"Sonof man,prophesyand say,'Thussaysthe LORD.'Say,A sword,a swordsharpenedAnd alsopolished!
"It is drawnforthand comesout of his back,Even the glitteringpointfrom his gall.Terrorscomeupon him,
"It is [all] one;thereforeI say,He destroysthe guiltlessand the wicked.'
In that daythe LORDwill punishLeviathanthe fleeingserpent,With His fierceand greatand mightysword,EvenLeviathanthe twistedserpent;And He will killthe dragonwho[lives] in the sea.
For the LORDwill executejudgmentby fireAnd by His swordon allflesh,And those slainby the LORDwill be many.
"On allthe bareheightsin the wildernessDestroyershave come,For a swordof the LORDis devouringFrom one endof the landeven to the other;Thereis nopeacefor anyone.
"And it shall be that whenthey sayto you, 'Whereshould we go?'then you are to tellthem, 'Thussaysthe LORD:"Those [destined] for death,to death;And those [destined] for the sword,to the sword;And those [destined] for famine,to famine;And those [destined] for captivity,to captivity."'
"Harnessthe horses,And mountthe steeds,And takeyour standwith helmets[on]! Polishthe spears,Puton the scale-armor!
"Howcan it be quiet,When the LORDhas givenit an order?AgainstAshkelonand againstthe seacoast--ThereHe has assignedit."
that [their] heartsmay melt,and manyfallat alltheir gates.I have giventhe glitteringsword.Ah!It is made[for striking] like lightning,it is wrappedup [in readiness] for slaughter.
"And you, sonof man,prophesyand say,'Thussaysthe LordGODconcerningthe sonsof Ammonand concerningtheir reproach,'and say:'A sword,a swordis drawn,polishedfor the slaughter,to cause it to consume,that it may be like lightning--
and sayto the landof Israel,'Thussaysthe LORD,"Behold,I am againstyou; and I will drawMy swordout of its sheathand cutofffrom you the righteousand the wicked.
"BecauseI will cutofffrom you the righteousand the wicked,thereforeMy swordwill goforthfrom its sheathagainstallfleshfrom south[to] north.
Again the wordof the LORDcameto me, saying,
"And thoughthey gointo captivitybeforetheir enemies,From thereI will commandthe swordthat it slaythem, And I will setMy eyesagainstthem for eviland not for good."
