| Berean Study Bible | New International Version |
| 1And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, | 1The word of the LORD came to me: |
| 2“Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel | 2"Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary. Prophesy against the land of Israel |
| 3and 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. | 3and say to her: 'This is what the LORD says: I am against you. I will draw my sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. |
| 4Because I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked, My sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north. | 4Because I am going to cut off the righteous and the wicked, my sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north. |
| 5Then all flesh will know that I, the LORD, have taken My sword from its sheath, not to return it again.’ | 5Then all people will know that I the LORD have drawn my sword from its sheath; it will not return again.' |
| 6But you, son of man, groan! Groan before their eyes with a broken heart and bitter grief. | 6"Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief. |
| 7And 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.” | 7And when they ask you, 'Why are you groaning?' you shall say, 'Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear and every hand go limp; every spirit will become faint and every leg will be wet with urine.' It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign LORD." |
| 8Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, | 8The word of the LORD came to me: |
| 9“Son of man, prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord says: ‘A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished— | 9"Son of man, prophesy and say, 'This is what the Lord says: "'A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished-- |
| 10it 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. | 10sharpened for the slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! "'Shall we rejoice in the scepter of my royal son? The sword despises every such stick. |
| 11The 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. | 11"'The sword is appointed to be polished, to be grasped with the hand; it is sharpened and polished, made ready for the hand of the slayer. |
| 12Cry 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. | 12Cry 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. |
| 13Surely testing will come! And what if even the scepter, which the sword despises, does not continue?’ declares the Lord GOD. | 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 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! | 14"So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands 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. |
| 15So 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. | 15So that hearts may melt with fear and the fallen be many, I have stationed the sword for slaughter at all their gates. Look! It is forged to strike like lightning, it is grasped for slaughter. |
| 16Slash to the right; set your blade to the left—wherever your blade is directed. | 16Slash to the right, you sword, then to the left, wherever your blade is turned. |
| 17I too will strike My hands together, and I will satisfy My wrath.’ I, the LORD, have spoken.” | 17I too will strike my hands together, and my wrath will subside. I the LORD have spoken." |
| 18Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, | 18The word of the LORD came to me: |
| 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. | 19"Son of man, mark out two roads 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. |
| 20Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and another against Judah into fortified Jerusalem. | 20Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem. |
| 21For 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. | 21For 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 with arrows, he will consult his idols, he will examine the liver. |
| 22In 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. | 22Into 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, to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp and to erect siege works. |
| 23It 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. | 23It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind them of their guilt and take them captive. |
| 24Therefore 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. | 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. |
| 25And you, O profane and wicked prince of Israel, the day has come for your final punishment.’ | 25"'You profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax, |
| 26This 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. | 26this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Take off the turban, remove the crown. It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low. |
| 27A 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.’ | 27A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come; to him I will give it.' |
| 28Now 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— | 28"And you, son of man, prophesy and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says about the Ammonites and their insults: "'A sword, a sword, drawn for the slaughter, polished to consume and to flash like lightning! |
| 29while 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. | 29Despite false visions concerning you and lying divinations 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. |
| 30Return the sword to its sheath! In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you. | 30"'Let the sword return to its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your ancestry, I will judge you. |
| 31I 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. | 31I will pour out my wrath on 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. Your blood will stain your own land. You will not be remembered, for I, the LORD, have spoken.’ ” | 32You will be fuel for the fire, your blood will be shed in your land, you will be remembered no more; for I the LORD have spoken.'" |
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