8. And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
9. Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith Jehovah: Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished.
10. It is sharpened for sore slaughter, it is furbished that it may glitter. Shall we then make mirth, saying, The sceptre of my son contemneth all wood?
11. And he hath given it to be furbished that it may be handled. The sword, --it is sharpened, and it is furbished to give it into the hand of the slayer.
12. Cry and howl, son of man; for it shall be against my people, it shall be against all the princes of Israel: they are given up to the sword along with my people: smite therefore upon the thigh.
13. For the trial is made; and what if even the contemning sceptre shall be no more? saith the Lord Jehovah.
14. And thou, son of man, prophesy, and smite thy hands together; for the strokes of the sword shall be doubled the third time: it is the sword of the slain, the sword that hath slain the great one, which encompasseth them privily.
15. In order that the heart may melt, and the stumbling-blocks be multiplied, I have set the threatening sword against all their gates: ah! it is made glittering, it is whetted for the slaughter.
16. Gather up strength, go to the right hand, turn thee, go to the left, whithersoever thy face is appointed.
17. And I myself will smite my hands together, and I will satisfy my fury: I Jehovah have spoken it.
18. And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
19. And thou, son of man, set thee two ways, by which the sword of the king of Babylon may come--out of one land shall they both come--and make thee a signpost, make it at the head of the way to the city.
20. Appoint a way for the coming of the sword to Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and to Judah at the fenced city of Jerusalem.
21. For the king of Babylon standeth at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he shaketh his arrows, he inquireth of the teraphim, he looketh in the liver.
22. In his right hand is the lot of Jerusalem to appoint battering-rams, to open the mouth for bloodshed, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering-rams against the gates, to cast mounds, to build siege-towers.