Ezekiel 21:8-13

Parable of the Sword of the L ord

⁸And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ⁹“Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Lord says:’ Say, ‘A sword, a sword sharpened And also polished!

¹⁰‘Sharpened to make a slaughter, Polished to flash like lightning!’ Or shall we rejoice, the rod of My son despising every tree?

¹¹And it is given to be polished, so that it may be handled; the sword is sharpened and polished, to hand it over to the slaughterer. ¹²Cry out and wail, son of man; for it is against My people, it is against all the officials of Israel. They are turned over to the sword with My people, therefore slap your thigh. ¹³For there is a testing; and what if even the rod which despises will cease to be?” declares the Lord God.