16. Sword, cut to the right. Then cut to the left. Strike people down everywhere your blade is turned.
17. I too will clap my hands. My burning anger will calm down. I have spoken. I am the Lord."
18. A message came to me from the Lord. He said,
19. "Son of man, mark out on a map two roads for the sword to take. The sword belongs to the king of Babylonia. Both roads start from the same country. Put up a sign where the road turns off to the city of Rabbah.
20. Mark out one road for the sword to take against Rabbah in Ammon. Mark out another against Judah and the walls of Jerusalem.
21. "The king of Babylonia will stop at the place where the two roads meet. He will ask his gods to tell him which way to go. He will cast lots by pulling arrows out of a bag. And he will look carefully at the liver of a sheep.
22. "His right hand will pull out the arrow for Jerusalem. There he will get huge logs ready to knock down its gates. He will give the command to kill its people. He will sound the battle cry. He will build a ramp up to the city wall. He will bring in his war machines.
23. "The decision to attack Jerusalem will seem like the wrong advice to those who made a treaty with Nebuchadnezzar. But he will remind them that they are guilty. And he will take them away as prisoners."
24. So the Lord and King says, "You people have reminded everyone of how guilty you are. You have done it by refusing to obey me or any other authority. Everything you do clearly shows how sinful you are. So you will be taken away as prisoners."
25. King Zedekiah, the day for you to be punished has finally come. You are an unholy and evil prince in Israel. Your time is up.
26. The Lord and King says, "Take off your turban. Remove your crown. Things will not be as they were in the past. Those who are not important will be honored. And those who are honored will be brought down.
27. Jerusalem will fall. I will destroy it. It will not be rebuilt until the true king comes. After all, the kingdom belongs to him. I will give it to him.
28. "Son of man, prophesy. Say, 'The Lord and King speaks about the Ammonites. He also talks about the way they laugh because of Jerusalem's fall. He says, " ' "A sword! A sword! Nebuchadnezzar's sword is ready to kill you. It is shined to destroy you. It flashes like lightning.
29. The visions of your prophets are false. They use magic to try to find out what is going to happen to you. But their magic tricks are lies. The sword will strike the necks of you sinful people. You will be killed. The day for you to be punished has finally come. Your time is up.