Ezekiel 21:18-24

New International Reader's Version

¹⁸ A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, ¹⁹ “Son of man, mark out on a map two roads for the sword to take. The sword belongs to the king of Babylon. Both roads start from the same country. Put up a sign where the road turns off to the city of Rabbah. ²⁰ Mark out one road for the sword to take against Rabbah in Ammon. Mark out another against Judah and the walls of Jerusalem. ²¹ The king of Babylon will stop at the place where the two roads meet. He will look for a special sign. He will cast lots by pulling arrows out of a bag. He will ask his gods for advice. And he will look carefully at the liver of a sheep. ²² His right hand will pull out the arrow for Jerusalem. There he will get huge logs ready to knock down its gates. He will give the command to kill its people. He will sound the battle cry. He will build a ramp up to the city wall. He will bring in his war machines. ²³ The decision to attack Jerusalem will seem like the wrong advice to those who made a treaty with Nebuchadnezzar. But he will remind them that they are guilty. And he will take them away as prisoners.”

²⁴ So the Lord and King says, “You people have reminded everyone of how guilty you are. You have done it by refusing to obey me or any other authority. Everything you do clearly shows how sinful you are. So you will be taken away as prisoners.”