Ezekiel 21:22
in Ezekiel 21In his right hand appears the portent for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to call for the slaughter, to lift a battle cry, to direct the battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp, and to erect a siege wall.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
In his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to set battering rams, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up mounds, to build forts.
KJV
At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a mount, and to build a fort.
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This verse in Ezekiel 21
Commentary
6 notes on this verseAt his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem - He had probably written on two arrows; one, Jerusalem; the other, Riblath; the third, left blank. He drew, and that on which Jerusalem was written came to his hand; in consequence of which he marched immediately against that city. It was ripe for destruction; and had he marched before or after, it would have fallen; but he never considered himself as sure of the conquest till now.
This site's exposition
the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way
on Ezekiel 21:21-23
The king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way to use divination, arrows shaken, images consulted, and the liver examined. At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem. Fairbairn reads it shall be unto them as a false divination as the irony the chapter intends.
This site's exposition
the portent for Jerusalem
The king's right hand draws Jerusalem's lot. Clarke pictured city names written on the arrows, with the one marked Jerusalem drawn out first. Henry noted the cost and labour of the siege works that follow, from battering rams to the siege wall.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 18 and following) And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: And you, son of man, set before yourself two ways, and let the sword of the king of Babylon come. From one land they will both go out, and by hand he will take a decision: he will cast lots at the head of the city's road. You shall set a road, so that the sword may come to Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and to Judah, and to Jerusalem, the fortified.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Orders are given to provide every thing necessary for carrying on the siege with vigour; battering rams must be prepared and forts built. O what pains, what cost, are men at to destroy one another! He must show both the people and the prince that they bring this destruction upon themselves by their own sin.
At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem,....
The words behind it
20 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בִּֽימִינ֞וֹ | bimino | in right [hand] his | H3225 → | 140 times |
| הָיָ֣ה׀ | hayah | it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| הַקֶּ֣סֶם | hakesem | the divination | H7081 → | 11 times |
| יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| לָשׂ֤וּם | lasum | to set up | H7760 → | 584 times |
| כָּרִים֙ | karim | battering-rams | H3733 → | 16 times |
| לִפְתֹּ֤חַ | liftoach | to open | H6605 → | 144 times |
| פֶּה֙ | peh | a mouth | H6310 → | 498 times |
| בְּרֶ֔צַח | beretzach | for shattering | H7524 → | |
| לְהָרִ֥ים | leharim | to raise | H7311 → | 190 times |
| ק֖וֹל | kol | a sound | H6963 → | 506 times |
| בִּתְרוּעָ֑ה | bitruah | with a war cry | H8643 → | |
| לָשׂ֤וּם | lasum | to set up | H7760 → | 584 times |
| כָּרִים֙ | karim | battering-rams | H3733 → | 16 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| שְׁעָרִ֔ים | shearim | [the] gates | H8179 → | 374 times |
| לִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ | lishpokh | to pour out | H8210 → | 114 times |
| סֹלְלָ֖ה | solelah | a mound | H5550 → | 11 times |
| לִבְנ֥וֹת | livnot | to build | H1129 → | 376 times |
| דָּיֵֽק׃ | dayek | a siege-wall | H1785 → | 6 times |
בִּֽימִינ֞וֹin right [hand] his
biminoH3225 →140 times
הָיָ֣ה׀it was
hayahH1961 →3559 times
הַקֶּ֣סֶםthe divination
hakesemH7081 →11 times
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗םJerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 times
לָשׂ֤וּםto set up
lasumH7760 →584 times
כָּרִים֙battering-rams
karimH3733 →16 times
לִפְתֹּ֤חַto open
liftoachH6605 →144 times
פֶּה֙a mouth
pehH6310 →498 times
בְּרֶ֔צַחfor shattering
beretzachH7524 →
לְהָרִ֥יםto raise
leharimH7311 →190 times
ק֖וֹלa sound
kolH6963 →506 times
בִּתְרוּעָ֑הwith a war cry
bitruahH8643 →
לָשׂ֤וּםto set up
lasumH7760 →584 times
כָּרִים֙battering-rams
karimH3733 →16 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
שְׁעָרִ֔ים[the] gates
shearimH8179 →374 times
לִשְׁפֹּ֥ךְto pour out
lishpokhH8210 →114 times
סֹלְלָ֖הa mound
solelahH5550 →11 times
לִבְנ֥וֹתto build
livnotH1129 →376 times
דָּיֵֽק׃a siege-wall
dayekH1785 →6 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 52:4So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army. They encamped outside the city and built…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 39:1
In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his entire army and laid siege to the city.
- Zechariah 8:19
“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: The fasts of the fourth, the fifth, the seventh, and the tenth months will become times of joy and gladness, cheerful feasts for the house of…
- Ezekiel 24:1–2
In the ninth year, on the tenth day of the tenth month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
- Jeremiah 39:1
Through
Joshua 6:10But Joshua had commanded the people: “Do not give a battle cry or let your voice be heard; do not let one word come out of your mouth until the day I tell you…
it leads to
- Isaiah 42:2
He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the streets.
- Matthew 12:19
He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear His voice in the streets.
- Luke 24:49
And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
- 2 Samuel 5:23–24
So David inquired of the LORD, who answered, “Do not march straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees.
- Isaiah 42:2
Through
Ezekiel 4:2Then lay siege against it: Construct a siege wall, build a ramp to it, set up camps against it, and place battering rams around it on all sides.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 6:6
For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Cut down the trees and raise a siege ramp against Jerusalem. This city must be punished; there is nothing but oppression in her midst.
- Jeremiah 6:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Ezekiel

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Carl Friedrich Keil, Biblical Commentary on the Prophecies of Ezekiel; Jerome, Commentary on Ezekiel; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Patrick Fairbairn, An Exposition of Ezekiel.
