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 the scepter [of Judah], 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

and the fallen be many,

I have stationed the sword for slaughter^a

at all their gates.

Oh! It is made to flash like lightning,

it is grasped for slaughter.

16O sword, slash to the right,

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“‘O 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! It will not be restored until he comes to whom it rightfully belongs; 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.

30Return the sword to its scabbard.

In the place where you were created,

in the land of your ancestry,

I will judge you.

31I will pour out my wrath upon you

and breathe out my fiery anger against you;

I will hand you over to 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.’”