3. Say to Israel’s fertile land, The Lord proclaims: I’m now against you! I will draw my sword from its sheath and cut off both the righteous and the wicked from you.
4. In order to cut off the righteous and wicked from you, my sword will go out from its sheath against everyone from south to north.
5. And everyone will know that I, the Lord, have taken my sword out of its sheath. It won’t be put away again.
6. You, human one, groan in their sight; groan bitterly with trembling knees.
7. If they ask you why you’re groaning, say to them, "Because of the news." When it comes, every heart will despair, every hand will hang lifeless, every spirit will be listless, and urine will run down every leg. It’s coming! It will happen! This is what the Lord God says.
8. The Lord’s word came to me:
9. Human one, prophesy! Say, The Lord proclaims! Say:A sword! A sharp and polished sword!
10. For utter slaughter it is sharpened,polished to flash like lightning.Let’s not rejoice, because no one will escape the purge.
11. He appoints it for polishing, to seize in the hand.The sword is sharpened, it is polished;it is ready for the destroyer’s hand.
12. Human one, cry aloud, and wail,for it comes against my people,against all of Israel’s princes,handed over to the sword along with my people.Therefore, strike your thigh.
13. He’s testing.When even the rod rejects,will it not certainly happen?This is what the Lord God says.