Font Size
Ezekiel 21:23-32
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Ezekiel 21:23-32
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Nebuchadnezzar at the Crossroads. 23 The word of the Lord came to me: 24 Son of man, make for yourself two roads over which the sword of the king of Babylon can come. Both roads shall start out from the same land. Then put a signpost at the head of each road 25 so the sword can come to Rabbah of the Ammonites or to Judah and its fortress, Jerusalem. 26 For the king of Babylon is standing at the fork of the two roads to read the omens:[a] he shakes out the arrows, inquires of the teraphim, inspects the liver.(A) 27 Into his right hand has fallen the lot marked “Jerusalem”:[b] to order the slaughter, to raise the battle cry, to set the battering rams against the gates, to throw up a ramp, to build siege works. 28 In the eyes of those bound by oath this seems like a false omen; yet the lot taken in hand exposes the wickedness for which they, still bound by oath, will be taken in hand.
29 Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because your guilt has been exposed, your crimes laid bare, your sinfulness revealed in all your deeds—because you have been exposed, you shall be taken in hand.(B) 30 And as for you, depraved and wicked prince of Israel, a day is coming to end your life of crime.(C) 31 Thus says the Lord God: Off with the turban and away with the crown! Nothing shall be as it was! Exalt the lowly and bring the exalted low! 32 A ruin, a ruin, a ruin, I shall make it! Nothing will be the same until the one comes to whom I have given it for judgment.(D)
To the Ammonites.[c]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 21:26 Three forms of divination are mentioned: arrow divination, consisting in the use of differently marked arrows extracted or shaken from a case at random; the consultation of the teraphim or household idols; and liver divination, scrutiny of the configurations of the livers of newly slaughtered animals, a common form of divination in Mesopotamia.
- 21:27–28 A lot marked “Jerusalem” falls out, which marks the guilt of the city’s inhabitants.
- 21:33–37 In vv. 23–32 Ezekiel imagines Nebuchadnezzar deciding whether to attack Jerusalem or Rabbath-Ammon. As it happened, the Babylonians decided to attack Jerusalem first. Here (vv. 33–37) Ezekiel prophesies to the Ammonites that a nation which serves as an instrument of the Lord’s judgment will itself be judged.
Ezekiel 21:23-32
New International Version
Ezekiel 21:23-32
New International Version
23 It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind(A) them of their guilt(B) 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.
25 “‘You profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come,(C) whose time of punishment has reached its climax,(D) 26 this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take off the turban, remove the crown.(E) It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low.(F) 27 A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come;(G) to him I will give it.’(H)
28 “And you, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says about the Ammonites(I) and their insults:
“‘A sword,(J) a sword,
drawn for the slaughter,
polished to consume
and to flash like lightning!
29 Despite false visions concerning you
and lying divinations(K) about you,
it will be laid on the necks
of the wicked who are to be slain,
whose day has come,
whose time of punishment has reached its climax.(L)
30 “‘Let the sword return to its sheath.(M)
In the place where you were created,
in the land of your ancestry,(N)
I will judge you.
31 I will pour out my wrath on you
and breathe(O) out my fiery anger(P) against you;
I will deliver you into the hands of brutal men,
men skilled in destruction.(Q)
32 You will be fuel for the fire,(R)
your blood will be shed in your land,
you will be remembered(S) no more;
for I the Lord have spoken.’”
New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.