16. It is given to be polished, to be seized. The sword is sharpened, polished, to be put into the hand of the slayer.
17. Cry and wail, son of man! For it is against My people. It is against all the leaders of Israel. They are thrown over to the sword, along with My people. Therefore strike your thigh.
18. For it is a testing. What if they scorn even the rod? It must not be!” It is a declaration of Adonai.
19. You, son of man, prophesy. Strike your hands together. The sword will strike twice, even three times, a sword for the slain, a sword for a great slaughter—it surrounds them!
20. So that their hearts will melt and many will stumble and fall, I have set the point of the sword against all their gates. Alas! It is made for lightning, it is polished for slaughter.
21. Slash to the right, turn to the left—wherever your blade is meeting!
22. I also will clap My hands together. So I will satisfy My wrath. I, Adonai, have spoken.’”
23. The word of Adonai came to me saying:
24. “Now you, son of man, mark two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to come. Both of them should originate from the same land. Mark a signpost; cut it out at the start of the road to the city.
25. You are to mark out a way, so the sword can come to Rabbah of the children of Ammon and to Judah in fortified Jerusalem.
26. For the king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road, at the start of the two roads, to seek divination. He shakes the arrows, consults the idols, he looks in the liver.
27. In his right hand is the lot for Jerusalem—to set up battering rams, to open the mouth for slaughter, to lift up the voice with a war cry, to set up battering rams against the gates, to cast up ramps, to build a siege wall.