“ Son of man, speak to your people and tell them,‘ Suppose I bring the sword against a land, and the people of that land select a man from among them, appointing him as their watchman.

“人子啊，你要告诉本国的子民说：我使刀剑临到哪一国，那一国的民从他们中间选立一人为守望的。

“人子啊，你要吩咐本国的百姓，对他们说：我使刀剑临到哪一国，哪一国的百姓从他们中间选立一人，作为守望者。

“人子啊，你要吩咐本国的百姓，对他们说：我使刀剑临到哪一国，哪一国的百姓从他们中间选立一人，作为守望者。

“人子啊，你要告诉你的同胞，‘我若使战争降临某地，那地方的百姓就应选一人做守望者。

“人子啊！你要告诉你本国的人，说：‘我使刀剑临到一地，那地的人民从他们中间选出一个人，作他们的守望者；

「人子啊，你要告訴本國的子民說：我使刀劍臨到哪一國，那一國的民從他們中間選立一人為守望的。

「人子啊，你要吩咐本國的百姓，對他們說：我使刀劍臨到哪一國，哪一國的百姓從他們中間選立一人，作為守望者。

「人子啊，你要吩咐本國的百姓，對他們說：我使刀劍臨到哪一國，哪一國的百姓從他們中間選立一人，作為守望者。

「人子啊，你要告訴你的同胞，『我若使戰爭降臨某地，那地方的百姓就應選一人做守望者。

“人子啊！你要告訴你本國的人，說：‘我使刀劍臨到一地，那地的人民從他們中間選出一個人，作他們的守望者；

『人子啊，你要向你本國的子民講話，對他們說：我若使刀劍攻擊哪一地，而那一地的人民從他們範圍內選取了一個人，立為他們的守望者；

人子歟、謂爾民族曰、我若使刃臨於一邦、是邦之民、簡其中一人、立為戍卒、

人子、當告民曰、如我於邦國、降以鋒刃之災、則民簡境內一人、置為戍卒、

人子、當言與爾民、告之曰、如我使一國遭兵刃之災、其國之民、於其中選一人、置為守望者、

“ Son of man, speak to your people and say to them:‘ When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman,

“ Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them,‘ Suppose I send enemies against a land. And its people choose one of their men to stand guard.

“ Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman,

“ Son of man, give your people this message:‘ When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose one of their own to be a watchman.

“ Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them,‘ If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman,

“ Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them:‘ When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman,

Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman;

“ Son of man, speak to your people and tell them: Suppose I bring the sword against a land, and the people of that land select a man from among them, appointing him as their watchman,

Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:

“ Son of man, speak to your people, and say to them,‘ Suppose I bring a sword against the land, and the people of the land take one man from their borders and make him their watchman.

“ Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and tell them,‘ When I bring the sword on a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman;

Go to your people, the exiles, and speak to them. Tell them,‘ This is what the Lord GOD says,’ whether they listen or refuse to listen.”

“‘ But your people say,“ The Lord’s way isn’t fair,” even though it is their own way that isn’t fair.

“ As for you, son of man, your people are talking about you near the city walls and in the doorways of their houses. One person speaks to another, each saying to his brother,‘ Come and hear what the message is that comes from the LORD!’

Sword, awake against my shepherd, against the man who is my associate— this is the declaration of the LORD of Armies. Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.

But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you will say to them,‘ This is what the Lord GOD says.’ Let the one who listens, listen, and let the one who refuses, refuse— for they are a rebellious house.

“ Or suppose I bring a sword against that land and say,‘ Let a sword pass through it,’ so that I wipe out both people and animals from it.

Oh, sword of the LORD! How long will you be restless? Go back to your sheath; be still; be silent!How can it rest when the LORD has given it a command? He has assigned it against Ashkelon and the shore of the sea.

Ephraim’s watchman is with my God. Yet the prophet encounters a bird trap on all his pathways. Hostility is in the house of his God!

Over all the barren heights in the wilderness the destroyers have come, for the LORD has a sword that devours from one end of the earth to the other. No one has peace.

You fear the sword, so I will bring the sword against you. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

“ Son of man, prophesy,‘ This is what the Lord says!’ You are to proclaim,‘ A sword! A sword is sharpened and also polished.It is sharpened for slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! Should we rejoice? The scepter of my son, the sword despises every tree.The sword is given to be polished, to be grasped in the hand. It is sharpened, and it is polished, to be put in the hand of the slayer.’“ Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against my people. It is against all the princes of Israel! They are given over to the sword with my people. Therefore strike your thigh in grief.Surely it will be a trial! And what if the sword despises even the scepter? The scepter will not continue.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.“ So you, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands together: Let the sword strike two times, even three. It is a sword for massacre, a sword for great massacre— it surrounds them!I have appointed a sword for slaughter at all their gates, so that their hearts may melt and many may stumble. Yes! It is ready to flash like lightning; it is drawn for slaughter.Slash to the right; turn to the left— wherever your blade is directed.

“ For this is what the Lord GOD says: How much worse will it be when I send my four devastating judgments against Jerusalem— sword, famine, dangerous animals, and plague— in order to wipe out both people and animals from it!

“ As for you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, give them a warning from me.

David was sitting between the city gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the city gate and over to the wall. The watchman looked out and saw a man running alone.He called out and told the king. The king said,“ If he’s alone, he bears good news.” As the first runner came closer,the watchman saw another man running. He called out to the gatekeeper,“ Look! Another man is running alone!”“ This one is also bringing good news,” said the king.The watchman said,“ The way the first man runs looks to me like the way Ahimaaz son of Zadok runs.”“ This is a good man; he comes with good news,” the king commented.

I will bring a sword against you to execute the vengeance of the covenant. Though you withdraw into your cities, I will send a pestilence among you, and you will be delivered into enemy hands.

For the Lord has said to me,“ Go, post a lookout; let him report what he sees.When he sees riders— pairs of horsemen, riders on donkeys, riders on camels— he must pay close attention.”Then the lookout reported,“ Lord, I stand on the watchtower all day, and I stay at my post all night.Look, riders come— horsemen in pairs.” And he answered, saying,“ Babylon has fallen, has fallen. All the images of her gods have been shattered on the ground.”

The tumult reaches to the ends of the earth because the LORD brings a case against the nations. He enters into judgment with all humanity. As for the wicked, he hands them over to the sword— this is the LORD’s declaration.

Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen on your walls; they will never be silent, day or night. There is no rest for you, who remind the LORD.

“ Now, son of man, say to your people,‘ The righteousness of the righteous person will not save him on the day of his transgression; neither will the wickedness of the wicked person cause him to stumble on the day he turns from his wickedness. The righteous person won’t be able to survive by his righteousness on the day he sins.

Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel. He saw Jehu’s mob approaching and shouted,“ I see a mob!” Joram responded,“ Choose a rider and send him to meet them and have him ask,‘ Do you come in peace?’”So a horseman went to meet Jehu and said,“ This is what the king asks:‘ Do you come in peace?’” Jehu replied,“ What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.” The watchman reported,“ The messenger reached them but hasn’t started back.”So he sent out a second horseman, who went to them and said,“ This is what the king asks:‘ Do you come in peace?’” Jehu answered,“ What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.”Again the watchman reported,“ He reached them but hasn’t started back. Also, the driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi— he drives like a madman.”

All you animals of the field and forest, come and eat!Israel’s watchmen are blind, all of them, they know nothing; all of them are mute dogs, they cannot bark; they dream, lie down, and love to sleep.

If they ask you,‘ Where will we go?’ tell them: This is what the LORD says: Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword. Those destined for famine, to famine; those destined for captivity, to captivity.“ I will ordain four kinds of judgment for them”— this is the LORD’s declaration—“ the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land to devour and destroy.

You are to say: Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! This is what the Lord GOD says to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys: I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.

Raise up a signal flag against the walls of Babylon; fortify the watch post; set the watchmen in place; prepare the ambush. For the LORD has both planned and accomplished what he has threatened against those who live in Babylon.

When your people ask you,‘ Won’t you explain to us what you mean by these things?’—