Ezekiel 21:1–7

GOD’S SWORD OF JUDGMENT

21 The word of the Lord came to me again: 2 “Son of man, facev Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel, 3 and say to it, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am against you.w I will draw my sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. 4 Since I will cut offA both the righteous and the wicked, my sword will therefore come out of its sheath against all humanity from the south to the north.x 5 So all humanity will know that I, the Lord, have taken my sword from its sheath—it will not be sheathed again.’y

6 “But you, son of man, groan! Groan bitterly with a broken heartB right before their eyes. 7 And when they ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ then say, ‘Because of the news that is coming.z Every heart will melt, and every hand will become weak. Every spirit will be discouraged, and all knees will run with urine.C Yes, it is coming and it will happen. This is the declaration of the Lord God.’ ”