Ezekiel 21:20 kjv
Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced.
Ezekiel 21:20 nkjv
Appoint a road for the sword to go to Rabbah of the Ammonites, and to Judah, into fortified Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 21:20 niv
Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 21:20 esv
Mark a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the Ammonites and to Judah, into Jerusalem the fortified.
Ezekiel 21:20 nlt
one road going to Ammon and its capital, Rabbah, and the other to Judah and fortified Jerusalem.
Ezekiel 21 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 21:1 | The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. | God controls rulers. |
| Dan 2:20-21 | ...He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings... | God's sovereignty over history. |
| Isa 10:5-6 | "Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the club in their hand is my fury! Against a godless nation I send him..." | Nations as instruments of divine wrath. |
| Jer 25:9 | "I am sending for all the tribes of the north...and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant..." | Babylon as God's servant for judgment. |
| Deut 32:41-42 | If I whet my flashing sword and my hand takes hold on judgment... | God's sword symbolizing judgment. |
| Jer 12:12 | "Upon all the bare heights in the wilderness destroyers have come...for the sword of the LORD devours..." | The Lord's destructive sword. |
| Zec 13:7 | "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me," declares the LORD of hosts... | Sword as instrument against God's own (Messiah/nation). |
| Jer 49:1-6 | Concerning the Ammonites... "Rabbah will become a desolate heap..." | Judgment specifically against Ammon. |
| Amos 1:13-15 | "Thus says the LORD: 'For three transgressions of the Ammonites...I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah...' " | Ammon judged for cruelty. |
| Zeph 2:8-10 | "I have heard the taunts of Moab and the revilings of the Ammonites...they have magnified themselves against..." | Ammonites judged for mocking Israel. |
| Jer 7:1-15 | Trust not in deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the LORD... If you truly amend your ways and your deeds...' | Judgment on Judah despite the Temple. |
| 2 Kgs 24:2-4 | The LORD sent against him bands of Chaldeans... according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by his servants. | Judgment on Judah brought by Babylon. |
| Lam 1:8-9 | Jerusalem sinned grievously...therefore she became filthy... Her foes have gloated... | Judah's sin leading to ruin. |
| Isa 3:8-9 | For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the LORD... | Judah's defiance incurring judgment. |
| Lk 19:43-44 | "...days will come upon you, when your enemies will build a barricade around you..." (Jesus to Jerusalem) | Prophetic fulfillment of Jerusalem's future desolation. |
| Rom 2:9-11 | There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek... | God's impartial judgment on all sinners. |
| 1 Pet 4:17 | For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God... | Judgment beginning with God's people. |
| Ps 33:10-11 | The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples... | God's ultimate control over nations' plans. |
| Isa 45:1 | "Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped..." | Another foreign king used by God. |
| Hab 1:5-6 | "For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation..." | God using Babylon. |
| Ez 25:1-7 | A full prophecy of the downfall of Ammon. | More detailed oracle against Ammon. |
| Joel 3:2 | "I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment..." | God's future judgment on all nations. |
Ezekiel 21 verses
Ezekiel 21 20 Meaning
Ezekiel 21:20 announces God's sovereign intent to direct the path of Nebuchadnezzar's invading army ("the sword"). It specifies two key targets: Rabbah of the Ammonites and Jerusalem in Judah. This declaration highlights that God is meticulously orchestrating events, ensuring that the judgment brought by Babylon reaches both nations. It underscores divine control over geopolitical events and demonstrates that God's justice extends universally, impacting not only gentile nations for their sins but also His own covenant people when they walk in disobedience.
Ezekiel 21 20 Context
Ezekiel 21 is a prophetic "sword song" depicting God's coming judgment. The preceding verses (Ezek 21:1-17) introduce the Lord's sword metaphorically unsheathed against Jerusalem. Verse 19 (Ezek 21:19) sets the stage by depicting God instructing Ezekiel to mark two roads leading from one origin, with a sign for the king of Babylon to indicate a choice of destination. This verse (Ezek 21:20) explicitly names the two potential targets for the sword: Rabbah of the Ammonites and Judah in Jerusalem. It frames the Babylonian invasion not as a random geopolitical event, but as a divinely predetermined campaign, part of Yahweh's larger plan to bring judgment upon both covenant people and surrounding hostile nations. Historically, this prophecy occurs during the period of Babylonian supremacy when Nebuchadnezzar was campaigning in the region, seeking to consolidate his empire, with Jerusalem facing its final siege.
Ezekiel 21 20 Word analysis
appoint (שִׁית - shiyth): This Hebrew verb means to set, place, put, or appoint. Its use here conveys divine intention and active arrangement. It implies a sovereign act by God, not a passive observation of events, but a deliberate orchestration. God is not merely predicting the route; He is establishing it.
a road (דֶרֶךְ - derekh): This term refers to a physical path or way. In a military context, it signifies a route for an army. The significance lies in the fact that God is designating a specific path for the invading force, emphasizing the precise nature of His judgment. This derekh is appointed by God, guiding Nebuchadnezzar's movements.
for the sword (לָב֣וֹא חֶ֔רֶב - laḇōw ḥereḇ):
- לָב֣וֹא (laḇōw): To come, enter. It denotes the definite arrival of the destructive force.
- חֶ֔רֶב (ḥereḇ): Sword. This is a common metonym for warfare, destruction, and violent death. The "sword" here is personified and is often identified as God's instrument of judgment (as seen in Jer 25:9 where Nebuchadnezzar is called God's "servant"). It emphasizes the violent and devastating nature of the impending judgment.
to Rabbah (רַבַּת - rabbaṯ): The capital city of the Ammonites, a prominent stronghold east of the Jordan. It represents the Ammonite kingdom. Its inclusion signifies God's judgment extending beyond Judah to surrounding nations.
of the Ammonites (בְּנֵֽי־עַמּ֣וֹן - bəné-ʿammôn): Sons of Ammon, identifying the nation. The Ammonites were historical adversaries of Israel, known for their persistent hostility, aggression, and idol worship, including the child sacrifice to Molech. Their inclusion shows that no nation is outside the scope of God's universal justice.
and to Judah (וְאֶל־יְהוּדָ֖ה - wəʾel-yəhūḏâ): "And to Judah" marks the second, equally important target. Judah was God's covenant people, and their inclusion underscores the severity of their apostasy and God's impartiality in judgment against sin.
in Jerusalem (בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם - bîrūšālāyim): The capital city of Judah, the spiritual and political heart of the nation, and the dwelling place of the Temple. Its designation as a target is particularly shocking for the original audience, challenging their perception of Jerusalem's inviolability due to God's presence there. Its fall would be the ultimate symbol of God's rejection of their unfaithfulness.
Words-group analysis:
- "appoint a road for the sword": This phrase underlines divine predestination and means. God isn't simply foretelling; He is actively engineering the invasion. The sword is His tool, and He dictates its movement, bypassing human plans or intentions for its route. This refutes any belief in chance or independent military prowess of Babylon.
- "Rabbah of the Ammonites and to Judah in Jerusalem": The pairing of a pagan nation's capital with God's chosen city emphasizes the universality of divine judgment and its equitable application to sin. Both were to face devastation, showing that covenant membership did not grant immunity from deserved punishment. This highlights God's justice over favoritism.
Ezekiel 21 20 Bonus section
The oracle here, especially in verses 19-22, can be understood in the context of ancient divination practices. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, as depicted in the surrounding verses, would "cast lots" or "shake arrows" at a crossroads to determine which city to attack. By specifying that God would "appoint a road" and name the targets, Ezekiel declares that even Nebuchadnezzar's superstitious divination would ultimately align with Yahweh's divine decree. This is a subtle yet potent polemic, asserting that the true, omnipotent God of Israel manipulates even the pagan king's false means of discerning the future, overriding their idols and ensuring His plan prevails. The ambiguity of the "fork in the road" for the human mind of Nebuchadnezzar is rendered clear and directed by God's unwavering purpose. This demonstrates God's sovereignty over pagan gods and their oracles.
Ezekiel 21 20 Commentary
Ezekiel 21:20 unveils a crucial aspect of God's sovereign governance: He not only permits but actively directs the paths of nations and the outcomes of wars, even through pagan kings like Nebuchadnezzar. The "sword" is His chosen instrument for executing judgment on a world engulfed in sin, impacting both gentile enemies like Ammon and His own disobedient people in Judah. This verse reveals God's meticulous providence, challenging any notion that historical events unfold outside His determined will. It’s a stark reminder that while God extends grace, He also enforces justice impartially.