The Parable of the Lord's Sword
1And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel, 3And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked. 4Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north: 5That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more. 6Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes. 7And 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 as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD.
8Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:
10It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree.
11And 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. 12Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh. 13Because it is a trial, and what if the sword contemn even the rod? it shall be no more, saith the Lord GOD.
14Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands 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. 15I have set the point 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. 16Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the left, whithersoever thy face is set. 17I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest: I the LORD have said it.
18The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, 19Also, thou son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come: both twain shall come forth out of one land: and choose thou a place, choose it at the head of the way to the city. 20Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced. 21For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver. 22At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort. 23And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight, to them that have sworn oaths: but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.
24Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand. 25And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, 26Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. 27I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.
28And thou, son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; even say thou, The sword, the sword is drawn: for the slaughter it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering: 29Whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end. 30Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity. 31And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, and skilful to destroy. 32Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no more remembered: for I the LORD have spoken it.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
God’s Sword of Judgment
1 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 2 Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, and drop your word toward the sanctuaries, and prophesy against the land of Israel; 3 and tell the land of Israel, Thus says Yahweh: Behold, I am against you, and will draw forth my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked. 4 Seeing then that I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north: 5 and all flesh shall know that I, Yahweh, have drawn forth my sword out of its sheath; it shall not return any more. 6 Sigh therefore, you son of man; with the breaking of your thighs and with bitterness you will sigh before their eyes. 7 It shall be, when they tell you, Why do you sigh? that you shall say, Because of the news, for it comes; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord Yahweh.
8 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
9 Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says Yahweh: Say, A sword, a sword, it is sharpened, and also furbished;
10 it is sharpened that it may make a slaughter; it is furbished that it may be as lightning: shall we then make mirth? the rod of my son, it condemns every tree.
11 It is given to be furbished, that it may be handled: the sword, it is sharpened, yes, it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the killer. 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; strike therefore on your thigh. 13 For there is a trial; and what if even the rod that condemns shall be no more? says the Lord Yahweh.
14 You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and strike your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the deadly wounded: it is the sword of the great one who is deadly wounded, which enters into their rooms. 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. 16 Gather yourselves together, go to the right, set yourselves in array, go to the left, wherever your face is set. 17 I will also strike my hands together, and I will cause my wrath to rest: I, Yahweh, have spoken it.
18 The word of Yahweh came to me again, saying, 19 Also, you son of man, appoint two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come; they both shall come forth out of one land: and mark out a place, mark it out at the head of the way to the city. 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. 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. 22 In his right hand was the divination 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, to build forts. 23 It shall 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.
24 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you have made 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 shall be taken with the hand. 25 You, deadly wounded wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose day has come, in the time of the iniquity of the end, 26 thus says the Lord Yahweh: Remove the turban, and take off the crown; this shall be no more the same; exalt that which is low, and abase that which is high. 27 I will overturn, overturn, overturn it: this also shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.
28 You, son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh concerning the children of Ammon, and concerning their reproach; and say, A sword, a sword is drawn, for the slaughter it is furbished, to cause it to devour, that it may be as lightning; 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. 30 Cause it to return into its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your birth, will I judge you. 31 I will pour out my indignation on you; I will blow on you with the fire of my wrath; and I will deliver you into the hand of brutish men, skillful to destroy. 32 You shall be for fuel to the fire; your blood shall be in the midst of the land; you shall be remembered no more: for I, Yahweh, have spoken it.
God’s Sword of Judgment
1 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel 3 and tell her that this is what the LORD says: ‘I am against you, and I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. 4 Because I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked, My sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north. 5 Then all flesh will know that I, the LORD, have taken My sword from its sheath, not to return it again.’
6 But you, son of man, groan! Groan before their eyes with a broken heart and bitter grief. 7 And when they ask, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you are to say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will go limp. Every spirit will faint, and every knee will turn to water.’ Yes, it is coming and it will surely happen, declares the Lord GOD.”
8 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 9 “Son of man, prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord says:
‘A sword, a sword,
sharpened and polished—
10 it is sharpened for the slaughter,
polished to flash like lightning!
Should we rejoice in the scepter of My son?
The sword despises every such stick.
11 The sword is appointed to be polished,
to be grasped in the hand.
It is sharpened and polished,
to be placed in the hand of the slayer.
12 Cry out and wail,
O son of man,
for the sword is wielded against My people;
it is against all the princes of Israel!
They are tossed to the sword with My people;
therefore strike your thigh. a
13 Surely testing will come!
And what if even the scepter,
which the sword despises,
does not continue?’
declares the Lord GOD.
14 ‘So then, son of man,
prophesy and strike your hands together.
Let the sword strike two times,
even three.
It is a sword that slays,
a sword of great slaughter
closing in on every side!
15 So that their hearts may melt
and many may stumble,
I have appointed at all their gates
a sword for slaughter.
Yes, it is ready to flash like lightning;
it is drawn for slaughter.
16 Slash to the right;
set your blade to the left—
wherever your blade is directed.
17 I too will strike My hands together,
and I will satisfy My wrath.’
I, the LORD, have spoken.”
18 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 19 “Now you, son of man, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same land. And make a signpost where the road branches off to each city. 20 Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and another against Judah into fortified Jerusalem.
21 For the king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He shakes the arrows, he consults the idols, he examines the liver.
22 In his right hand appears the portent for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to call for the slaughter, to lift a battle cry, to direct the battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp, and to erect a siege wall. 23 It will seem like a false omen to the eyes of those who have sworn allegiance to him, but it will draw attention to their guilt and take them captive.
24 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you have drawn attention to your guilt, exposing your transgressions, so that your sins are revealed in all your deeds—because you have come to remembrance—you shall be taken in hand.
25 And you, O profane and wicked prince of Israel,
the day has come for your final punishment.’
26 This is what the Lord GOD says:
‘Remove the turban,
and take off the crown.
Things will not remain as they are:
Exalt the lowly
and bring low the exalted.
27 A ruin, a ruin,
I will make it a ruin!
And it will not be restored
until the arrival of Him to whom it belongs,
to whom I have assigned the right of judgment. b’
28 Now prophesy, son of man, and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says concerning the Ammonites and their contempt:
‘A sword! A sword
is drawn for slaughter,
polished to consume,
to flash like lightning—
29 while they offer false visions for you
and lying divinations about you—
to be placed on the necks
of the wicked who are slain,
whose day has come,
the time of their final punishment.
30 Return the sword to its sheath!
In the place where you were created,
in the land of your origin,
I will judge you.
31 I will pour out My anger upon you;
I will breathe the fire of My fury against you;
I will hand you over to brutal men,
skilled in destruction.
32 You will be fuel for the fire.
Your blood will stain your own land.
You will not be remembered,
for I, the LORD, have spoken.’ ”
Footnotes:
12 a Or beat your breast
27 b Or of Him to whom it rightfully belongs, to whom I have given it.
The Parable of the Lord's Sword
1And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying, 2'Son of man, set thy face unto Jerusalem, and prophesy unto the holy places, and prophesy unto the ground of Israel; 3and thou hast said unto the ground of Israel: Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am against thee, And have brought out My sword from its scabbard, And have cut off from thee righteous and wicked. 4Because that I have cut off from thee righteous and wicked, Therefore go out doth My sword from its scabbard, Unto all flesh, from south to north. 5And known have all flesh that I, Jehovah, Have brought out My sword from its scabbard, It doth not turn back any more. 6And thou, son of man, sigh with breaking of loins, yea, with bitterness thou dost sigh before their eyes, 7and it hath come to pass, when they say unto thee, For what art thou sighing? that thou hast said: Because of the report, for it is coming, And melted hath every heart, And feeble hath been all hands, And weak is every spirit, And all knees go -- waters, Lo, it is coming, yea, it hath been, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.'
8And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,
9'Son of man, prophesy, and thou hast said, Thus said Jehovah, say: A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also polished.
10So as to slaughter a slaughter it is sharpened. So as to have brightness it is polished, Desire hath rejoiced the sceptre of my son, It is despising every tree.
11And he giveth it for polishing, For laying hold of by the hand. It is sharpened -- the sword -- and polished, To give it into the hand of a slayer. 12Cry and howl, son of man, For it hath been among My people, It is among all the princes of Israel, Cast unto the sword have been My people. Therefore strike on thy thigh, 13Because it is a trier, And what if even the sceptre it is despising? It shall not be, an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.
14And thou, son of man, prophesy, And smite hand on hand, And bent is the sword a third time, The sword of the wounded! It is the sword of the wounded -- the great one, That is entering the inner chamber to them. 15To melt the heart, and to multiply the ruins, By all their gates I have set the point of a sword. Ah, it is made for brightness, Wrapped up for slaughter. 16Take possession of the right, place thyself at the left, Whither thy face is appointed. 17And I also, I smite My hand on my hand, And have caused My fury to rest; I, Jehovah, have spoken.'
18And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying, 19And thou, son of man, appoint for thee two ways, for the coming in of the sword of the king of Babylon; from one land they come forth, both of them, and a station prepare thou, at the top of the way of the city prepare it. 20A way appoint for the coming of the sword, Unto Rabbath of the sons of Ammon, And to Judah, in Jerusalem -- the fenced. 21For stood hath the king of Babylon at the head of the way, At the top of the two ways, to use divination, He hath moved lightly with the arrows, He hath asked at the teraphim, He hath looked on the liver. 22At his right hath been the divination -- Jerusalem, To place battering-rams, To open the mouth with slaughter, To lift up a voice with shouting, To place battering-rams against the gates, To pour out a mount, to build a fortification. 23And it hath been to them as a false divination in their eyes, Who have sworn oaths to them, And he is causing iniquity to be remembered to be caught.
24Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Because of your causing your iniquity to be remembered, In your transgressions being revealed, For your sins being seen, in all your doings, Because of your being remembered, By the hand ye are caught. 25And thou, wounded, wicked one, Prince of Israel, whose day hath come, In the time of the iniquity of the end! 26Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Turn aside the mitre, and bear away the crown, This -- not this -- the low make high, And the high make low. 27An overturn, overturn, overturn, I make it, Also this hath not been till the coming of Him, Whose is the judgment, and I have given it.
28And thou, son of man, prophesy, and thou hast said: Thus said the Lord Jehovah concerning the sons of Ammon, and concerning their reproach: and thou hast said: A sword, a sword, open for slaughter, Polished to the utmost for brightness! 29In the seeing for thee of a vain thing, In the divining for thee of a lie, To put thee on the necks of the wounded of the wicked, whose day hath come, In the time of the iniquity of the end. 30Turn it back unto its scabbard, In the place where thou wast produced, In the land of thy birth I do judge thee. 31And I have poured on thee Mine indignation, With fire of My wrath I blow against thee, And have given thee into the hand of brutish men -- artificers of destruction. 32To the fire thou art for fuel, Thy blood is in the midst of the land, Thou art not remembered, For I, Jehovah, have spoken!'
