“ 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.

“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 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 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 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 now to your own people who were brought here as prisoners. Speak to them. Tell them,‘ Here is what the Lord and King says.’ Speak to them whether they listen or not.”

“ In spite of that, your people say,‘ What the Lord does isn’t fair.’ But it is what you do that is not fair.

“ Son of man, your people are talking about you. They are getting together by the walls of their houses and at their doors. They are saying to one another,‘ Come. Listen to the Lord’ s message.’

“ My sword, wake up! Attack my shepherd! Attack the man who is close to me,” announces the Lord who rules over all.“ Strike down the shepherd. Then the sheep will be scattered. And I will turn my hand against their little ones.

But later I will speak to you. I will open your mouth. Then you will tell them,‘ Here is what the Lord and King says.’ Those who listen will listen. And those who refuse to listen will refuse. They always refuse to obey me.

“ Or suppose I send swords to kill the people in that country. And I say,‘ Let swords sweep all through the land.’ And I kill its people and their animals.

“‘ Sword of the Lord!’ you cry out.‘ How long will it be until you rest? Return to the place you came from. Stop killing us! Be still!’But how can his sword rest when the Lord has given it a command? He has ordered it to attack Ashkelon and the Philistine coast.”

People of Ephraim, the prophet, along with my God, is warning you of danger. But you set traps for him everywhere he goes. You hate him so much you even wait for him in God’s house.

Many will come to destroy it. They will gather on the bare hilltops in the desert. I will use them as my sword to destroy my people. They will kill them from one end of the land to the other. No one will be safe.

You are afraid of the swords of war. But I will bring them against you,’ announces the Lord and King.

“ Son of man, prophesy. Say,‘ The Lord says,“‘ “A sword! A sword! A sharp and shiny sword is coming from Babylon!It is sharpened to kill people. It flashes like lightning.” ’ ” The people say,“ Should we take delight in the scepter of the Lord’ s royal son? The sword looks down on every scepter like this.”The Lord says,“ I have told Nebuchadnezzar to shine his sword. It is in his hand. It has been sharpened and shined. It is ready for the killer’s hand.Son of man, cry out and weep. The sword is against my people. It is against all the princes of Israel. It will kill them along with the rest of my people. So beat your chest in sorrow.“ You can be sure that testing will come. Why does the sword look down on the scepter? Because even the scepter will not continue to rule,” announces the Lord and King.“ Son of man, prophesy. Clap your hands. Let the sword strike twice. Let it strike even three times. It is a sword to kill people. It is a sword to kill many people. It is closing in on them from every side.People’s hearts will melt away in fear. Many will be wounded or killed. I have prepared the sword to kill people at all their city gates. Look! It strikes like lightning. It is in the killer’s hand.Sword, cut to the right. Then cut to the left. Strike down people everywhere your blade is turned.

The Lord and King says,“ It will get much worse. I will punish Jerusalem in four horrible ways. There will be war, hunger, wild animals and plague. They will destroy the people and their animals.

“ Son of man, I have appointed you as a prophet to warn the people of Israel. So listen to my message. Give them a warning from me.

David was sitting in the area between the inner and outer gates of the city. The man on guard duty went up to the roof over the entrance of the gate by the wall. As he looked out, he saw someone running alone.The guard called out to the king and reported it. The king said,“ If the runner is alone, he must be bringing good news.” The runner came closer and closer.Then the man on guard duty saw another runner. He called out to the man guarding the gate. He said,“ Look! There’s another man running alone!” The king said,“ He must be bringing good news too.”The man on guard duty said,“ I can see that the first one runs like Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok.”“ He’s a good man,” the king said.“ He’s bringing good news.”

I will send war against you to punish you for breaking my covenant. When you go back into your cities, I will send a plague among you. You will be handed over to your enemies.

The Lord said to me,“ Go. Put a guard on duty on Jerusalem’s walls. Have him report what he sees.Tell him to watch for chariots that are pulled by teams of horses. Tell him to watch for men riding on donkeys or camels. Make sure he stays awake. Make sure he stays wide awake.”“ My master!” the guard shouts back.“ Day after day I stand here on the lookout tower. Every night I stay here on duty.Look! Here comes a man in a chariot! It’s being pulled by a team of horses. He’s calling out the news,‘ Babylon has fallen! It has fallen! All the statues of its gods lie broken in pieces on the ground!’ ”

The noise of battle will be heard from one end of the earth to the other. That’s because the Lord will bring charges against the nations. He will judge every human being. He will kill sinful people with his sword,’ ” announces the Lord.

Jerusalem, I have stationed guards on your walls. They must never be silent day or night. You who call out to the Lord must not give yourselves any rest.

“ Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them,‘ Suppose a godly person does not obey the Lord. Then the right things that person has done in the past count for nothing. Suppose a sinful person turns away from doing wrong things. Then the wrong things that person has done in the past won’t bring them judgment. A godly person who sins won’t be allowed to live. That’s true even though they used to do right things.’

A lookout was standing on the roof of the tower in Jezreel. He saw Jehu’s troops approaching. So he called out,“ I see some troops coming.”“ Get a horseman,” Joram ordered.“ Send him to ride out to them. Have him ask,‘ Are you coming in peace?’ ”The horseman rode out to where Jehu was. He said,“ The king asks,‘ Are you coming in peace?’ ”“ What do you know about peace?” Jehu answered.“ Get in line behind me.” The lookout reported,“ The messenger has reached them. But he isn’t coming back.”So the king sent out a second horseman. When he came to them, he said,“ The king asks,‘ Are you coming in peace?’ ” Jehu replied,“ What do you know about peace? Get in line behind me.”The lookout reported,“ The second messenger has reached them. But he isn’t coming back either. The one driving the chariot drives like Jehu, the son of Nimshi. He’s driving like a crazy person.”

Come, all you enemy nations! Come like wild animals. Come and destroy like animals in the forest.Israel’s prophets are blind. They don’t know the Lord. All of them are like watchdogs that can’t even bark. They just lie around and dream. They love to sleep.

Suppose these people ask you,‘ Where should we go?’ Then tell them,‘ The Lord says,“‘ “Those I have appointed to die will die. Those I have appointed to be killed by swords will be killed by swords. Those I have appointed to die of hunger will die of hunger. Those I have appointed to be taken away as prisoners will be taken away.” ’“ I will send four kinds of destroyers against them,” announces the Lord.“ Swords will kill them. Dogs will drag them away. Birds will eat them up. And wild animals will destroy them.

Say,‘ Mountains of Israel, listen to the message of the Lord and King. Here is what he says to the mountains and hills. And here is what he says to the canyons and valleys. He tells them,“ I will send swords to kill your people. I will destroy the high places where you worship other gods.

Lift up a banner! Attack Babylon’s walls! Put more guards on duty! Station more of them to watch over you! Hide and wait to attack them! I will do what I have planned. I will do what I have decided to do against the people of Babylon.

“ Your people will ask you,‘ What do you mean by this?’