1. Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
2. “Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, and preach toward the sanctuaries, and prophesy against the land of Israel.
3. Tell the land of Israel, ‘Yahweh says: “Behold, I am against you, and will draw my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.
4. Seeing then that I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore my sword will go out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north.
5. All flesh will know that I, Yahweh, have drawn my sword out of its sheath. It will not return any more.”’
6. “Sigh therefore, you son of man. You shall sigh before their eyes with a broken heart and with bitterness.
7. It shall be, when they ask you, ‘Why do you sigh?’ that you shall say, ‘Because of the news, for it comes! Every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord Yahweh.’”
8. Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,