Ezekiel 21:23 - Forerunner Commentary

Ezekiel 21:23

21 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 the¹ images, he looks at the liver.

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

23 And it will be to them like a false divination in the eyes of those who ^ahave sworn oaths with them; but he will bring their iniquity to remembrance, that they may be taken.

24 “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have made 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 remembrance, you shall be taken in hand.

25 ‘Now to you, O ^aprofane, wicked prince of Israel, ^bwhose day has come, whose iniquity shall end,

26 thus says the Lord God:
“Remove the turban, and take off the crown;
Nothing shall remain the same.
^aExalt the humble, and humble the exalted.

27 ¹Overthrown, overthrown,
I will make it overthrown!
^aIt shall be no longer,
Until He comes whose right it is,
And I will give it to ^bHim.” ’

A Sword Against the Ammonites

28 “And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God ^aconcerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach,’ and say:
‘A sword, a sword is drawn,
Polished for slaughter,
For consuming, for flashing—

29 While they ^asee false visions for you,
While they divine a lie to you,
To bring you on the necks of the wicked, the slain
^bWhose day has come,
Whose iniquity shall end.

Verse Comparison: Ezekiel 21:23

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Ezekiel 21:24 >>

American Standard Version
And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight, who have sworn oaths unto them; but he bringeth iniquity to remembrance, that they may be taken.

Amplified® Bible
And it shall seem like a lying divination to them who have sworn oaths [of allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar]. [Will he now fight against their homeland?] But he will remind them of their guilt {and} iniquity [in violating those oaths], that they may be caught.

Contemporary English Version
Everyone in Jerusalem had promised to be loyal to Babylonia, and so none of them will believe that this could happen to them. But Babylonia's king will remind them of their sinful ways and warn them of their coming captivity.

Darby English Version
And this shall be a false divination in their sight, for them that have sworn oaths; but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.

Good News Bible
The people of Jerusalem won't believe this because of the treaties they have made. But this prediction is to remind them of their sins and to warn them that they will be captured.

King James Version
And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight, to them that have sworn oaths: but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.

New American Standard Bible
"And it will be to them like a false divination in their eyes; they have {sworn} solemn oaths. But he brings iniquity to remembrance, that they may be seized.

New International Version
It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind them of their guilt and take them captive.

New King James Version
And it will be to them like a false divination in the eyes of those who have sworn oaths with them; but he will bring their iniquity to remembrance, that they may be taken.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
"And it will occur to them like a false divination in their eyes; they have sworn solemn oaths But he brings iniquity to remembrance, that someone may seize them.

Revised Standard Version
But to them it will seem like a false divination; they have sworn solemn oaths; but he brings their guilt to remembrance, that they may be captured.

Young's Literal Translation
And it hath been to them as a false divination in their eyes, Who have sworn oaths to them, And he is causing iniquity to be remembered to be caught.

New English Translation
But those in Jerusalem¹ will view it as a false omen. They have sworn solemn oaths,² but the king of Babylon³ will accuse them of violations⁴ in order to seize them.⁵

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