1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying:
2 Son of man, set thy face against Jerusalem, and drop my word upon the sanctuaries, and prophesy over the land of Israel,
3 and thou shalt say to the land of Israel, Thus hath the Lord said: 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.
4 Seeing 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:
5 that all flesh may know that I the Lord have drawn forth my sword out of its sheath; it shall not return any more.
6 Cry out therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins; and with bitterness cry out before their eyes.
7 And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Why criest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings that come; and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint; and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it comes and shall be brought to pass, said the Lord GOD.