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18 Yahweh’s word came to me again, saying, 19 “Also, you son of man, appoint two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come. They both will come out of one land, and mark out a place. Mark it out at the head of the way to the city. 20 You shall appoint a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified. 21 For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shook the arrows back and forth. He consulted the teraphim.[a] He looked in the liver. 22 In his right hand was the lot for Jerusalem, to set battering rams, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up mounds, and to build forts. 23 It will be to them as a false divination in their sight, who have sworn oaths to them; but he brings iniquity to memory, that they may be taken.

24 “Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: ‘Because you have caused your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your doings your sins appear; because you have come to memory, you will be taken with the hand.

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Footnotes

  1. 21:21 teraphim were household idols that may have been associated with inheritance rights to the household property.

18 The word of the Lord came to me: 19 “Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword(A) of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost(B) where the road branches off to the city. 20 Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites(C) and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem. 21 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(D) with arrows, he will consult his idols,(E) he will examine the liver.(F) 22 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,(G) to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp(H) and to erect siege works.(I) 23 It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind(J) them of their guilt(K) and take them captive.

24 “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because you people have brought to mind your guilt by your open rebellion, revealing your sins in all that you do—because you have done this, you will be taken captive.

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