The chapter divisions of the medieval Hebrew text have chapter 20 of Ezekiel ending at verse 44 and begin a new teaching at 20:45. So, in agreement with the Hebrew text, I will include the last four verses of chapter 20 here as part of chapter 21.
Ezekiel 20:45-48, Speak to the southland
The word of the LORD came to me:
"Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest of the southland. Say to the southern forest: `Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to set fire to you, and it will consume all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north will be scorched by it. Everyone will see that I the LORD have kindled it; it will not be quenched.'"
Then I said, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! They are saying of me, `Isn't he just telling parables?'"
The forests to the south, representing Judah, will be judged and destroyed.
Ezekiel complains that the elders are accusing him of just making up parables. They are not taking him seriously. The response to that complaint follows.
Ezekiel 21:1-5, Drawn sword
The word of the LORD came to me:
"Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuary. Prophesy against the land of Israel and say to her: `This is what the LORD says: I am against you. I will draw my sword from its scabbard and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked. Because I am going to cut off the righteous and the wicked, my sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north. Then all people will know that I the LORD have drawn my sword from its scabbard; it will not return again.'
A sword is drawn against Judah and its capital. The promised judgment is starting. It will effect everyone in Judah, whether righteous or evil. It will include all of Israel. Judah is paying a national penalty for her persistent idolatry.
Ezekiel 21:6-7, Groan!
"Therefore groan, son of man! Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief.
And when they ask you, `Why are you groaning?' you shall say, `Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt and every hand go limp; every spirit will become faint and every knee become as weak as water.' It is coming! It will surely take place, declares the Sovereign LORD."
Ezekiel is to groan and moan, demonstrating his broken heart and bitter grief over what is to soon happen. A knee "weak as water" most likely means a knee wet with urine, fear leading to a loss of bladder control. The same phrase occurs in 7:17.
Ezekiel 21:8-12, Sharpened and polished
The word of the LORD came to me:
"Son of man, prophesy and say, `This is what the Lord says:
"`A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished--
sharpened for the slaughter,
polished to flash like lightning!
"`Shall we rejoice in the scepter of my son [Judah]? The sword despises every such stick.
"`The sword is appointed to be polished,
to be grasped with the hand;
it is sharpened and polished,
made ready for the hand of the slayer.
Cry out and wail, son of man,
for it is against my people;
it is against all the princes of Israel.
They are thrown to the sword along with my people.
Therefore beat your breast.
The prophecy now focuses on the sword, a sword that will smash the scepter of Judah and defeat the people of Israel. The sword is both sharp and brightly polished. When it flashes, it is like lightning. Ezekiel's listeners would have recalled another flashing sword (Genesis 3:24.)
Ezekiel 21:13-17, A divine sword of slaughter
"`Testing will surely come. And what if the scepter [of Judah], which the sword despises, does not continue? declares the Sovereign LORD.'
"So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together.
Let the sword strike twice, even three times.
It is a sword for slaughter--a sword for great slaughter,
closing in on them from every side.
So that hearts may melt and the fallen be many,
I have stationed the sword for slaughter at all their gates.
Oh! It is made to flash like lightning,
it is grasped for slaughter.
O sword, slash to the right, then to the left,
wherever your blade is turned.
I too will strike my hands together,
and my wrath will subside.
I the LORD have spoken."
Ezekiel is to loudly clap his hands together, getting attention, for the divine sword, in a flash of lightning, is coming quickly for slaughter.
The sword striking twice, thrice, in verse 14, is intended for dramatic emphasis. The slaughter will indeed be great.
Ezekiel 21:18-23, Two roads and lots cast
The word of the LORD came to me:
"Son of man, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same country. Make a signpost where the road branches off to the city. Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites and another against Judah and fortified Jerusalem. 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 with arrows, he will consult his idols, he will examine the liver. 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, to set battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp and to erect siege works. It will seem like a false omen to those who have sworn allegiance to him, but he will remind them of their guilt and take them captive.
Now Ezekiel sets up a model which maps out the actions that the king of Babylon will take. The king will reach a fork in the road. There, with one road leading to Jerusalem and the other leading to Ammon, the king will make a decision on which kingdom to conquer. He will cast lots and use other forms of ANe divination to decide in which direction to travel. The lots and divination will point him on to Jerusalem to conquer it, instead of Ammon. (Alexander, p. 844, says that this fork in the road was most likely at Damascus.)
Ezekiel 21:24-27, Remove your turban
"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.
"`O profane and wicked prince of Israel, whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Take off the turban, remove the crown. It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low.
A ruin! A ruin! I will make it a ruin! It will not be restored until he comes to whom it rightfully belongs; to him I will give it.'
The prince of Judah (Zedekiah) is to take off his turban, remove his crown. His reign is over. The crown will only be given later to one who deserves it.
The Hebrew word avon is translated "your guilt" in verse 24 (and "my punishment" in Genesis 4:13.) As a bit of wordplay, that word morphs into avvah!, repeated three times at the beginning of verse 27. Zedekiah's guilt has led to ruin! ruin! ruin!.
Ezekiel 21:28-32, And about Ammon
"And you, son of man, prophesy and say, `This is what the Sovereign LORD says about the Ammonites and their insults:
"`A sword, a sword, drawn for the slaughter,
polished to consume and to flash like lightning!
Despite false visions concerning you and lying divinations 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.
Return the sword to its scabbard.
In the place where you were created,
in the land of your ancestry,
I will judge you.
I will pour out my wrath upon you
and breathe out my fiery anger against you;
I will hand you over to brutal men,
men skilled in destruction.
You will be fuel for the fire,
your blood will be shed in your land,
you will be remembered no more;
for I the LORD have spoken.'"
As the king of Babylon turns down the road to Jerusalem, the Ammonites might be tempted to rejoice. But not so, says YHWH. Ammon, which might have also drawn a sword against Judah, is to put the sword back in its scabbard.
Ammon too will be judged. And after the judgment, that kingdom will be forgotten.
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