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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 21:20 | To appoint a way, to set it at his right hand: or at his left. | God directing human decisions |
| Jeremiah 5:17 | And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat. | Invading forces consume provisions |
| Jeremiah 27:13 | Serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city be laid waste? | Advice to surrender |
| Isaiah 10:5 | O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger... | God using nations as instruments |
| Isaiah 10:15 | Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? | Limits of human power |
| Isaiah 10:24 | Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion... | Assurance against oppressors |
| Jeremiah 4:6 | Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north... | Warning of northern invasion |
| Jeremiah 50:15 | Cry ye against her round about, she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down... | Fall of Babylon |
| Lamentations 4:1 | How is the gold become dim! how is it changed! the most fine gold is becomeados. | Devastation of Jerusalem |
| Ezekiel 21:2 | Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places... | Ezekiel's prophetic message |
| Ezekiel 21:18 | And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, | God's word to Ezekiel |
| Ezekiel 21:22 | At his coming to the city gate at the entering of it, at the head of the two ways... | Identifying the choice points |
| Ezekiel 21:24 | And for you, O vile persons, O wicked ones, the prince of Israel, whose day is come, in the time of the punishment of the end. | Judgment on Israel's prince |
| Ezekiel 6:3 | And say, Hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys... | Prophecy against mountains |
| Amos 5:27 | Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts. | Israel's captivity |
| Amos 7:11 | For thus saith Amaziah the priest of Bethel unto Jeroboam king of Israel, Go, flee thee away into the land of Judah... | Refusal to prophecy against Judah |
| Jeremiah 32:4 | And he that is taken with the sword shall die; and he that is left and dieth of famine... | Famine and sword as judgment |
| Ezekiel 14:21 | For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine... | God's four judgments |
| Nahum 3:12 | All thine strong holds shall be like fig trees with the first ripe figs: if they be shaken... | Fall of Nineveh |
| Psalm 18:26 | With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; and with the upright thou wilt show thyself upright. | God's faithfulness |
| Psalm 37:30 | The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. | Righteous speech |
| Isaiah 40:14 | With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge... | God's sovereignty |
| Jeremiah 23:15 | For behold, that which I have sent hath been given to the peoples, and he that is with him hath turned away the face of Israel. | Judgment of prophets |
| 1 Kings 22:15 | And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? | King seeking counsel |
| Zechariah 7:5 | Speak, Say unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted... | Fasting and mourning |
Ezekiel 21 verses
Ezekiel 21 20 Meaning
This verse vividly portrays the decision-making process concerning the fate of the King of Israel and Jerusalem. The Lord instructs Ezekiel to create a roadmap marked with two paths, symbolizing a choice presented by a king. One path is for the sword to enter the city of Rabbah of the Ammonites, and the other is for destruction to enter Jerusalem. This depicts a divinely ordained choice for judgment.
Ezekiel 21 20 Context
Ezekiel 21 prophesies the imminent destruction of Jerusalem and the land of Judah. This chapter marks a shift in Ezekiel's focus from pronouncements against other nations to direct judgment upon his own people, specifically targeting their king and princes. The imagery of the divinely prepared sword, sharpened and polished for slaughter, underscores the inevitability of this judgment. The verse in question, Ezekiel 21:20, serves as a crucial step in this prophecy, illustrating how the king of Babylon, directed by God, is presented with strategic options for his invasion, symbolically marking routes towards both the Ammonites and Jerusalem. This indicates a preordained divine plan encompassing multiple theaters of judgment.
Ezekiel 21 20 Word Analysis
- לָתֵת (latet): To give. Here, it signifies the action of God in preparing or appointing the way.
- מְסִלָּה (mesillah): A road, pathway, causeway. Refers to the directed route for the invading army.
- לָבוֹא (lavo): To come. Denotes the arrival or entry of the forces with the sword.
- אֶל־ (el): To, toward. A preposition indicating direction.
- רַבַּת (Rabbat): Rabbah, the chief city of the Ammonites. The first destination mentioned.
- בְּנֵי־ (B'nei): Sons of. Used here as part of the proper noun for the Ammonites.
- עַמּוֹן (Ammon): The Ammonites, a people east of the Jordan River, often enemies of Israel.
- וּלְקֹדֶשׁ (ulkodesh): And to the holy place (referring to Jerusalem). This indicates the dual focus of the king of Babylon's military advance.
- יְרוּשָׁלִַם (Yerushalayim): Jerusalem, the capital of Judah and the holy city. The ultimate target of divine judgment in this context.
- לִשְׂמֹאל (lismo'ol): To the left. This phrase, alongside "to the right hand" (which is not directly present in v. 20 but implied by the structure of decision-making, seen in v. 22), illustrates the directed options for attack.
- לָתֵת (latet): To put, to set. Used to describe the positioning of the destination markers.
- מִצֵּב (m'tzev): To set, to erect, to station. Specifically related to setting up markers or signs.
- לִימִינ֑וֹ (limino): At his right hand. Suggests one of the possible paths of attack.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "To appoint a way, to set it at his right hand": This phrase establishes the concept of divinely guided choice for the king of Babylon. God is orchestrating the decision-making process, presenting clear strategic options.
- "or at his left": Complementing the previous phrase, this emphasizes the distinct and directed nature of the pathways the king would consider, all under God's sovereign control.
- "To enter into the city to the king of Babylon": This highlights the direction of military movement. The "city" refers to Rabbah of the Ammonites, indicating an initial military objective before turning towards Jerusalem.
- "for destruction": This modifier clarifies the intent and outcome of the path directed towards Jerusalem—utter devastation and ruin.
Ezekiel 21 20 Bonus Section
The concept of "marking the way" and "setting at his right hand or left" speaks to God's active involvement in historical events, not just as a passive observer, but as the one who establishes the conditions and directs the choices of human agents, including rulers. This passage can be understood as a prefigurement of how God orchestrates judgment across nations. The specific mention of the Ammonites alongside Jerusalem is significant. Historically, the Ammonites were often adversaries of Israel, and their inclusion here shows that no nation was immune to God's justice, but their fate was distinct from that of Judah, who bore a heavier responsibility before God. The use of divination or magical practices, symbolized by marking roads, was common in ancient Near Eastern cultures, and by using this imagery, God demonstrated that His judgment was not based on pagan divinations but on His own sovereign decree and righteous judgment. The King of Babylon, though unaware of the divine architect, is merely fulfilling God's predetermined plan.
Ezekiel 21 20 Commentary
This verse describes a graphic metaphor used by God to illustrate His sovereignty over the actions of invading armies, specifically the Babylonian king. The king is portrayed as arriving at a fork in the road, and God marks the paths. One path leads to Rabbah, the capital of the Ammonites, and the other leads to Jerusalem. The Ammonites, like other nations, would face God's judgment, but Jerusalem's judgment would be more severe and final due to the unique covenant relationship and repeated betrayals of God by His people. The "sword" is explicitly mentioned in relation to Rabbah, and "destruction" is linked to Jerusalem, signifying a divine appointment for both the timing and nature of judgment. God is actively involved in directing the course of empires and the fate of cities, demonstrating that even human actions like military strategy are ultimately subject to His divine plan.