Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Then make known to them the abominations of their fathers.

“Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “In this too your fathers have blasphemed Me, by being unfaithful to Me.

“Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest land, the South,

“Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, preach against the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel;

Sigh therefore, son of man, with a breaking heart, and sigh with bitterness before their eyes.

“Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ Say: ‘A sword, a sword is sharpened And also polished!

“Cry and wail, son of man; For it will be against My people, Against all the princes of Israel. Terrors including the sword will be against My people; Therefore strike your thigh.

“You therefore, son of man, prophesy, And strike your hands together. The third time let the sword do double damage. It is the sword that slays, The sword that slays the great men, That enters their private chambers.

“And son of man, appoint for yourself two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to go; both of them shall go from the same land. Make a sign; put it at the head of the road to the city.

A Sword Against the Ammonites

“And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach,’ and say: ‘A sword, a sword is drawn, Polished for slaughter, For consuming, for flashing—

“Now, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Yes, show her all her abominations!

“Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver.

“Son of man, say to her: ‘You are a land that is not cleansed or rained on in the day of indignation.’

“Son of man, there were two women, The daughters of one mother.

Both Sisters Judged

The Lord also said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations.

“Son of man, write down the name of the day, this very day—the king of Babylon started his siege against Jerusalem this very day.

“Son of man, behold, I take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke; yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, nor shall your tears run down.

‘And you, son of man—will it not be in the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy and their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that on which they set their minds, their sons and their daughters:

“Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them.

“Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, ‘Aha! She is broken who was the gateway of the peoples; now she is turned over to me; I shall be filled; she is laid waste.’

“Now, son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyre,

“Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Because your heart is lifted up, And you say, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of gods, In the midst of the seas,’ Yet you are a man, and not a god, Though you set your heart as the heart of a god

“Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

“Son of man, set your face toward Sidon, and prophesy against her,

“Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt.