Eze 21:21 | KingComments | STEP | Again the word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel ( ). He is commanded to make [or: set for himself] two ways ( ; cf. ). He has to set them “for himself”. This indicates that he is to enter in the spirit of what is about to happen. In the same way, we are to be concerned with future events. We must be able to set them for ourselves, as it were, so that what is going to happen to Israel, Europe and the world becomes clear to us. The ways that Ezekiel has to make or draw starts as one way, which later splits into two ways. It is the way that the sword will go to get into Judah. Now the name of him who holds the sword is also mentioned. It is the king of Babylon. The two ways go out from one land. At the place where the way splits into two ways, Ezekiel is to make a signpost. On it are two destinations. One way leads to Rabbah, the capital of the sons of Ammon; the other way leads to Judah with its fortified Jerusalem ( ). The way from Babylon to Rabbah and to Jerusalem is the same way until Damascus. At Damascus one must choose where to go. Then the LORD tells Ezekiel why he should set out the way and the split into two ways. At the split, the king of Babylon will stop to consider which direction he will go ( ). Will he take the way to Rabbah or the one to Jerusalem? To determine his choice, he will use idolatrous methods of divination, as is customary for him, to reach a decision. He uses three methods. This does show how uncertain he finds a particular method. It is obvious to assume that by using three, he will take the path indicated by at least two methods. The ‘shaking the arrows’ could mean that he takes two arrows and puts the name of a direction on each. He then shakes them and draws one. That is then the direction he will take. When consulting the “household idols” they seem to be teraphim or small household gods taken by the owner on a journey ( ). To “look at the liver” is to examine the color and characteristics of the liver of a sacrificial animal. This form of divination is in use throughout the Babylonians at this time. We see here that God knows all of Nebuchadnezzar’s deliberations and that He determines the outcome. He will cause the king of Babylon to go up to Jerusalem ( ). Nebuchadnezzar thinks his gods have given him counsel, but God determines his way. Nebuchadnezzar has his battle plan and his weapons ready to begin the siege of a strong fortress like Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem will experience this as a “false prophecy”, because they have promised allegiance to the king of Babylon after all ( ; ). But their promises or oaths are worth nothing. Several times Zedekiah and the officials committed themselves with solemn oaths to remain faithful to the king of Babylon. But they have done so in order to deceive him, for secretly they have made agreements with Egypt ( ; ). It is precisely their unfaithfulness that is a reason for Nebuchadnezzar to go up against them. He will remind them of their own iniquity and seize and carry them away for it.

‏ Ezekiel 21:21

The Oracle of Nebuchadnezzar

Again the word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel (Eze 21:18). He is commanded to make [or: set for himself] two ways (Eze 21:19; cf. Eze 4:1). He has to set them “for himself”. This indicates that he is to enter in the spirit of what is about to happen. In the same way, we are to be concerned with future events. We must be able to set them for ourselves, as it were, so that what is going to happen to Israel, Europe and the world becomes clear to us.

The ways that Ezekiel has to make or draw starts as one way, which later splits into two ways. It is the way that the sword will go to get into Judah. Now the name of him who holds the sword is also mentioned. It is the king of Babylon. The two ways go out from one land. At the place where the way splits into two ways, Ezekiel is to make a signpost. On it are two destinations. One way leads to Rabbah, the capital of the sons of Ammon; the other way leads to Judah with its fortified Jerusalem (Eze 21:20). The way from Babylon to Rabbah and to Jerusalem is the same way until Damascus. At Damascus one must choose where to go.

Then the LORD tells Ezekiel why he should set out the way and the split into two ways. At the split, the king of Babylon will stop to consider which direction he will go (Eze 21:21). Will he take the way to Rabbah or the one to Jerusalem? To determine his choice, he will use idolatrous methods of divination, as is customary for him, to reach a decision. He uses three methods. This does show how uncertain he finds a particular method. It is obvious to assume that by using three, he will take the path indicated by at least two methods.

The ‘shaking the arrows’ could mean that he takes two arrows and puts the name of a direction on each. He then shakes them and draws one. That is then the direction he will take. When consulting the “household idols” they seem to be teraphim or small household gods taken by the owner on a journey (Gen 31:19). To “look at the liver” is to examine the color and characteristics of the liver of a sacrificial animal. This form of divination is in use throughout the Babylonians at this time.

We see here that God knows all of Nebuchadnezzar’s deliberations and that He determines the outcome. He will cause the king of Babylon to go up to Jerusalem (Eze 21:22). Nebuchadnezzar thinks his gods have given him counsel, but God determines his way. Nebuchadnezzar has his battle plan and his weapons ready to begin the siege of a strong fortress like Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem will experience this as a “false prophecy”, because they have promised allegiance to the king of Babylon after all (Eze 21:23; Eze 17:16-18).

But their promises or oaths are worth nothing. Several times Zedekiah and the officials committed themselves with solemn oaths to remain faithful to the king of Babylon. But they have done so in order to deceive him, for secretly they have made agreements with Egypt (Eze 17:7 ; 15 ; 17; Jer 37:5 ; Jer 46:17). It is precisely their unfaithfulness that is a reason for Nebuchadnezzar to go up against them. He will remind them of their own iniquity and seize and carry them away for it.