The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Ezekiel 21

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Nevi'im — the Prophets

Ezekiel chapter 21 — part of the Nevi'im — the Prophets in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “And the word of HaShem came unto me, saying:” — the complete text of all 37 verses is below, free to read online.

1And the word of HaShem came unto me, saying:

2'Son of man, set thy face toward the South, and preach toward the South, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the South;

3and say to the forest of the South: Hear the word of HaShem: Thus saith the L-rd GOD: Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree, it shall not be quenched, even a flaming flame; and all faces from the south to the north shall be seared thereby.

4And all flesh shall see that I HaShem have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.'

5Then said I: 'Ah L-rd GOD! they say of me: Is he not a maker of parables?'

6Then the word of HaShem came unto me, saying:

7'Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and preach toward the sanctuaries, and prophesy against the land of Israel;

8and say to the land of Israel: Thus saith HaShem: Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth My sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.

9Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall My sword go forth out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north;

10and all flesh shall know that I HaShem have drawn forth My sword out of its sheath; it shall not return any more.

11Sigh therefore, thou son of man; with the breaking of thy loins and with bitterness shalt thou sigh before their eyes.

12And it shall be, when they say unto thee: Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt say: Because of the tidings, for it cometh; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be slack, and every spirit shall be faint, and all knees shall drip with water; behold, it cometh, and it shall be done, saith the L-rd GOD.'

13And the word of HaShem came unto me, saying:

14'Son of man, prophesy, and say: Thus saith HaShem: Say: A sword, a sword, it is sharpened, and also furbished:

15It is sharpened that it may make a sore slaughter, it is furbished that it may glitter--or shall we make mirth? --against the rod of My son, contemning every tree.

16And it is given to be furbished, that it may be handled; the sword, it is sharpened, yea, it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.

17Cry and wail, son of man; for it is upon My people, it is upon all the princes of Israel; they are thrust down to the sword with My people; smite therefore upon thy thigh.

18For there is a trial; and what if it contemn even the rod? It shall be no more, saith the L-rd GOD.

19Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thy hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of those to be slain; it is the sword of the great one that is to be slain, which compasseth them about.

20I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may melt, and their stumblings be multiplied; ah! it is made glittering, it is sharpened for slaughter.

21Go thee one way to the right, or direct thyself to the left; whither is thy face set?

22I will also smite My hands together, and I will satisfy My fury; I HaShem have spoken it.'

23And the word of HaShem came unto me, saying:

24'Now, thou son of man, make thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come; they twain shall come forth out of one land; and mark a signpost, mark it clear at the head of the way to the city.

25Thou shalt make a way, that the sword may come to Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified.

26For the king of Babylon standeth at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination; he shaketh the arrows to and fro, he inquireth of the teraphim, he looketh in the liver.

27In his right hand is the lot Jerusalem, to set battering rams, to open the mouth for the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up mounds, to build forts.

28And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight, who have weeks upon weeks! but it bringeth iniquity to remembrance, that they may be taken.

29Therefore thus saith the L-rd GOD: Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that your sins do appear in all your doings; because that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand.

30And thou, O wicked one, that art to be slain, the prince of Israel, whose day is come, in the time of the iniquity of the end;

31thus saith the L-rd GOD: The mitre shall be removed, and the crown taken off; this shall be no more the same: that which is low shall be exalted, and that which is high abased.

32A ruin, a ruin, a ruin, will I make it; this also shall be no more, until he come whose right it is, and I will give it him.

33And thou, son of man, prophesy, and say: Thus saith the L-rd GOD concerning the children of Ammon, and concerning their taunt; and say thou: O sword, O sword keen-edged, furbished for the slaughter, to the uttermost, because of the glitterings;

34While they see falsehood unto thee, while they divine lies unto thee, to lay thee upon the necks of the wicked that are to be slain, whose day is come, in the time of the iniquity of the end!

35Cause it to return into its sheath! --In the place where thou wast created, in the land of thine origin, will I judge thee.

36And I will pour out My indignation upon thee, I will blow upon thee with the fire of My wrath; and I will deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, skilful to destroy.

37Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land, thou shalt be no more remembered; for I HaShem have spoken it.'

37 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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