Ezekiel 21:21

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

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezekiel 21:21

For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way - He was in doubt which way he should first take; whether to humble the Ammonites by taking their metropolis, Riblath, or go at once against Jerusalem. In this case of uncertainty, he made use of divination. And this was of three kinds: 1. By arrows. 2. By images or talismans. 3. By inspecting the entrails of a sacrifice offered on the occasion. He made bright his arrows. This might be after the manner in which the divination is still... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 21:18-27

The all-controlling providence of God. We have here a striking instance of the superintending agency of God. From his invisible throne he controls all the plans, divinations, arts, and labours of kings and generals. All persons and all events are directed into the channel of his purpose, and aid in the final consummation of his righteous end. I. GOD USES EVES WICKED MEN TO DO HIS WORK . If he employed only righteous men, he would have to reject the service of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 21:18-27

The approaching judgment. "The word of the Lord came unto me again, saying, Also, thou son of man, appoint thee two ways," etc. The following homiletic points are suggested by this paragraph. I. THE DESTINATION OF THE APPROACHING JUDGMENT DETERMINED BY GOD , THOUGH THE AGENTS THEREOF WERE UNCONSCIOUS OF HIS INFLUENCE . "Son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the King of Babylon may come," etc. ( Ezekiel 21:18-22 ). The prophet is here... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezekiel 21:18-32

The impartiality of Divine justice. Very picturesque and memorable is this portion of Ezekiel's prophecies. The prophet in his vision beholds the King of Babylon on his way to execute the purposes of God upon the rebellious and treacherous prince of Judah, and upon his partakers in sin. He sees him at some point of this expedition, standing on the northeast of Palestine, uncertain whether in the first instance to direct his arms against Rabbath, the capitol of the Ammonites, or Jerusalem,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ezekiel 21:18-32

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 Jeremiah 27:2-3).Ezekiel 21:19Appoint 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... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ezekiel 21:21-22

Ezekiel 21:21-22. For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way The prophet here expresses what was future as if it were past, according to the usual style of the prophets, when speaking of things soon to come to pass. And he explains the symbolical action spoken of in the two foregoing verses; he shows that it was designed to represent what the king of Babylon would do when he was on his march, and came to the place where the road was divided; that he would use divination to... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 21:18-32

No possibility of escape (21:18-32)In another acted message, the prophet drew a map on the ground, showing a road out of Babylon that branched in two directions. One led to Jerusalem, the other to Rabbah, capital of Ammon. By means of markings on the map, Ezekiel indicated that the king of Babylon had arrived at the road junction and was trying to decide whether to go and attack Rabbah or go and besiege Jerusalem. The king used three superstitious methods to determine which way to go: drawing... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ezekiel 21:21

stood = bath come to a stand. to use divination = to divine a divination. made his arrows bright = hath shaken his arrows. This was one of the modes of divination by which the arrow (marked like a lot), gave the decision. images = teraphim. looked in , &c. = inspected the liver; another mode of divination. It healthy or double and the lobes inclined inward, the omen was favourable; but if diseased or too dry, or without a lobe or a band between the parts, the omen was unfavourable. read more

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