耶和華審判的刀
1耶和華對我說： 2「人子啊，你要面向耶路撒冷，說預言斥責以色列和聖所， 3告訴以色列，耶和華這樣說，『我要與你為敵，我要拔刀將你那裡的義人和惡人一同消滅， 4從南到北不留一人， 5使世人都知道我耶和華已拔刀出鞘，不再收回。』 6人子啊，你要在他們面前哀歎，要傷心欲絕地哀歎。 7如果有人問你為什麼哀歎，你就說有噩耗傳來，聽見的人都膽戰心驚、兩手發軟、精神萎靡、膝弱如水。災難必很快發生。這是主耶和華說的。」
8耶和華對我說： 9「人子啊，你要說預言，告訴他們，耶和華這樣說，
『有一把刀，
有一把刀磨快擦亮了，
10磨得鋒利，為要殺戮，
擦得亮如閃電。
我們豈能因我兒的權杖而快樂？這刀鄙視一切權杖。 11這刀已交給人去擦亮，好握在手中，這刀已磨快擦亮，預備交給屠殺的人。 12人子啊，號啕大哭吧，因為這刀要攻擊我的子民和所有以色列的首領，他們都要死於刀下。所以你要捶胸頓足。 13這刀必試驗他們，這刀所鄙視的權杖若不復存在，怎麼辦呢？這是主耶和華說的。』
14「人子啊，你要拍掌對他們說預言，你要拿刀揮舞兩三次，預示這刀要從四面八方大肆殺戮， 15使他們嚇得肝膽俱裂，許多人倒在家門口。我已賜下這亮如閃電的刀，用來殺戮。 16刀啊，你要左砍右劈，大肆殺戮。 17我要拍掌，我的烈怒要平息。這是我耶和華說的。」
18耶和華對我說： 19「人子啊，你要為巴比倫王的刀畫出兩條進攻之路，兩條路要從一個地方出發，要在通往城邑的路口設路標。 20一條路通往亞捫的拉巴城，一條路通往猶大的堅城耶路撒冷。 21巴比倫王將站在兩路的岔口，搖籤求問他的神像，察看祭牲的肝。 22他右手拿到的是攻打耶路撒冷的籤，於是，他用撞城錘來攻耶路撒冷的城門，廝殺吶喊，建壘築臺圍攻城池。 23猶大人必認為這是虛假的徵兆。他們曾向巴比倫王發誓效忠，但巴比倫王要使他們想起自己的罪，並擄走他們。
24「主耶和華說，『因為你們的過犯昭然若揭，你們的罪惡表露無遺，因此，你們必遭擄掠。 25你這邪惡敗壞的以色列首領啊！你的結局到了，審判你的日子來了。』 26主耶和華說，『取下你的頭巾，摘下你的冠冕吧，時局轉變了。要提拔卑微的，貶抑高貴的。 27毀滅，毀滅，我要毀滅這國，使它蕩然無存，直到那應得的人來到後，這國才能得到重建，我要把這國交給他。』
28「人子啊，你要說有關亞捫人及其恥辱的預言，告訴他們，主耶和華說，『有刀，有刀已出鞘，為要殺戮；它亮如閃電，要行毀滅。 29有關你們的異象和占卜是虛假的，你們將與其他惡人一同被殺，因為你們的結局到了，審判你們的日子來了。 30你們要收刀入鞘，我要在你們的家鄉，在你們的出生之地審判你們， 31我要把烈怒倒在你們身上，將我的怒火噴在你們身上，把你們交在嗜殺成性的惡徒手中， 32你們必被當作柴焚燒，你們的血必流在自己的土地上，無人再記得你們。因為這是我耶和華說的。』」
God Uses the Babylonians to Judge Israel
1A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2“Son of man, turn your attention to Jerusalem. Preach against the temple. Prophesy against the land of Israel. 3Tell them, ‘The Lord says, “I am against you. I will pull out my sword. I will remove from you godly people and sinful people alike. 4Because I am going to remove them, my sword will be ready to use. I will strike down everyone from south to north. 5Then all people will know that I have pulled out my sword. I will not put it back. I am the Lord.” ’
6“Groan, son of man! Groan in front of your people. Groan with a broken heart and bitter sorrow. 7They will ask you, ‘Why are you groaning?’ Then you will say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. The hearts of all the people will melt away in fear. Their hands will not be able to help them. Their spirits will grow weak. And they will be so afraid they’ll wet themselves.’ The news is coming! You can be sure those things will happen,” announces the Lord and King.
8A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 9“Son of man, prophesy. Say, ‘The Lord says,
“ ‘ “A sword! A sword!
A sharp and shiny sword is coming from Babylon!
10It is sharpened to kill people.
It flashes like lightning.” ’ ”
The people say, “Should we take delight in the scepter of the Lord’s royal son? The sword looks down on every scepter like this.” 11The Lord says,
“I have told Nebuchadnezzar to shine his sword.
It is in his hand.
It has been sharpened and shined.
It is ready for the killer’s hand.
12Son of man, cry out and weep.
The sword is against my people.
It is against all the princes of Israel.
It will kill them
along with the rest of my people.
So beat your chest in sorrow.
13“You can be sure that testing will come. Why does the sword look down on the scepter? Because even the scepter will not continue to rule,” announces the Lord and King.
14“Son of man, prophesy.
Clap your hands.
Let the sword strike twice.
Let it strike even three times.
It is a sword to kill people.
It is a sword to kill many people.
It is closing in on them from every side.
15People’s hearts will melt away in fear.
Many will be wounded or killed.
I have prepared the sword to kill people
at all their city gates.
Look! It strikes like lightning.
It is in the killer’s hand.
16Sword, cut to the right.
Then cut to the left.
Strike down people everywhere your blade is turned.
17I too will clap my hands.
I won’t be so angry anymore.
I have spoken. I am the Lord.”
18A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 19“Son of man, mark out on a map two roads for the sword to take. The sword belongs to the king of Babylon. Both roads start from the same country. Put up a sign where the road turns off to the city of Rabbah. 20Mark out one road for the sword to take against Rabbah in Ammon. Mark out another against Judah and the walls of Jerusalem. 21The king of Babylon will stop at the place where the two roads meet. He will look for a special sign. He will cast lots by pulling arrows out of a bag. He will ask his gods for advice. And he will look carefully at the liver of a sheep. 22His 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. 23The 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.”
24So 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.”
25King Zedekiah, your day has come. You are an unholy and evil prince in Israel. The day for you to be punished is here. 26The Lord and King says, “Take off your turban. Remove your crown. Things will not be as they were in the past. Those who are considered not important will be honored. And those who are honored will be considered not important. 27Jerusalem 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.
29The 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.
30Ammon, return your sword to its place.
In the land where you were created, I will judge you.
That is where you came from.
31I will pour out my anger on you.
I will breathe out my burning anger against you.
I will hand you over to mean people.
They are skilled at destroying others.
32You will be burned in the fire.
Your blood will be spilled in your land.
You will not be remembered anymore.
I have spoken. I am the Lord.” ’ ”
