1. The word of the Lord came to me:
2. “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel
3. and say to the land of Israel, Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am against you and will draw my sword from its sheath and will cut off from you both righteous and wicked.
4. Because I will cut off from you both righteous and wicked, therefore my sword shall be drawn from its sheath against all flesh from south to north.
5. And all flesh shall know that I am the Lord. I have drawn my sword from its sheath; it shall not be sheathed again.
6. “As for you, son of man, groan; with breaking heart and bitter grief, groan before their eyes.
7. And when they say to you, ‘Why do you groan?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that it is coming. Every heart will melt, and all hands will be feeble; every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming, and it will be fulfilled,’” declares the Lord God.
8. And the word of the Lord came to me: