Ezekiel 21:21
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For the king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He shakes the arrows, he consults the idols, he examines the liver.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
In this chapter we have, I. An explication of the prophecy in the close of the foregoing chapter concerning the fire in the forest, which the people complained they could not understand (Eze 21:1-5), with directions to the prophet to show himself deeply affected with it (Eze 21:6, Eze 21:7). II. A further prediction of the sword that was coming upon the land, by which all should be laid waste; and this expressed very emphatically (Eze 21:8-17). III. A prospect given of the king of Babylon's approach to Jerusalem, to which he was determined by divination (Eze 21:18-24). IV. Sentence passed upon Zedekiah king of Judah (Eze 21:25-27). V. The destruction of the Ammonites by the sword foretold (Eze 21:28-32). Thus is this chapter all threatenings.
Open source ↗21:21 Omens were supposedly signs from the gods that were obtained through divination. • cast lots by shaking arrows . . . inspect the livers: These were common methods of seeking omens from the gods.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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So the priest was glad and took the ephod, the household idols, and the graven image, and went with the people.
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some household idols, and ordained one of his sons as his priest.
Now while Laban was out shearing his sheep, Rachel stole her father’s household idols.
Now you have gone off because you long for your father’s house. But why have you stolen my gods?”
One day as we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl with a spirit of divination, who earned a large income for her masters by fortune-telling.
Furthermore, Josiah removed the mediums and spiritists, the household gods and idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem. He did this to carry out the words of the law written in the book that Hilkiah the priest had found in the house of the LORD.
My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God.
For idols speak deceitand diviners see illusions;they tell false dreamsand offer empty comfort.Therefore the people wander like sheep,oppressed for lack of a shepherd.
For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar, and without ephod or idol.