1And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, turn and face toward Jerusalem, and preach this word toward the holy place (sanctuary), and prophesy against the land of Israel, 3And say to the land of Israel, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I am against you, and will draw My sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. 4Yes, I will cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked; My sword shall be unsheathed against all flesh from the south to the north: 5Then all flesh will know that I, the LORD, have unsheathed My sword; it shall not return to its sheath until its work is finished. 6Sigh therefore, son of man; as with a breaking heart; and with bitterness, sigh before them. 7And when they say to you, ‘Why do you sigh?’, you shall answer, ‘Because of the news that is coming; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall fail, and all knees shall be as weak as water; behold, it is coming, and will surely happen,”’ ”, says the LORD God.”’” 8And then this word of the LORD came to me: 9“Son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘This is what the LORD says: ”A sword, a sword is sharpened, and polished to flash like lightning! 10It is sharpened for a great slaughter. Should you then laugh? It despises the rod of my son (Judah (Gen.49:9-10)), like every tree.” 11”And He has given it to be polished; it is sharpened and polished, ready to be gripped by the hand of the slayer. 12Cry out and wail, son of man (Ezekiel); for it shall be used against My people, it shall be upon all the leaders of Israel; fear of the sword shall be upon My people; so strike your thigh in dismay. 13Because the sword (of Babylon) has been tested and proved on others, and what if the scornful rod (ruling scepter) of Judah is brought to an end? It shall be no more,” says the LORD God. 14”So, therefore, son of man, prophesy, and clap your hands together, and let the sword strike twice, even three times. It is a sword for slaughter - for great slaughter – closing in on them from all sides. 15Let their hearts melt with fear, for the sword glitters at every gate. It flashes like lightning and is polished for slaughter! 16Slash to the right, O sword, then to the left, wherever your blade is turned. 17I will also clap My hands together, and I will cause My fury to subside. I, the LORD, have spoken.” The meaning and interpretation of this prophecy of verses 8 through 13 is not very clear, as evidenced by what the Bible commentators have written about this passage. Verse 10 – “Should you then laugh? It despises the rod of my son, like every tree.” - is a bit puzzling. It is likely a reference to the promise of Gen. 49:9-10 that Judah’s scepter must triumph over all other nations, and the false sense of security many Israelites placed in that promise, causing them to discount of Ezekiel’s prophecy and the warning of the coming invasion by Babylon. The meaning of verse 13 is also puzzling. A footnote for it in the Ryrie Study Bible says: “The verse means, What will happen to Judah if it is left without a ruler?” One commentator paraphrases it as “If the king and kingdom of Judah despise this trial, and harden themselves against this sword, both shall be destroyed, and be no more,” In verses 14, 15, 16 & 17, God emphasized the certainty and severity of the calamity that Ezekiel has predicted and warned Judah of. 18Then this word of the LORD came to me again, 19“Also, son of man, map out two routes for the sword of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost where the road branches off to the city. 20Map out one route for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem. 21For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, uncertain whether to attack Jerusalem or Rabbah. He will summon his magicians to look for omens. They will cast lots by shaking arrows from the quiver. They will examine the livers of animal sacrifices. 22The omen in his right hand will say, ‘Jerusalem!’ With battering rams his soldiers will come against the gates, shouting for the kill. They will build up siege towers and ramps outside the walls. 23The people of Jerusalem will think it is a false alarm, because of their treaty with the Babylonians. But the king of Babylon will remind the people of their rebellion. Then he will attack and capture them. 24Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: ‘Because you people have reminded Me of your guilt by your open rebellion - never even trying to hide your sins in all that you do - because you have done this, you will be taken captive. 25You profane and wicked prince of Israel, your day and time of punishment has come, 26This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “Take off your jeweled crown, for things will not be as they have been: now the lowly will be exalted, and the high and mighty will be brought down. 27Destruction! Destruction! I will surely destroy the kingdom. And it will not be restored until He comes Whose right it is; and I will give it Him.”’ 28“And now, son of man, prophesy concerning the Ammonites and their mockery. Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD: ‘A sword, a sword is drawn for your slaughter. It is polished to destroy, flashing like lightning!’ 29Despite false prophecies and visions concerning you and fortune-tellers lying about you, the sword will be laid on the necks of the wicked destined to be slain, whose day has come, whose final reckoning has come. 30‘Now return the sword to its sheath, for in the place where you were created, the land of your birth, I will pass judgment upon you. 31I will pour out My wrath upon you and breathe out My fiery anger against you; I will deliver you into the hands of brutal men, men skilled in destruction. 32You will be fuel for the fire, and your blood will be shed in your own land. You will be utterly wiped out, the memory of you lost to history, for I, the LORD, have spoken!’”’
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