"On allthe bareheightsin the wildernessDestroyershave come,For a swordof the LORDis devouringFrom one endof the landeven to the other;Thereis nopeacefor anyone.
The swordof the LORDis filledwith blood,It is satedwith fat,with the bloodof lambsand goats,With the fatof the kidneysof rams.For the LORDhas a sacrificein BozrahAnd a greatslaughterin the landof Edom.
"Thereis nopeace,"saysmy God,"for the wicked."
"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."'
For thussaysthe LORD,"Do not entera houseof mourning,or goto lamentor to consolethem; for I have withdrawnMy peacefrom thispeople,"declaresthe LORD,"[My] lovingkindnessand compassion.
Thiswholelandwill be a desolationand a horror,and thesenationswill servethe kingof Babylonseventyyears.
"Liftup your eyesto the bareheightsand see;Wherehave you not been violated?By the roadsyou have satfor them Like an Arabin the desert,And you have polluteda landWith your harlotryand with your wickedness.
A voiceis heardon the bareheights,The weeping[and] the supplicationsof the sonsof Israel;Becausethey have pervertedtheir way,They have forgottenthe LORDtheir God.
"For thussaysthe LORD,I have hearda soundof terror,Of dread,and thereis nopeace.
"Thereforethussaysthe LORD,'You have not obeyedMe in proclaimingreleaseeachmanto his brotherand eachmanto his neighbor.Behold,I am proclaiminga releaseto you,' declaresthe LORD,to the sword,to the pestilenceand to the famine;and I will makeyou a terrorto allthe kingdomsof the earth.
For thussaysthe LORD,"The wholelandshall be a desolation,Yet I will not executea completedestruction.
For that daybelongs to the LordGODof hosts,A dayof vengeance,so as to avengeHimself on His foes;And the swordwill devourand be satiatedAnd drinkits fillof their blood;For there will be a slaughterfor the LordGODof hosts,In the landof the northby the riverEuphrates.
"Ah,swordof the LORD,Howlongwill you not be quiet?Withdrawinto your sheath;Be at restand staystill.
"Thereis praisefor Moabnolonger;In Heshbonthey have devisedcalamityagainsther: 'Comeand let us cuther offfrom [being] a nation!'You too,Madmen,will be silenced;The swordwill followafteryou.
[We] waitedfor peace,but nogood[came]; For a timeof healing,but behold,terror!
My soulhas beenrejectedfrom peace;I have forgottenhappiness.
"Or[if] I should bringa swordon that countryand say,'Let the swordpassthrough the countryand cutoffmanand beastfrom it,'
"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--
"BecauseI will cutofffrom you the righteousand the wicked,thereforeMy swordwill goforthfrom its sheathagainstallfleshfrom south[to] north.
Again the wordof the LORDcameto me, saying,
"Sonof man,prophesyand say,'Thussaysthe LORD.'Say,A sword,a swordsharpenedAnd alsopolished!
"Onethirdyou shall burnin the fireat the centerof the city,when the daysof the siegeare completed.Then you shall takeonethirdand strike[it] with the swordallaroundthe city, and onethirdyou shall scatterto the wind;and I will unsheathea swordbehindthem.
You, however, I will scatteramong the nationsand will drawout a swordafteryou, as your landbecomesdesolateand your citiesbecomewaste.
"And thoughthey gointo captivitybeforetheir enemies,From thereI will commandthe swordthat it slaythem, And I will setMy eyesagainstthem for eviland not for good."
"You also,O Ethiopians,will be slainby My sword."
I will make My arrowsdrunkwith blood,And My swordwill devourflesh,With the bloodof the slainand the captives,From the long-hairedleadersof the enemy.'
And another,a redhorse,wentout; and to him who saton it, it was grantedto takepeacefrom the earth,and that [men] would slayone another;and a greatswordwas givento him.
