Ezekiel 21:21 kjv
For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver.
Ezekiel 21:21 nkjv
For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the road, at the fork of the two roads, to use divination: he shakes the arrows, he consults the images, he looks at the liver.
Ezekiel 21:21 niv
For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He will cast lots with arrows, he will consult his idols, he will examine the liver.
Ezekiel 21:21 esv
For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shakes the arrows; he consults the teraphim; he looks at the liver.
Ezekiel 21:21 nlt
The king of Babylon now stands at the fork, uncertain whether to attack Jerusalem or Rabbah. He calls his magicians to look for omens. They cast lots by shaking arrows from the quiver. They inspect the livers of animal sacrifices.
Ezekiel 21 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 21:19 | "Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem..." | Ezekiel 6:2 |
| Ezekiel 21:20 | "Appoint for thyself a place where the arrow may come out..." | Jeremiah 50:16 |
| Isaiah 10:24 | "...O my people that dwellest in Zion..." | Isaiah 10:1-4 |
| Jeremiah 2:36 | "And why is thine wandering so strange, that thou thus changest thy ways?" | Jeremiah 17:1-13 |
| Jeremiah 10:14 | "But every man is brutish and without knowledge..." | Psalm 115:4-8 |
| Psalm 115:4-7 | "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands..." | Isaiah 44:9-20 |
| Jeremiah 49:2 | "Therefore the days come, saith the LORD, that I will send upon Rabbah of the children of Ammon an overflowing sword..." | Jeremiah 49:1-6 |
| Jeremiah 50:17 | "Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away..." | Jeremiah 3:7 |
| Jeremiah 50:31-32 | "Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts..." | Isaiah 10:12-14 |
| Isaiah 10:28-32 | Describes the Assyrian invasion route | Isaiah 36:1-3 |
| Micah 1:10 | "Say ye not unto Gath, say ye not, Weep ye at all..." | Micah 1:10-16 |
| Nahum 3:4 | "Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of her well-favoured harlot..." | Nahum 3:1-7 |
| Habakkuk 1:10 | "And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a sport unto them..." | Habakkuk 1:1-17 |
| Matthew 15:9 | "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." | Mark 7:6-13 |
| John 4:24 | "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." | John 4:20-24 |
| Romans 1:21-23 | "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God..." | Romans 1:23 |
| Revelation 17:1-6 | The harlot city, symbolism of idolatry and false worship | Revelation 18:1-24 |
| Proverbs 14:12 | "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." | Proverbs 16:25 |
| Isaiah 47:13 | "Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee." | Isaiah 47:1-15 |
| Acts 15:1 | Certain men from Judea taught the Gentile believers they must be circumcised | Acts 11:1-18 |
| Ezekiel 8:1-18 | Visions of idolatry within the Temple | Ezekiel 20:1-44 |
Ezekiel 21 verses
Ezekiel 21 21 Meaning
The king of Babylon consults an oracle, divining by arrows and household idols. He stands at the crossroads, possibly symbolic of his decision to attack Jerusalem, the main road leading to both Rabbath-ammon and Jerusalem. The "right hand" typically represented the favorable or direct path, while the "left hand" indicated the less direct or unfavorable one. This king's choice of the road to Jerusalem, signaled by the directed arrows and the consultation of the teraphim (household idols), signifies a deliberate and ominous decision leading to the destruction of that city.
Ezekiel 21 21 Context
This verse is part of Ezekiel's prophecy against Jerusalem, delivered during the Babylonian siege under Nebuchadnezzar. Chapter 21 shifts focus to the instruments of God's judgment. The prophet is commanded to prophesy against the land of Israel and draw his sword, symbolizing the impending destruction. Specifically, this verse depicts Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, employing superstitious divinatory practices. He stands at a fork in the road, representing his choice of military campaign. His consultation of arrows and idols (teraphim) is a stark contrast to seeking divine guidance from the true God of Israel, highlighting the spiritual degradation of the surrounding nations and their reliance on futile methods of foretelling. The decision to go "toward the right hand" signifies his choice to advance against Jerusalem, setting the stage for the detailed account of the siege and eventual fall of the city.
Ezekiel 21 21 Word Analysis
- וְאַתָּה (və’attāh): "And thou" or "And you." Connects this specific action to the larger prophetic declaration against the king of Babylon.
- בֶּן־אָדָם (ben-’āḏām): "Son of man." The customary title for Ezekiel, emphasizing his humanity and his role as God's messenger. It positions him to receive and relay God's message.
- שִׂים (śîm): "Set" or "place." An imperative verb, directing action.
- פָּנֶיךָ (pānêḵā): "Thy face" or "your face." Indicates direct attention and focus, setting the direction for the king's mental and physical movement.
- יְרוּשָׁלַ ִ ם (Yərūšālayim): "Jerusalem." The primary target of God's judgment in this passage.
- וְהַצּ , and against Rabbah; he made his arrows bright." The "right hand" signifies the direction of his chosen campaign. The bright arrows suggest the practice of divination, often involving marking arrows for specific destinations or outcomes and then drawing them from a quiver or sheath.
- קָשָׁתוֹ (qāšāṯô): "His bow." Refers to the king's weaponry, but here is used metonymically for his military might and intent.
- חִדּ