Ezekiel 21 22

Ezekiel 21:22 kjv

At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort.

Ezekiel 21:22 nkjv

In his right hand is the divination for Jerusalem: to set up battering rams, to call for a slaughter, to lift the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to heap up a siege mound, and to build a wall.

Ezekiel 21:22 niv

Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp and to erect siege works.

Ezekiel 21:22 esv

Into his right hand comes the divination for Jerusalem, to set battering rams, to open the mouth with murder, to lift up the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up mounds, to build siege towers.

Ezekiel 21:22 nlt

The omen in his right hand says, 'Jerusalem!' With battering rams his soldiers will go against the gates, shouting for the kill. They will put up siege towers and build ramps against the walls.

Ezekiel 21 verses

Ezekiel 21 22 Meaning

This verse announces the impending judgment against Jerusalem and its king by the king of Babylon, depicted as a divine decree. It highlights the invasion as a foretold event, a coming decision from the Lord, affecting the leaders of Israel.

Ezekiel 21 22 Context

Ezekiel chapter 21 prophesies the imminent destruction of Jerusalem and the downfall of its king. The preceding verses (Ezekiel 21:18-22) set the scene with a diviner using lots and examining an arrow-shooting practice to divine the path the king of Babylon will take. The chapter's focus shifts to Babylon's military campaign against Judah. This particular verse, Ezekiel 21:22, marks a pivot where the divine pronouncement begins, revealing that the attack on Jerusalem and its king is not random but a decreed judgment from the Lord, a "decree" that the diviner's signs foreshadow. The historical backdrop is the final siege and destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, around 586 BC.

Ezekiel 21 22 Word Analysis

• "And": (Hebrew: וְ - ve) Connects this verse to the preceding actions of the diviner.

• "it shall be": (Hebrew: תִּהְיֶה - tihyeh) Feminine future tense, referring to the coming judgment or decree.

• "to them": (Hebrew: לָהֶם - lahem) Refers to the people of Jerusalem and Judah.

• "as": (Hebrew: כְּ - kə) Indicates a comparison or likeness.

• "the lying divination": (Hebrew: דְּבַר־חִלֻּלִים - divar-hillulim) Literally "word of profane rites" or "divinations by hollows" referring to magical practices. It suggests these divinations are deceptive and ultimately will not avert God's judgment.

• "in your": (Hebrew: לָכֶם - lakhem) Addressed to the people of Jerusalem.

• "sight": (Hebrew: עֵינֵיכֶם - eyneikhem) Your eyes, the way they perceive or understand.

• "which": (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר - asher) Introduces the following description.

• "is brought forth": (Hebrew: בָּא - ba) Has come or arrived.

• "at": (Hebrew: אֶל־ - el) Towards, indicating the direction.

• "the head": (Hebrew: רֹאשׁ - rosh) The chief point or place.

• "of": (Hebrew: - genitive connection implied)

• "the way": (Hebrew: דֶּרֶךְ - derekh) The path.

• "into the land": (Hebrew: הָאָרֶץ - ha'arets) The land of Israel/Judah.

• "against": (Hebrew: לִ־ - li-) Toward.

• "the kingdom": (Hebrew: מַמְלָכָה - mamlachah) The dominion, referring to the Kingdom of Judah.

• "directed": (Hebrew: הָפְקַד - hofkad) Placed in charge, set or appointed.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "as the lying divination in your sight, which is brought forth": This phrase contrasts the deceptive magical arts the people rely on with the undeniable reality of God's impending judgment. The divination itself will prove false, unable to foresee or prevent what is coming.
  • "at the head of the way, into the land, directed against the kingdom": This describes the destination and target of the king of Babylon's attack – specifically aiming at the heart of Judah's domain and its ruling authority. The phrase emphasizes the precise and deliberate nature of the invasion.

Ezekiel 21 22 Bonus Section

The use of divination and arrow shooting to determine military paths was a common practice in ancient Near Eastern cultures. Ezekiel, however, deconstructs these practices, showing their futility in the face of Yahweh's sovereignty. The "kingdom" being directed against signifies the finality of God's judgment upon the Davidic dynasty and the nation of Judah. This verse functions as a transition, shifting from the symbolic actions of the diviner to the direct pronouncements of God, establishing His supreme authority over all earthly powers and predicting the ultimate fulfillment of His word through historical events. The concept of God using pagan kings and nations as instruments of His judgment, while holding them accountable, is a recurring theme throughout the Old Testament (e.g., Isaiah 10:5-7).

Ezekiel 21 22 Commentary

This verse is critical because it transforms the imagery of divination (used in verses 18-21) into the prophetic word. The diviners cast arrows to determine the king of Babylon's route, but Ezekiel reveals the true decision-maker: God. The divinations they consult will prove hollow and deceptive (Ezekiel 21:23). The verse highlights that the invasion of Judah and the targeting of its king are not a matter of chance or human strategy alone, but a direct, divine appointment. God's sovereign hand is on the helm of history, directing the path of nations and executing His justice against sin. The "kingdom" here specifically refers to the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and the "king" points to Zedekiah, whose reign was marked by rebellion and faithlessness, leading to Jerusalem's ultimate downfall.