Ezekiel 21:18-24

Expanded Bible

Jerusalem to Be Destroyed

¹⁸ The ·Lord spoke his word [^Lword of the Lord came] to me, saying: ¹⁹ “·Human [^TSon of man; 2:1], mark two roads that the king of Babylon and his sword can follow. Both of these roads will start from the same country. And make signs where the road divides and one way goes toward the city. ²⁰ Mark one sign to show the road ·he can take with his sword [^Lfor the sword to come] to Rabbah in the land of the Ammonites. Mark the other sign to show the road to Judah and Jerusalem, which is protected with strong walls [^Cmoving south from Syria, the roads branch east and west of the Jordan River]. ²¹ The king of Babylon has come to where the road divides, and he is using ·magic [divination]. He ·throws lots with [^Lshakes] arrows and ·asks questions of his family idols [^Lconsults the teraphim]. He looks at the ·liver of a sacrificed animal [^Lliver; ^Cmethods of divination, used here to determine which road to take]. ²² The lot in his right hand tells him to go to Jerusalem. It tells him to use ·logs to break down the city gates [battering rams], to shout the battle cry and give the ·order to kill [command for slaughter], and to build ·a dirt road to the top of the walls [siege ramps] and ·devices to attack the walls [siege walls]. ²³ The people of Jerusalem will think this ·prediction is wrong [is a false omen/divination] because of their ·agreement with Babylon [or treaty with other nations; or covenant with God; ^Lsworn oaths/allegiance] But ·the king of Babylon will remind them of their rebellion [or the siege will remind them of their guilt] and they will be captured.

²⁴ “So this is what the Lord God says: ‘You have ·shown how sinful you are [^Lcaused your guilt to be remembered] by ·turning against the Lord [^Luncovering your trangressions]. Your sins are ·seen [revealed] in all the things you do. Because of this proof against you, you will be taken captive by the enemy.