Ezekiel 21 – NIVUK & CCB

New International Version – UK

Ezekiel 21:1-32

Babylon as God’s sword of judgment

In Hebrew texts 21:1-32 is numbered 21:6-37. 1The word of the Lord came to me: 2‘Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary. Prophesy against the land of Israel 3and say to her: “This is what the Lord says: I am against you. I will draw my sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. 4Because I am going to cut off the righteous and the wicked, my sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north. 5Then all people will know that I the Lord have drawn my sword from its sheath; it will not return again.”

6‘Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief. 7And when they ask you, “Why are you groaning?” you shall say, “Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt with fear and every hand go limp; every spirit will become faint and every leg will be wet with urine.” It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign Lord.’

8The word of the Lord came to me: 9‘Son of man, prophesy and say, “This is what the Lord says:

‘ “A sword, a sword,

sharpened and polished –

10sharpened for the slaughter,

polished to flash like lightning!

‘ “Shall we rejoice in the sceptre of my royal son? The sword despises every such stick.

11‘ “The sword is appointed to be polished,

to be grasped with the hand;

it is sharpened and polished,

made ready for the hand of the slayer.

12Cry out and wail, son of man,

for it is against my people;

it is against all the princes of Israel.

They are thrown to the sword

along with my people.

Therefore beat your breast.

13‘ “Testing will surely come. And what if even the sceptre, which the sword despises, does not continue? declares the Sovereign Lord.”

14‘So then, son of man, prophesy

and strike your hands together.

Let the sword strike twice,

even three times.

It is a sword for slaughter –

a sword for great slaughter,

closing in on them from every side.

15So that hearts may melt with fear

and the fallen be many,

I have stationed the sword for slaughter21:15 Septuagint; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

at all their gates.

Look! It is forged to strike like lightning,

it is grasped for slaughter.

16Slash to the right, you sword,

then to the left,

wherever your blade is turned.

17I too will strike my hands together,

and my wrath will subside.

I the Lord have spoken.’

18The word of the Lord came to me: 19‘Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost where the road branches off to the city. 20Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem. 21For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: he will cast lots with arrows, he will consult his idols, he will examine the liver. 22Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering-rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry, to set battering-rams against the gates, to build a ramp and to erect siege works. 23It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind them of their guilt and take them captive.

24‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins in all that you do – because you have done this, you will be taken captive.

25‘ “You profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax, 26this is what the Sovereign Lord says: take off the turban, remove the crown. It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low. 27A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come; to him I will give it.”

28‘And you, son of man, prophesy and say, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says about the Ammonites and their insults:

‘ “A sword, a sword,

drawn for the slaughter,

polished to consume

and to flash like lightning!

29Despite false visions concerning you

and lying divinations about you,

it will be laid on the necks

of the wicked who are to be slain,

whose day has come,

whose time of punishment has reached its climax.

30‘ “Let the sword return to its sheath.

In the place where you were created,

in the land of your ancestry,

I will judge you.

31I will pour out my wrath on you

and breathe out my fiery anger against you;

I will deliver you into the hands of brutal men,

men skilled in destruction.

32You will be fuel for the fire,

your blood will be shed in your land,

you will be remembered no more;

for I the Lord have spoken.” ’

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)

以西结书 21:1-32

耶和华审判的刀

1耶和华对我说: 2“人子啊,你要面向耶路撒冷,说预言斥责以色列和圣所, 3告诉以色列,耶和华这样说,‘我要与你为敌,我要拔刀将你那里的义人和恶人一同消灭, 4从南到北不留一人, 5使世人都知道我耶和华已拔刀出鞘,不再收回。’ 6人子啊,你要在他们面前哀叹,要伤心欲绝地哀叹。 7如果有人问你为什么哀叹,你就说有噩耗传来,听见的人都胆战心惊、两手发软、精神萎靡、膝弱如水。灾难必很快发生。这是主耶和华说的。”

8耶和华对我说: 9“人子啊,你要说预言,告诉他们,耶和华这样说,

“‘有一把刀,

有一把刀磨快擦亮了,

10磨得锋利,为要杀戮,

擦得亮如闪电。

我们岂能因我儿的权杖而快乐?这刀鄙视一切权杖。 11这刀已交给人去擦亮,好握在手中,这刀已磨快擦亮,预备交给屠杀的人。 12人子啊,号啕大哭吧,因为这刀要攻击我的子民和所有以色列的首领,他们都要死于刀下。所以你要捶胸顿足。 13这刀必试验他们,这刀所鄙视的权杖若不复存在,怎么办呢?这是主耶和华说的。’

14“人子啊,你要拍掌对他们说预言,你要拿刀挥舞两三次,预示这刀要从四面八方大肆杀戮, 15使他们吓得肝胆俱裂,许多人倒在家门口。我已赐下这亮如闪电的刀,用来杀戮。 16刀啊,你要左砍右劈,大肆杀戮。 17我要拍掌,我的烈怒要平息。这是我耶和华说的。”

18耶和华对我说: 19“人子啊,你要为巴比伦王的刀画出两条进攻之路,两条路要从一个地方出发,要在通往城邑的路口设路标。 20一条路通往亚扪拉巴城,一条路通往犹大的坚城耶路撒冷21巴比伦王将站在两路的岔口,摇签求问他的神像,察看祭牲的肝。 22他右手拿到的是攻打耶路撒冷的签,于是,他用撞城锤来攻耶路撒冷的城门,厮杀吶喊,建垒筑台围攻城池。 23犹大人必认为这是虚假的征兆。他们曾向巴比伦王发誓效忠,但巴比伦王要使他们想起自己的罪,并掳走他们。

24“主耶和华说,‘因为你们的过犯昭然若揭,你们的罪恶表露无遗,因此,你们必遭掳掠。 25你这邪恶败坏的以色列首领啊!你的结局到了,审判你的日子来了。’ 26主耶和华说,‘取下你的头巾,摘下你的冠冕吧,时局转变了。要提拔卑微的,贬抑高贵的。 27毁灭,毁灭,我要毁灭这国,使它荡然无存,直到那应得的人来到后,这国才能得到重建,我要把这国交给他。’

28“人子啊,你要说有关亚扪人及其耻辱的预言,告诉他们,主耶和华说,‘有刀,有刀已出鞘,为要杀戮;它亮如闪电,要行毁灭。 29有关你们的异象和占卜是虚假的,你们将与其他恶人一同被杀,因为你们的结局到了,审判你们的日子来了。 30你们要收刀入鞘,我要在你们的家乡,在你们的出生之地审判你们, 31我要把烈怒倒在你们身上,将我的怒火喷在你们身上,把你们交在嗜杀成性的恶徒手中, 32你们必被当作柴焚烧,你们的血必流在自己的土地上,无人再记得你们。因为这是我耶和华说的。’”