EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 21:1 The opening words directly correspond with those of Ezekiel 20:46: SET YOUR FACE, PREACH, PROPHESY, and SAY all appear in the same order in those preceding verses. Now, however, the people addressed are clearly identified. The “southland” is JERUSALEM, the “south” is now... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 21:3 The RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED correspond to the “green” and “dry” trees of Ezekiel 20:47. Here God predicts a judgment that will come on the whole nation and will affect everyone. Sometimes the righteous suffer not because of judgment for their own sin, but because they live... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 21:6 These verses seem to continue describing the destruction of both “righteous and wicked” (see note on vv. 3–4). The GROAN and BREAKING HEART of v. Ezekiel 21:6 point back to Ezekiel 9:4, which identifies the righteous by this behavior. Verse Ezekiel 21:7 of ch. Ezekiel 21... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 21:8 This oracle uses the image of a sharpened sword. Verses Ezekiel 21:8 focus on the nature of the sword itself, honed to razor sharpness. Verses Ezekiel 21:14 describe its lethal effect. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.len... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 21:12 The PRINCES OF ISRAEL may refer to the tragic events at Riblah (2 Kings 25:6). STRIKE... YOUR THIGH is an action associated with lament (see Jeremiah 31:19). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, le [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 21:14, EZEKIEL 21:17 As in Ezekiel 6:11, to CLAP YOUR HANDS communicates nervous anxiety, perhaps in anticipation of the approaching judgment. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 21:18 In v. Ezekiel 21:11 the sword was committed to the “hand of the slayer,” identified here as THE KING OF BABYLON. Ezekiel performs another symbolic action (see ch. Ezekiel 4:1). He draws (presumably on the ground) a map with a forked road, and adds road signs. It is unkn... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 21:24 Now that God has given the sword to the Babylonian king, judgment on Jerusalem is announced. The “wicked” PRINCE OF ISRAEL must be Zedekiah. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 21:30 The instruction to RETURN the sword TO ITS SHEATH (v. Ezekiel 21:30) completes the action begun in v. Ezekiel 21:3. With its work done, Babylon is now subject to judgment (as was Assyria in Isaiah 10:5). The conclusion in Ezekiel 21:31 points in two directions: FIRE OF... [ Continue Reading ]