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Ezekiel 21
International Children’s Bible
Ezekiel 21
International Children’s Bible
Babylon, the Lord’s Sword
21 Then the Lord spoke his word to me. He said: 2 “Human being, look toward Jerusalem and speak against their holy place. Prophesy against the land of Israel. 3 Say to Israel: ‘This is what the Lord says: I am against you. I will pull my sword out of its holder. I will separate you from both wicked people and those who do right. 4 I am going to separate the wicked and those who do right. So my sword will come out from its holder. And it will come against all people from south to north. 5 Then all people will know that I, the Lord, have pulled my sword out from its holder. My sword will not go back in again.’
6 “So, human being, groan with breaking heart and great sadness. Make these sad sounds in front of the people. 7 They will ask you, ‘Why do you make these sad sounds?’ Then you will say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear. All hands will become weak. Everyone will be afraid. All knees will become weak as water. Look, it is coming. It will happen, says the Lord God.’”
8 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 9 “Human being, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says:
A sword, a sword,
made sharp and polished.
10 It is made sharp for the killing.
It is polished to flash like lightning.
“‘You are not happy about this horrible punishment by the sword. But my son, Judah, you did not change when you were only beaten with a rod.
11 The sword should be polished.
The sword is meant to be held in the hand.
It is made sharp and polished.
It is made ready for the hand of the killer.
12 Shout and yell, human being.
This is because the sword is against my people.
It is against all the rulers of Israel.
They will be killed by the sword,
along with my people.
So beat your chest in sadness.
13 “‘The test will come. And Judah, who is hated by the armies of Babylon, will not last, says the Lord God.’
14 “So, human being, prophesy.
And clap your hands.
Let the sword hit
two or three times.
It is the sword for killing.
It is the sword for much killing.
This sword surrounds the people.
15 Their hearts will melt with fear.
And many people will die.
I have placed the killing sword
at all their gates.
Oh! The sword is made to flash like lightning.
It is held, ready for killing.
16 Sword, cut on the right side.
Then cut on the left side.
Cut anywhere your blade is turned.
17 I will also clap my hands.
Then my anger will rest.
I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Jerusalem to Be Destroyed
18 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said: 19 “Human being, mark two roads that the king of Babylon and his sword can follow. Both of these roads will start from the same country. And make signs where the road divides and one way goes toward the city. 20 One sign shows the road he can take with his sword to Rabbah. It is in the land of the Ammonites. And the other sign shows the road he can take to Judah and Jerusalem. Jerusalem is protected with strong walls. 21 The king of Babylon will come to where the road divides into two. He will use magic. He will throw lots with arrows. He will ask questions of his family idols. He will look at the liver of a sacrificed animal to learn where he should go. 22 The lots will tell him to go toward his right to Jerusalem. They will tell him these things: Use logs to break down the city gates. Shout the battle cry and give the order to kill. Build a dirt road to the top of the walls and devices to attack the walls. 23 The people of Jerusalem have made agreements with other nations to help them fight Babylon. So they will think this prediction is wrong. But the king of Babylon will remind them of their sin. And he will capture them.
24 “So this is what the Lord God says: ‘You have shown how sinful you are by turning against the Lord. Your sins are seen in all the things you do. So you will be taken captive by the enemy.
25 “‘You unclean and evil leader of Israel, you will be killed! The time of your final punishment has come. 26 This is what the Lord God says: Take off the turban. Take off the crown. Things will change. Those who are important now will be made unimportant. And those who are unimportant now will be made important. 27 A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! This place will not be rebuilt until the one comes who has a right to be king. Then I will give it to him.’
The Punishment of Ammon
28 “And you, human being, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Lord God says about the people of Ammon and their insults:
A sword, a sword
is pulled out of its holder.
It is polished to kill and destroy.
It will flash like lightning!
29 Prophets see false visions about you
and prophesy lies about you.
The sword will be put on the necks
of these evil people who are to be killed.
Their day has come.
The time of your final punishment has come.
30 Put the sword back in its holder.
I will judge you in the place where you were created.
I will judge you in the land where you were born.
31 I will pour out my anger against you.
I will breathe on you with the fire of my anger.
I will hand you over to cruel men
who are skilled in destruction.
32 You will be like fuel for the fire.
You will die in the land.
You will not be remembered.
I, the Lord, have spoken.’”
Ezekiel 21
New International Version
Ezekiel 21
New International Version
Babylon as God’s Sword of Judgment
21 [a]The word of the Lord came to me:(A) 2 “Son of man, set your face against(B) Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary.(C) Prophesy against(D) the land of Israel 3 and say to her: ‘This is what the Lord says: I am against you.(E) I will draw my sword(F) from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked.(G) 4 Because I am going to cut off the righteous and the wicked, my sword(H) will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north.(I) 5 Then all people will know that I the Lord have drawn my sword(J) from its sheath; it will not return(K) again.’(L)
6 “Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief.(M) 7 And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?(N)’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear(O) and every hand go limp;(P) every spirit will become faint(Q) and every leg will be wet with urine.’(R) It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
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,
sharpened and polished—
10 sharpened for the slaughter,(S)
polished to flash like lightning!
“‘Shall we rejoice in the scepter of my royal son? The sword despises every such stick.(T)
11 “‘The sword is appointed to be polished,(U)
to be grasped with the hand;
it is sharpened and polished,
made ready for the hand of the slayer.
12 Cry out and wail, son of man,
for it is against my people;
it is against all the princes of Israel.
They are thrown to the sword
along with my people.
Therefore beat your breast.(V)
13 “‘Testing will surely come. And what if even the scepter, which the sword despises, does not continue? declares the Sovereign Lord.’
14 “So then, son of man, prophesy
and strike your hands(W) together.
Let the sword strike twice,
even three times.
It is a sword for slaughter—
a sword for great slaughter,
closing in on them from every side.(X)
15 So that hearts may melt with fear(Y)
and the fallen be many,
I have stationed the sword for slaughter[b]
at all their gates.
Look! It is forged to strike like lightning,
it is grasped for slaughter.(Z)
16 Slash to the right, you sword,
then to the left,
wherever your blade is turned.
17 I too will strike my hands(AA) together,
and my wrath(AB) will subside.
I the Lord have spoken.(AC)”
18 The word of the Lord came to me: 19 “Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword(AD) of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost(AE) where the road branches off to the city. 20 Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites(AF) and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem. 21 For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He will cast lots(AG) with arrows, he will consult his idols,(AH) he will examine the liver.(AI) 22 Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry,(AJ) to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp(AK) and to erect siege works.(AL) 23 It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind(AM) them of their guilt(AN) and take them captive.
24 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins in all that you do—because you have done this, you will be taken captive.
25 “‘You profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come,(AO) whose time of punishment has reached its climax,(AP) 26 this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take off the turban, remove the crown.(AQ) It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low.(AR) 27 A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come;(AS) to him I will give it.’(AT)
28 “And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says about the Ammonites(AU) and their insults:
“‘A sword,(AV) a sword,
drawn for the slaughter,
polished to consume
and to flash like lightning!
29 Despite false visions concerning you
and lying divinations(AW) about you,
it will be laid on the necks
of the wicked who are to be slain,
whose day has come,
whose time of punishment has reached its climax.(AX)
30 “‘Let the sword return to its sheath.(AY)
In the place where you were created,
in the land of your ancestry,(AZ)
I will judge you.
31 I will pour out my wrath on you
and breathe(BA) out my fiery anger(BB) against you;
I will deliver you into the hands of brutal men,
men skilled in destruction.(BC)
32 You will be fuel for the fire,(BD)
your blood will be shed in your land,
you will be remembered(BE) no more;
for I the Lord have spoken.’”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 21:1 In Hebrew texts 21:1-32 is numbered 21:6-37.
- Ezekiel 21:15 Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
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