  • [f]. point: or, glittering, or, fear
The King James Version is in the public domain.