“The word of Yahweh
Came to me.
‘Son of man!
Prophesy!
Say!
Thus says Yahweh!
Say!
‘A sword!
A sword is sharpened!
A sword is also polished!
It is sharpened
For slaughter!
It is polished
To flash
Like lightning!
How can we make merry?
You have despised
The rod.
You have despised
All discipline.
The sword is given
To be polished,
To be grasped
In the hand.
It is sharpened.
The sword is polished.
It is to be placed
In the killer’s hand.’”
This oracle of Yahweh is often called the song of the sword. Yahweh told Ezekiel to prophesize this chant about the importance of the sword. A sword should be sharpened and polished for the slaughter to come. The sword should be polished so that it flashes like lightning. How can they be happy and merry? They had despised the rod and all discipline. They should have a polished sword that can be easily grasped. It should be sharpened and polished before it was placed in the killer’s hand.