You shall mark a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, and to Judah into fortified Jerusalem.
Parallel translations
- WEB You shall appoint a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified.
- KJV Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced.
- BSB Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and another against Judah into fortified Jerusalem.
- NKJV Appoint a road for the sword to go to Rabbah of the Ammonites, and to Judah, into fortified Jerusalem.
- NLT one road going to Ammon and its capital, Rabbah, and the other to Judah and fortified Jerusalem.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
One road leads to Rabbah of the Ammonites, the other to fortified Jerusalem in Judah. Both cities lie in the sword's path.
Overview
Ezekiel specifies the two destinations awaiting Babylon's choice, showing that neither Ammon nor Judah will ultimately escape. Jerusalem's fortifications offer no real security against God's appointed judgment. The verse warns that confidence in defenses is vain when the Lord has decreed reckoning for sin.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Jer 49:2Therefore behold, the days come,” says Yahweh, “that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah of the children of Ammon; and it shall become a desolate heap, and her daughters will be burned with fire: then Israel will possess those who possessed him,” says Yahweh.
- Amos 1:14But I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah, and it will devour its palaces, with shouting in the day of battle, with a storm in the day of the whirlwind;
- Ezek 25:5I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the children of Ammon a resting place for flocks: and you shall know that I am Yahweh.
- Deut 3:11(For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of the Rephaim. Behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron. Isn’t it in Rabbah of the children of Ammon? Nine cubits was its length, and four cubits its width, after the cubit of a man.)
- Ps 125:1–2A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in Yahweh are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved, but remains forever.
- Ps 48:12–13Walk about Zion, and go around her. Number its towers.
- 2 Sam 12:26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
- Lam 4:12The kings of the earth didn’t believe, neither did all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
- 2 Chr 26:9Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified them.
- Isa 22:10You counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall.
- 2 Chr 32:5He took courage, built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, with the other wall outside, and strengthened Millo in David’s city, and made weapons and shields in abundance.
- 2 Sam 5:9David lived in the stronghold, and called it David’s city. David built around from Millo and inward.
- 2 Chr 33:14Now after this, he built an outer wall to David’s city, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance at the fish gate. He encircled Ophel with it, and raised it up to a very great height; and he put valiant captains in all the fortified cities of Judah.
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The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 21:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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