CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Ezekiel 21 New American Bible</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/ezekiel/21.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcc/ezekiel/21-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com/catholic">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NABRE</a> > Ezekiel 21</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../ezekiel/20.htm" title="Ezekiel 20">◄</a> Ezekiel 21 <a href="../ezekiel/22.htm" title="Ezekiel 22">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New American Bible Revised Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><section id="ch33021" class="chapter"> <h1 id="cn33021" class="cn"></h1> <p class="pf"><span class="hemb">The Sword of the Lord.</span> <span id="v33021001" class="ver">1</span>The word of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> came to me: <span id="v33021002" class="ver">2</span><a id="rfn33021002-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn33021002-1">*</a> Son of man, turn your face to the south: preach against the south, prophesy against the forest land in the south. <span id="v33021003" class="ver">3</span>Say to the forest in the south: Hear the word of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>! Thus says the Lord <span class="tetr">God</span>: See! I am kindling a fire in you that shall devour every green tree as well as every dry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched so that from south to north every face shall be scorched by it. <span id="v33021004" class="ver">4</span>All flesh shall see that I, the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.<a id="ren33021004-a" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en33021004-a">a</a></p> <p><span id="v33021005" class="ver">5</span>But I said, “Ah! Lord <span class="tetr">God</span>, they are saying about me, ‘Is not this the one who is forever spinning parables?’ ” <span id="v33021006" class="ver">6</span>Then the word of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> came to me: <span id="v33021007" class="ver">7</span>Son of man, turn your face toward Jerusalem: preach against its sanctuary, prophesy against the land of Israel.<a id="ren33021007-b" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en33021007-b">b</a> <span id="v33021008" class="ver">8</span>Say to the land of Israel: Thus says the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>: See! I am coming against you; I will draw my sword from its scabbard and cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.<a id="rfn33021008-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn33021008-1">*</a> <span id="v33021009" class="ver">9</span>Thus my sword shall come out from its scabbard against all flesh from south to north <span id="v33021010" class="ver">10</span>and all flesh shall know that I, the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, have drawn my sword from its scabbard. It cannot return again.<a id="ren33021010-c" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en33021010-c">c</a></p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">Act Symbolic of the City’s Fall.</span> <span id="v33021011" class="ver">11</span>As for you, son of man, groan! with shattered loins and bitter grief, groan in their sight. <span id="v33021012" class="ver">12</span>When they ask you, “Why are you groaning?” you shall say: Because of what I heard!<a id="rfn33021012-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn33021012-1">*</a> When it comes every heart shall melt, every hand fall helpless; every spirit will grow faint, and every knee run with water. See, it is coming, it is here!—oracle of the Lord <span class="tetr">God</span>.</p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">Song of the Sword.</span> <span id="v33021013" class="ver">13</span>The word of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> came to me:<a id="ren33021013-d" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en33021013-d">d</a> <span id="v33021014" class="ver">14</span>Son of man, prophesy! say: Thus says the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>:</p> <div class="senseline"> <p class="slf">A sword, a sword has been sharpened,</p> <p class="sl1">a sword, a sword has been burnished:<a id="ren33021014-e" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en33021014-e">e</a></p> <p class="sl"><span id="v33021015" class="ver">15</span>Sharpened to make a slaughter,</p> <p class="sl1">burnished to flash lightning!</p> <p class="sl">Why should I stop now?</p> <p class="sl1">You have rejected the rod and every judgment!</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v33021016" class="ver">16</span>I have given it over to the burnisher</p> <p class="sl1">that he might hold it in his hand,</p> <p class="sl">A sword sharpened and burnished</p> <p class="sl1">to be put in the hands of an executioner.</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v33021017" class="ver">17</span>Cry out and howl, son of man,</p> <p class="sl1">for it is destined for my people,</p> <p class="sl">For all the princes of Israel,</p> <p class="sl1">victims of the sword with my people.</p> <p class="sl">Therefore, slap your thigh,<a id="rfn33021017-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn33021017-1">*</a></p> <p class="sl1"><span id="v33021018" class="ver">18</span>for it is tested, and why not?</p> <p class="sl">Since you rejected my staff,</p> <p class="sl1">should it not happen?—</p> <p class="sl1">oracle of the Lord <span class="tetr">God</span>.</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v33021019" class="ver">19</span>As for you, son of man, prophesy,</p> <p class="sl1">and clap your hands!</p> <p class="sl">Let the sword strike twice, a third time.</p> <p class="sl1">It is a sword of slaughter,</p> <p class="sl">A sword for slaughtering,</p> <p class="sl1">whirling around them all,</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v33021020" class="ver">20</span>That every heart may tremble;</p> <p class="sl1">for many will be made to stumble.</p> <p class="sl">At all their gates</p> <p class="sl1">I have stationed the sword for slaughter,</p> <p class="sl">Made it flash lightning,</p> <p class="sl1">drawn for slaughter.</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v33021021" class="ver">21</span>Slash to the right!</p> <p class="sl1">turn to the left,</p> <p class="sl1">Wherever your edge is directed!<a id="ren33021021-f" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en33021021-f">f</a></p> <p class="sl"><span id="v33021022" class="ver">22</span>Then I, too, shall clap my hands,<a id="rfn33021022-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn33021022-1">*</a></p> <p class="sl1">and spend my fury.</p> <p class="sl">I, the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, have spoken.</p> </div> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">Nebuchadnezzar at the Crossroads.</span> <span id="v33021023" class="ver">23</span>The word of the <span class="tetr">Lord</span> came to me: <span id="v33021024" class="ver">24</span>Son of man, make for yourself two roads over which the sword of the king of Babylon can come. Both roads shall start out from the same land. Then put a signpost at the head of each road <span id="v33021025" class="ver">25</span>so the sword can come to Rabbah of the Ammonites or to Judah and its fortress, Jerusalem. <span id="v33021026" class="ver">26</span>For the king of Babylon is standing at the fork of the two roads to read the omens:<a id="rfn33021026-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn33021026-1">*</a> he shakes out the arrows, inquires of the teraphim, inspects the liver.<a id="ren33021026-g" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en33021026-g">g</a> <span id="v33021027" class="ver">27</span>Into his right hand has fallen the lot marked “Jerusalem”:<a id="rfn33021027-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn33021027-1">*</a> to order the slaughter, to raise the battle cry, to set the battering rams against the gates, to throw up a ramp, to build siege works. <span id="v33021028" class="ver">28</span>In the eyes of those bound by oath this seems like a false omen; yet the lot taken in hand exposes the wickedness for which they, still bound by oath, will be taken in hand.</p> <p><span id="v33021029" class="ver">29</span>Therefore thus says the Lord <span class="tetr">God</span>: Because your guilt has been exposed, your crimes laid bare, your sinfulness revealed in all your deeds—because you have been exposed, you shall be taken in hand.<a id="ren33021029-h" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en33021029-h">h</a> <span id="v33021030" class="ver">30</span>And as for you, depraved and wicked prince of Israel, a day is coming to end your life of crime.<a id="ren33021030-i" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en33021030-i">i</a> <span id="v33021031" class="ver">31</span>Thus says the Lord <span class="tetr">God</span>: Off with the turban and away with the crown! Nothing shall be as it was! Exalt the lowly and bring the exalted low! <span id="v33021032" class="ver">32</span>A ruin, a ruin, a ruin, I shall make it! Nothing will be the same until the one comes to whom I have given it for judgment.<a id="ren33021032-j" class="enref" href="footnotes.htm#en33021032-j">j</a></p> <p class="psec"><span class="hemb">To the Ammonites.<a id="rfn33021033-1" class="fnref" href="footnotes.htm#fn33021033-1">*</a></span> <span id="v33021033" class="ver">33</span>As for you, son of man, prophesy: Thus says the Lord <span class="tetr">God</span> to the Ammonites and their insults:</p> <div class="senseline"> <p class="slf">O sword, sword drawn for slaughter,</p> <p class="sl1">burnished to consume, to flash lightning!</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v33021034" class="ver">34</span>Your false visions and lying omens,</p> <p class="sl">Set you over the necks of the slain,</p> <p class="sl1">the wicked whose day had come—</p> <p class="sl1">an end to their life of crime.</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v33021035" class="ver">35</span>Return to your scabbard!</p> <p class="sl1">In the place you were created,</p> <p class="sl">In the land of your origin,</p> <p class="sl1">I will judge you.</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v33021036" class="ver">36</span>I will pour out my anger upon you,</p> <p class="sl1">breathing my fiery wrath against you;</p> <p class="sl">I will hand you over to ravagers,</p> <p class="sl1">artisans of destruction!</p> <p class="sl"><span id="v33021037" class="ver">37</span>You shall be fuel for the fire,</p> <p class="sl1">your blood shall flow throughout the land;</p> <p class="sl">You shall not be remembered,</p> <p class="sl1">for I, the <span class="tetr">Lord</span>, have spoken.</p> </div> </section> <br /><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="intro.htm"><span class="ac">Book Introduction</span></a></h1><h1 class="cn"><a class="xref" href="footnotes.htm"><span class="ac">Footnotes</span></a></h1></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the <i>New American Bible, revised edition</i> © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span></div></div></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="left"><a href="../ezekiel/20.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Ezekiel 20"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Ezekiel 20" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../ezekiel/22.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Ezekiel 22"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Ezekiel 22" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhchap.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>