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21 The king of Babylon has come to where the road divides, and he is using ·magic [divination]. He ·throws lots with [L shakes] arrows and ·asks questions of his family idols [L consults the teraphim]. He looks at the ·liver of a sacrificed animal [L liver; C methods of divination, used here to determine which road to take]. 22 The lot in his right hand tells him to go to Jerusalem. It tells him to use ·logs to break down the city gates [battering rams], to shout the battle cry and give the ·order to kill [command for slaughter], and to build ·a dirt road to the top of the walls [siege ramps] and ·devices to attack the walls [siege walls]. 23 The people of Jerusalem will think this ·prediction is wrong [is a false omen/divination] because of their ·agreement with Babylon [or treaty with other nations; or covenant with God; L sworn oaths/allegiance] But ·the king of Babylon will remind them of their rebellion [or the siege will remind them of their guilt] and they will be captured.

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21 For the king of Babylon will stop at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He will cast lots(A) with arrows, he will consult his idols,(B) he will examine the liver.(C) 22 Into his right hand will come the lot for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to give the command to slaughter, to sound the battle cry,(D) to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp(E) and to erect siege works.(F) 23 It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind(G) them of their guilt(H) and take them captive.

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