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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 21:18-27

The prophet, in the verses before, had shown them the sword coming; he here shows them that sword coming against them, that they might not flatter themselves that by some means or other it should be diverted a contrary way. I. He must see and show the Chaldean army coming against Jerusalem and determined by a supreme power so to do. The prophet must appoint him two ways, that is, he must upon a paper draw out two roads (Ezek. 21:19), as sometimes is done in maps; and he must bring the king of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezekiel 21:28-32

The prediction of the destruction of the Ammonites, which was effected by Nebuchadnezzar about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem, seems to come in here upon occasion of the king of Babylon's diverting his design against Rabbath, when he turned it upon Jerusalem. Upon this the Ammonites grew very insolent, and triumphed over Jerusalem; but the prophet must let them know that forbearance is no acquittance; the reprieve is not a pardon; their day also is at hand; their turn comes... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 21:19

Also thou, son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come ,.... Describe or draw out upon a table or tile, as in Ezekiel 4:1 , or on the ground, two roads, such as are described in maps; which it may be supposed the king of Babylon would take, either the one or the other, in order to make war against some king or another: both twain shall come forth out of one land ; both ways must be drawn as coming from one country, even Babylon; and choose thou... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 21:20

Appoint a way ,.... Mark out a way, describe a road, draw one out upon the ground, or point out one upon a table, or tile: that the sword may come ; in which the sword will come; or those that kill with the sword, as the Targum, even the Chaldean army under Nebuchadnezzar: to Rabbath of the Ammonites ; which was the metropolis of the Ammonites, and is now called Philadelphia, as Jerom writes; it is so called, to distinguish it from others of the same name; see 2 Samuel 12:26 , ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 21:21

For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways ,.... That is, he would stand there; the prophet knew that it was certain it should be, and therefore represents it as if it was; he had, by a spirit of prophecy, seen, that when the king of Babylon was come to such a place, on the borders of the desert of Arabia, where the road from Babylon parted, where two ways met, the one leading to Jerusalem on the right, and the other to Rabbath on the left, he should... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 21:22

At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem ,.... All his divinations, whether by arrows, or by images, or by liver, all directed him to his right hand, to turn to that which led to Jerusalem; and thus what appeared to him to be the effect of divination was overruled by the providence of God, to direct him to go and do what he designed he should: to appoint captains to open the mouth in the slaughter ; upon which he appointed his several captains and officers their distinct bodies... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 21:23

And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight ,.... That is, the Jews shall laugh at this divination as a vain thing, as a Heathenish practice, and of which nothing would come; and even at the prophet's account of it, and his prophecy concerning the king of Babylon coming to invade them; they looked upon them all as of a piece, trusting to their false prophets, who assured them that they should not be delivered into his hands: to them that have sworn oaths ; a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 21:24

Therefore thus saith the Lord God ,.... Because of their vain confidence, added to their perjury and perfidy: because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered ; their old sins, by committing new ones, both against the Lord, and against the king of Babylon: in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear ; both in their religious and civil actions; in the worship of God, and in their covenants and agreements with men; their sins were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 21:25

And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel ,.... Meaning Zedekiah, the then reigning prince; who is so called, because he had profaned or violated the oath and covenant he made with the king of Babylon, as well as because of other sins he was guilty of; and his being a prince of Israel was an aggravation of his crimes: now, though it is "not fit" in common, or for ordinary persons, "to say to a king thou art wicked, and to princes ye are ungodly", Job 34:18 , yet a prophet from the Lord,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 21:26

Thus saith the Lord God, remove the diadem, and take off the crown ,.... That is, from Zedekiah; and as these are the regalia and ensigns of royal dignity, taking them off signifies the deposition of him as a king, the stripping him of his kingly power and authority: an earthly crown is a corruptible and fading one, at most it continues but during this life, and sometimes not so long; it does not always sit firm; sometimes it is tottering and shakes, and sometimes quite fails off to the... read more

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