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Selected Verse: Ezekiel 21:18 - Strong Concordance

Verse         Translation Text
Eze 21:18 Strong Concordance The word [01697] of the LORD [03068] came unto me again, saying [0559],
  King James The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
The third word of judgment. The king of Babylon's march upon Judaea and upon the Ammonites. Destruction is to go forth not on Judah only, but also on such neighboring tribes as the Ammonites (compare Jer 27:2-3).

Eze 21:19

Appoint thee - Set before thee.

Choose thou a place, choose it - Rather, "mark a spot, mark it," as upon a map, at the head of the two roads, one leading to Jerusalem, the other to Ammon. These were the two roads by one or other of which an invading army must march from Babylon to Egypt.

Eze 21:21

The Chaldaean king is depicted standing at the entrance of the holy land from the north, meditating his campaign, using rites of divination that really belonged to the Akkadians, a primitive race which originally occupied the plains of Mesopotamia. The Accadians and the Etruscans belong through the Finnish family to the Turanian stock; this passage therefore shows a characteristic mode of divination in use among two widely separated nations; and as the Romans acquired their divination from the conquered Etruscans, so the Chaldaeans acquired the same art from the races whose soil they had occupied as conquerors.

He made his arrows briqht - Rather, he shook his arrow; a mode of divination much in practice with the Arabians. It was usual to place in some vessel three arrows, on one of which was written, "My God orders me;" on the other, "My God forbids me;" on the third was no inscription. These three arrows were shaken together until one came out; if it was the first, the thing was to be done; if the second, it was to be avoided; if the third, the arrows were again shaken together, until one of the arrows bearing a decided answer should come forth.

Images - Teraphim (Gen 31:19 note).

He looked in the liver - It was the practice both of the Greeks and the Romans (derived from the Etruscans) to take omens from the inspection of the entrails (especially the liver) of animals offered in sacrifice.

Eze 21:22

The divination for Jerusalem - The lot fixing the campaign against Jerusalem.

Eze 21:23

It shalt be unto them - The Jews in their vain confidence shall look upon the hopes gathered from the divinations by the Babylonians as false and groundless.

To them that have sworn oaths - According to some, "oaths of oaths are theirs;" i. e., they have the most solemn oaths sworn by God to His people, in these they trust, forgetful of the sin which broke the condition upon which these promises were given. More probably the allusion is to the oaths which the Jews had sworn to Nebuchadnezzar as vassals Eze 17:18-19; therefore they trust he will not attack them, forgetting how imperfectly they had kept their oaths, and that Nebuchadnezzar knew this.

But he will call to remembrance the iniquity - The king of Babylon will by punishment remind them of their perjury Kg2 25:6-7; Ch2 36:17.

Eze 21:25

Profane - Rather, "wounded," - not dead but - having a death-wound. The prophet, turning from the general crowd, addresses Zedekiah.

When iniquity shall have an end - i. e., at the time when iniquity shall be closed with punishment. So in Eze 21:29.

Eze 21:26

The diadem ("the mitre," the unique head-dress of the high priest) shall be removed, and the crown taken off (this shall not be as it is), the low exalted, and the high abased. Glory shall be removed alike from priest and king; the present glory and power attached to the government of God's people shall be quite removed.

Eze 21:27

It shall be no more - Or, "This also shall not be;" the present state of things shall not continue: all shall be confusion "until He come" to whom the dominion belongs of right. Not Zedekiah but Jeconiah and his descendants were the rightful heirs of David's throne. Through the restoration of the true line was there hope for Judah (compare Gen 49:10), the promised King in whom all power shall rest - the Son of David - Messiah the Prince. Thus the prophecy of destruction ends for Judah in the promise of restoration (as in Eze 20:40 ff).

Eze 21:28

The burden of the Song of the Sword, also in the form of poetry, is again taken up, directed now against the Ammonites, who, exulting in Judah's destruction, fondly deemed that they were themselves to escape. For Judah there is yet hope, for Ammon irremediable ruin.

Their reproach - The scorn with which they reproach Judah (marginal references).

The sword ... the glittering - Or, "the sword is drawn for the slaughter; it is furbished that it may detour, in order that it may glitter." In the Septuagint (and Vulgate) the sword is addressed; e. g., Septuagint, "Arise that thou mayest shine."

Eze 21:29

Whiles ... unto thee - A parenthesis. The Ammonites had their false diviners who deluded with vain hopes.

To bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain - To cast thee (Ammon) upon the heap of slaughtered men.

Shall have an end - Shall have its final doom.

Eze 21:30

Shall I cause it to return ... - Or, Back to its sheath! The work of the sword is over.
 
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30 Shall I cause it to return [07725] into his sheath [08593]? I will judge [08199] thee in the place [04725] where thou wast created [01254], in the land [0776] of thy nativity [04351].
29 Whiles they see [02372] vanity [07723] unto thee, whiles they divine [07080] a lie [03577] unto thee, to bring [05414] thee upon the necks [06677] of them that are slain [02491], of the wicked [07563], whose day [03117] is come [0935], when [06256] their iniquity [05771] shall have an end [07093].
28 And thou, son [01121] of man [0120], prophesy [05012] and say [0559], Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069] concerning the Ammonites [01121] [05983], and concerning their reproach [02781]; even say [0559] thou, The sword [02719], the sword [02719] is drawn [06605]: for the slaughter [02874] it is furbished [04803], to consume [0398] because of the glittering [01300]:
40 For in mine holy [06944] mountain [02022], in the mountain [02022] of the height [04791] of Israel [03478], saith [05002] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069], there shall all the house [01004] of Israel [03478], all of them in the land [0776], serve [05647] me: there will I accept [07521] them, and there will I require [01875] your offerings [08641], and the firstfruits [07225] of your oblations [04864], with all your holy things [06944].
10 The sceptre [07626] shall not depart [05493] from Judah [03063], nor a lawgiver [02710] from between his feet [07272], until [03588] Shiloh [07886] come [0935]; and unto him shall the gathering [03349] of the people [05971] be.
27 I will overturn [05754], overturn [05754], overturn [05754], it: and it shall be [07760] no more, until he come [0935] whose right [04941] it is; and I will give [05414] it him.
26 Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Remove [05493] the diadem [04701], and take off [07311] the crown [05850]: this shall not be the same [02063]: exalt [01361] him that is low [08217], and abase [08213] him that is high [01364].
29 Whiles they see [02372] vanity [07723] unto thee, whiles they divine [07080] a lie [03577] unto thee, to bring [05414] thee upon the necks [06677] of them that are slain [02491], of the wicked [07563], whose day [03117] is come [0935], when [06256] their iniquity [05771] shall have an end [07093].
25 And thou, profane [02491] wicked [07563] prince [05387] of Israel [03478], whose day [03117] is come [0935], when [06256] iniquity [05771] shall have an end [07093],
17 Therefore he brought [05927] upon them the king [04428] of the Chaldees [03778], who slew [02026] their young men [0970] with the sword [02719] in the house [01004] of their sanctuary [04720], and had no compassion [02550] upon young man [0970] or maiden [01330], old man [02205], or him that stooped for age [03486]: he gave [05414] them all into his hand [03027].
6 So they took [08610] the king [04428], and brought him up [05927] to the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] to Riblah [07247]; and they gave [01696] judgment [04941] upon him.
7 And they slew [07819] the sons [01121] of Zedekiah [06667] before his eyes [05869], and put out [05786] the eyes [05869] of Zedekiah [06667], and bound [0631] him with fetters [05178] of brass [05178], and carried [0935] him to Babylon [0894].
18 Seeing he despised [0959] the oath [0423] by breaking [06565] the covenant [01285], when, lo, he had given [05414] his hand [03027], and hath done [06213] all these things, he shall not escape [04422].
19 Therefore thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; As I live [02416], surely mine oath [0423] that he hath despised [0959], and my covenant [01285] that he hath broken [06331], even it will I recompense [05414] upon his own head [07218].
23 And it shall be unto them as a false [07723] divination [07080] in their sight [05869], to them that have sworn [07650] oaths [07621]: but he will call to remembrance [02142] the iniquity [05771], that they may be taken [08610].
22 At his right hand [03225] was the divination [07081] for Jerusalem [03389], to appoint [07760] captains [03733], to open [06605] the mouth [06310] in the slaughter [07524], to lift up [07311] the voice [06963] with shouting [08643], to appoint [07760] battering rams [03733] against the gates [08179], to cast [08210] a mount [05550], and to build [01129] a fort [01785].
19 And Laban [03837] went [01980] to shear [01494] his sheep [06629]: and Rachel [07354] had stolen [01589] the images [08655] that were her father's [01].
21 For the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] stood [05975] at the parting [0517] of the way [01870], at the head [07218] of the two [08147] ways [01870], to use [07080] divination [07081]: he made his arrows [02671] bright [07043], he consulted [07592] with images [08655], he looked [07200] in the liver [03516].
19 Also, thou son [01121] of man [0120], appoint [07760] thee two [08147] ways [01870], that the sword [02719] of the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] may come [0935]: both twain [08147] shall come forth [03318] out of one [0259] land [0776]: and choose [01254] thou a place [03027], choose [01254] it at the head [07218] of the way [01870] to the city [05892].
2 Thus saith [0559] the LORD [03068] to me; Make [06213] thee bonds [04147] and yokes [04133], and put [05414] them upon thy neck [06677],
3 And send [07971] them to the king [04428] of Edom [0123], and to the king [04428] of Moab [04124], and to the king [04428] of the Ammonites [01121] [05983], and to the king [04428] of Tyrus [06865], and to the king [04428] of Zidon [06721], by the hand [03027] of the messengers [04397] which come [0935] to Jerusalem [03389] unto Zedekiah [06667] king [04428] of Judah [03063];
2 And lay [05414] siege [04692] against it, and build [01129] a fort [01785] against it, and cast [08210] a mount [05550] against it; set [05414] the camp [04264] also against it, and set [07760] battering rams [03733] against it round about [05439].
19 And Laban [03837] went [01980] to shear [01494] his sheep [06629]: and Rachel [07354] had stolen [01589] the images [08655] that were her father's [01].
22 At his right hand [03225] was the divination [07081] for Jerusalem [03389], to appoint [07760] captains [03733], to open [06605] the mouth [06310] in the slaughter [07524], to lift up [07311] the voice [06963] with shouting [08643], to appoint [07760] battering rams [03733] against the gates [08179], to cast [08210] a mount [05550], and to build [01129] a fort [01785].
21 For the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] stood [05975] at the parting [0517] of the way [01870], at the head [07218] of the two [08147] ways [01870], to use [07080] divination [07081]: he made his arrows [02671] bright [07043], he consulted [07592] with images [08655], he looked [07200] in the liver [03516].
11 For only Og [05747] king [04428] of Bashan [01316] remained [07604] of the remnant [03499] of giants [07497]; behold, his bedstead [06210] was a bedstead [06210] of iron [01270]; is it not [03808] in Rabbath [07237] of the children [01121] of Ammon [05983]? nine [08672] cubits [0520] was the length [0753] thereof, and four [0702] cubits [0520] the breadth [07341] of it, after the cubit [0520] of a man [0376].
21 For the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] stood [05975] at the parting [0517] of the way [01870], at the head [07218] of the two [08147] ways [01870], to use [07080] divination [07081]: he made his arrows [02671] bright [07043], he consulted [07592] with images [08655], he looked [07200] in the liver [03516].
25 Thou hast built [01129] thy high place [07413] at every head [07218] of the way [01870], and hast made thy beauty [03308] to be abhorred [08581], and hast opened [06589] thy feet [07272] to every one that passed by [05674], and multiplied [07235] thy whoredoms [08457].
1 Thou also, son [01121] of man [0120], take [03947] thee a tile [03843], and lay [05414] it before [06440] thee, and pourtray [02710] upon it the city [05892], even Jerusalem [03389]:
47 And the company [06951] shall stone [07275] them with stones [068], and dispatch [01254] them with their swords [02719]; they shall slay [02026] their sons [01121] and their daughters [01323], and burn up [08313] their houses [01004] with fire [0784].
18 But the mountain [02022] shall be thine; for it is a wood [03293], and thou shalt cut it down [01254]: and the outgoings [08444] of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out [03423] the Canaanites [03669], though they have iron [01270] chariots [07393], and though they be strong [02389].
15 And Joshua [03091] answered [0559] them, If thou be a great [07227] people [05971], then get thee up [05927] to the wood [03293] country, and cut down [01254] for thyself there in the land [0776] of the Perizzites [06522] and of the giants [07497], if mount [02022] Ephraim [0669] be too narrow [0213] for thee.
32 Thou shalt be for fuel [0402] to the fire [0784]; thy blood [01818] shall be in the midst [08432] of the land [0776]; thou shalt be no more remembered [02142]: for I the LORD [03068] have spoken [01696] it.
31 And I will pour out [08210] mine indignation [02195] upon thee, I will blow [06315] against thee in the fire [0784] of my wrath [05678], and deliver [05414] thee into the hand [03027] of brutish [01197] men [0582], and skilful [02796] to destroy [04889].
27 I will overturn [05754], overturn [05754], overturn [05754], it: and it shall be [07760] no more, until he come [0935] whose right [04941] it is; and I will give [05414] it him.
26 Thus saith [0559] the Lord [0136] GOD [03069]; Remove [05493] the diadem [04701], and take off [07311] the crown [05850]: this shall not be the same [02063]: exalt [01361] him that is low [08217], and abase [08213] him that is high [01364].
11 And he hath given [05414] it to be furbished [04803], that it may be handled [03709] [08610]: this sword [02719] is sharpened [02300], and it is furbished [04178], to give [05414] it into the hand [03027] of the slayer [02026].
22 At his right hand [03225] was the divination [07081] for Jerusalem [03389], to appoint [07760] captains [03733], to open [06605] the mouth [06310] in the slaughter [07524], to lift up [07311] the voice [06963] with shouting [08643], to appoint [07760] battering rams [03733] against the gates [08179], to cast [08210] a mount [05550], and to build [01129] a fort [01785].
21 For the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] stood [05975] at the parting [0517] of the way [01870], at the head [07218] of the two [08147] ways [01870], to use [07080] divination [07081]: he made his arrows [02671] bright [07043], he consulted [07592] with images [08655], he looked [07200] in the liver [03516].
20 Appoint [07760] a way [01870], that the sword [02719] may come [0935] to Rabbath [07237] of the Ammonites [01121] [05983], and to Judah [03063] in Jerusalem [03389] the defenced [01219].
19 Also, thou son [01121] of man [0120], appoint [07760] thee two [08147] ways [01870], that the sword [02719] of the king [04428] of Babylon [0894] may come [0935]: both twain [08147] shall come forth [03318] out of one [0259] land [0776]: and choose [01254] thou a place [03027], choose [01254] it at the head [07218] of the way [01870] to the city [05892].
18 The word [01697] of the LORD [03068] came unto me again, saying [0559],