---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Ezekiel 21"
description: "CHAPTER 21   :-. PROPHECY AGAINST
ISRAEL AND JERUSALEM,
AND AGAINST AMMON. 2. the holy places—the three
parts of the temple: the courts, the holy place, a"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/ezekiel/21"
---

CHAPTER 21

. PROPHECY AGAINST
ISRAEL AND JERUSALEM,
AND AGAINST AMMON.

**2. the holy places**—the three
parts of the temple: the courts, the holy place, and the holiest. If
"synagogues" existed before the Babylonian captivity, as seems to imply, they and the *proseuchæ,* or
oratories, may be included in the "holy places" here.

**3. righteous . . . wicked**—not
contradictory of [Ezekiel 18:4](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/4);
[Ezekiel 18:9](../../../kjv/ezekiel/18/9); [Genesis 18:23](../../../kjv/genesis/18/23).
Ezekiel here views the mere *outward* aspect of the
indiscriminate universality of the national calamity. But *really*
the same captivity to the "righteous" would prove a
blessing as a wholesome discipline, which to the "wicked"
would be an unmitigated punishment. The godly were sealed with a mark
([Ezekiel 9:4](../../../kjv/ezekiel/9/4)), not for outward
exemption from the common calamity, but as marked for the secret
interpositions of Providence, overruling even evil to their good. The
godly were by comparison so few, that not their salvation but the
universality of the judgment is brought into view here.

**4.** The "sword" did
not, literally, *slay* all; but the *judgments* of God by
the foe swept through the land "from the south to the north."

**6. with the breaking of thy loins**—as
one afflicted with pleurisy; or as a woman, in labor-throes, clasps
her loins in pain, and heaves and sighs till *the girdle of the
loins is broken* by the violent action of the body ().

**7.** The abrupt sentences and
mournful repetitions imply violent emotions.

**9. sword**—namely, of God (). The Chaldeans are His instrument.

**10. to make a sore
slaughter**—literally, "that killing it may kill."
**glitter**—literally,
"glitter as the lightning flash": flashing terror into the
foe.
**should we . . . make mirth**—It
is no time for levity when such a calamity is impending ([Isaiah 22:12](../../../kjv/isaiah/22/12);
[Isaiah 22:13](../../../kjv/isaiah/22/13)).
**it contemneth the rod of my
son,** c.—The sword has no more respect to the trivial "rod"
or scepter of Judah ([Genesis 49:10](../../../kjv/genesis/49/10))
than if it were any common "tree." "Tree" is the
image retained from [Ezekiel 20:47](../../../kjv/ezekiel/20/47)
explained in [Ezekiel 21:2](../../../kjv/ezekiel/21/2); [Ezekiel 21:3](../../../kjv/ezekiel/21/3).
God calls Judah "My son" (compare [Exodus 4:22](../../../kjv/exodus/4/22);
[Hosea 11:1](../../../kjv/hosea/11/1)). FAIRBAIRN
arbitrarily translates, "Perchance the scepter of My son
rejoiceth; it (the sword) despiseth every tree."

**11. the slayer**—the Babylonian
king in this case; in general, *all* the instruments of God's
wrath ([Revelation 19:15](../../../kjv/revelation/19/15)).

**12. terrors by reason of the sword,**
&c.—rather, "they (the princes of Israel) are *delivered
up to* the sword together with My people" [GLASSIUS].
**smite . . . upon . . .
thigh**—a mark of grief ().

**13. it is a trial**—rather,
"There is a trial" being made: the sword of the Lord will
subject all to the ordeal. "What, then, if it contemn even the
rod" (scepter of Judah)? Compare as to a similar scourge of
unsparing trial, [Job 9:23](../../../kjv/job/9/23).
**it shall be no more**—the
scepter, that is, *the state,* must necessarily then come to an
end. Fulfilled in part at the overthrow of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar,
but fully at the time of "Shiloh's" (Messiah's) coming ([Job 9:23](../../../kjv/job/9/23)), when Judea became a Roman province.

**14. smite . . . hands together**—
([Numbers 24:10](../../../kjv/numbers/24/10)), indicative of the
indignant fury with which God will "smite" the people.
**sword . . . doubled the third
time**—referring to the threefold calamity:—(1) The taking of
Zedekiah (to whom the "rod," or scepter, may refer); (2)
the taking of the city; (3) the removal of all those who remained
with Gedaliah. "Doubled" means "multiplied" or
"repeated." The stroke shall be doubled and even trebled.
**of the slain**—that is,
by which many are slain. As the *Hebrew* is *singular,*
FAIRBAIRN makes it refer
to the king, "the sword of the great one that is slain," or
"pierced through."
**entereth . . . privy
chambers**— ([Jeremiah 9:21](../../../kjv/jeremiah/9/21)). The
sword shall overtake them, not merely in the open battlefield, but in
the chambers whither they flee to hide themselves ([1 Kings 20:30](../../../kjv/1-kings/20/30);
[1 Kings 22:25](../../../kjv/1-kings/22/25)). MAURER
translates, "which *besieged* them"; FAIRBAIRN,
"which penetrates to them." *English Version* is more
literal.

**15. point**—"the *whirling
glance* of the sword" [FAIRBAIRN].
"The *naked* (bared) sword" [HENDERSON].
**ruins**—literally,
"stumbling-blocks." Their own houses and walls shall be
stumbling-blocks in their way, whether they wish to fight or flee.
**made bright**—made to
glitter.
**wrapped,** &c.—namely,
in the hand of him who holds the hilt, or in its scabbard, that the
edge may not be blunt when it is presently drawn forth to strike.
GESENIUS, translates,
"sharpened," &c.

**16.** Apostrophe to the sword.
**Go . . . one way**—or,
"*Concentrate* thyself"; "*Unite* thy forces
on the right hand" [GROTIUS].
The sword is commanded to take the nearest route for Jerusalem,
"whither their face was set," whether south or north
("right hand or left"), according to where the several
parts of the Chaldean host may be.
**or other, . . . on the
left**—rather "*set thyself* on the left." The
verbs are well-chosen. The main "*concentration*" of
forces was to be on "the right hand," or *south,* the
part of Judea in which Jerusalem was, and which lay south in marching
from Babylon, whereas the Chaldean forces advancing on Jerusalem from
Egypt, of which Jerusalem was north, were fewer, and therefore "set
thyself" is the verb used.

**17.** Jehovah Himself smites His
hands together, doing what He had commanded Ezekiel to do (see on ), in token of His smiting Jerusalem; compare the similar
symbolical action ([2 Kings 13:18](../../../kjv/2-kings/13/18);
[2 Kings 13:19](../../../kjv/2-kings/13/19)).
**cause . . . fury to rest**—give
it full vent, and so satisfy it ([2 Kings 13:19](../../../kjv/2-kings/13/19)).

**19. two ways**—The king coming
from Babylon is represented in the graphic style of Ezekiel as
reaching the point where the road branched off in two ways, one
leading by the south, by Tadmor or Palmyra, to Rabbath of Ammon, east
of Jordan; the other by the north, by Riblah in Syria, to
Jerusalem—and hesitating which way to take. Ezekiel is told to
"appoint the two ways" (as in ); for Nebuchadnezzar, though knowing no other control but his
own will and superstition, had really this path "appointed"
for him by the all-ruling God.
**out of one land**—namely,
Babylon.
**choose . . . a
place**—literally, "a hand." So it is translated by
FAIRBAIRN, "make a
*finger-post,*" namely, at the head of the two ways, the
hand post pointing Nebuchadnezzar to the way to Jerusalem as the way
he should select. But MAURER
rightly supports *English Version.* Ezekiel is told to "choose
the place" where Nebuchadnezzar should do as is described in
[Ezekiel 21:20](../../../kjv/ezekiel/21/20); [Ezekiel 21:21](../../../kjv/ezekiel/21/21);
so entirely does God order by the prophet every particular of place
and time in the movements of the invader.

**20. Rabbath of the
Ammonites**—distinct from Rabbah in Judah (). Rabbath is put first, as it was from her that Jerusalem,
that doomed city, had borrowed many of her idols.
**to Judah in Jerusalem**—instead
of simply putting "Jerusalem," to imply the sword was to
come not merely to Judah, but to its people *within* Jerusalem,
defended though it was; its defenses on which the Jews relied so much
would not keep the foe out.

**21. parting**—literally, "mother
of the way." As "head of the two ways" follows, which
seems tautology after "parting of the way," HAVERNICK
translates, according to *Arabic* idiom, "the highway,"
or principal road. *English Version* is not tautology, "head
of the two ways" defining more accurately "parting of the
way."
**made . . . bright**—rather,
"shook," from an *Arabic* root.
**arrows**—Divination by
arrows is here referred to: they were put into a quiver marked with
the names of particular places to be attacked, and then *shaken*
together; whichever came forth first intimated the one selected as
the first to be attacked [JEROME].
The same usage existed among the Arabs, and is mentioned in the
Koran. In the Nineveh sculptures the king is represented with a cup
in his right hand, his left resting on a bow; also with two arrows in
the right, and the bow in the left, probably practising divination.
**images**—*Hebrew,*
"teraphim"; household gods, worshipped as family talismans,
to obtain direction as to the future and other blessings. First
mentioned in Mesopotamia, whence Rachel brought them ([Genesis 31:19](../../../kjv/genesis/31/19);
[Genesis 31:34](../../../kjv/genesis/31/34)); put away by Jacob ([Genesis 31:34](../../../kjv/genesis/31/34)); set up by Micah as his household gods ([Genesis 31:34](../../../kjv/genesis/31/34)); stigmatized as idolatry ([Genesis 31:34](../../../kjv/genesis/31/34), *Hebrew;* [Zechariah 10:2](../../../kjv/zechariah/10/2),
*Margin*).
**liver**—They judged of
the success, or failure, of an undertaking by the healthy, or
unhealthy, state of the liver and entrails of a sacrifice.

**22.** Rather, "*In* his
right hand was [is] the divination," that is, he holds up in his
right hand the arrow marked with "Jerusalem," to encourage
his army to march for it.
**captains**—The *Margin,*
"battering-rams," adopted by FAIRBAIRN,
is less appropriate, for "battering-rams" follow presently
after [GROTIUS].
**open the mouth in . . .
slaughter**—that is, commanding slaughter: raising the war cry of
death. Not as GESENIUS,
"to open the mouth *with the war shout.*"

**23.** Unto *the Jews,* though
credulous of divinations when in their favor, Nebuchadnezzar's
divination "shall be (seen) as false." This gives the
reason which makes the Jews fancy themselves safe from the Chaldeans,
namely, that they "have sworn" to the latter "oaths"
of allegiance, forgetting that they had violated them ([Ezekiel 17:13](../../../kjv/ezekiel/17/13);
[Ezekiel 17:15](../../../kjv/ezekiel/17/15); [Ezekiel 17:16](../../../kjv/ezekiel/17/16);
[Ezekiel 17:18](../../../kjv/ezekiel/17/18)).
**but he,** c.—*Nebuchadnezzar*
will remember in consulting his idols that he swore to Zedekiah by
them, but that Zedekiah broke the league [GROTIUS].
Rather, *God* will remember against them ([Ezekiel 17:18](../../../kjv/ezekiel/17/18)) their violating their oath sworn by the true God, whereas
Nebuchadnezzar kept his oath sworn by a false god [Ezekiel 17:18](../../../kjv/ezekiel/17/18) confirms this.

**24.** Their unfaithfulness to
Nebuchadnezzar was a type of their general unfaithfulness to their
covenant God.
**with the hand**—namely,
of the king of Babylon.

**25. profane**—as having
desecrated by idolatry and perjury his office as the Lord's anointed.
HAVERNICK translates, as
in [Ezekiel 21:14](../../../kjv/ezekiel/21/14), "slain,"
that is, not literally, but virtually; to Ezekiel's idealizing view
Zedekiah was the grand victim "pierced through" by God's
sword of judgment, as his sons were slain before his eyes, which were
then put out, and he was led a captive in chains to Babylon. *English
Version* is better: so GESENIUS
([2 Chronicles 36:13](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/36/13); [Jeremiah 52:2](../../../kjv/jeremiah/52/2)).
**when iniquity shall have an
end**— ([Ezekiel 21:29](../../../kjv/ezekiel/21/29)). When
thine iniquity, having reached its last stage of guilt, shall be put
an end to by judgment ([Ezekiel 35:5](../../../kjv/ezekiel/35/5)).

**26. diadem**—rather, "the
miter" of the holy priest ([Exodus 28:4](../../../kjv/exodus/28/4);
[Zechariah 3:5](../../../kjv/zechariah/3/5)). His priestly emblem as
representative of the priestly people. Both this and "the
crown," the emblem of the kingdom, were to be removed, until
they should be restored and united in the Mediator, Messiah ([Psalms 110:2](../../../kjv/psalms/110/2);
[Psalms 110:4](../../../kjv/psalms/110/4); [Zechariah 6:13](../../../kjv/zechariah/6/13)),
[FAIRBAIRN]. As, however,
King Zedekiah alone, not the high priest also, is referred to in the
context, *English Version* is supported by GESENIUS.
**this shall not be the
same**—The diadem shall not be as it was [ROSENMULLER].
Nothing shall remain what it was [FAIRBAIRN].
**exalt . . . low, . . . abase
. . . high**—not the general truth expressed ([Proverbs 3:34](../../../kjv/proverbs/3/34);
[Luke 1:52](../../../kjv/luke/1/52); [James 4:6](../../../kjv/james/4/6);
[1 Peter 5:5](../../../kjv/1-peter/5/5)); but specially referring
to Messiah and Zedekiah contrasted together. The "tender plant .
. . out of the dry ground" ([1 Peter 5:5](../../../kjv/1-peter/5/5)) is to be "exalted" in the end ([1 Peter 5:5](../../../kjv/1-peter/5/5)); the now "high" representative on David's
throne, Zedekiah, is to be "abased." The *outward*
relations of things shall be made to change places in just
retaliation on the people for having so perverted the *moral*
relations of things [HENGSTENBERG].

**27.** Literally, "An
overturning, overturning, overturning, will I make it." The
threefold repetition denotes the awful *certainty* of the event;
not as ROSENMULLER
explains, the overthrow of the *three,* Jehoiakim, Jeconiah, and
Zedekiah; for Zedekiah alone is referred to.
**it shall be no more, until he
come whose right it is**—strikingly parallel to . Nowhere shall there be rest or permanence; all things
shall be in fluctuation until He comes who, as the rightful Heir,
shall restore the throne of David that fell with Zedekiah. The *Hebrew*
for "right" is "judgment"; it perhaps includes,
besides the *right* to rule, the idea of His rule being one in
*righteousness* ([Psalms 72:2](../../../kjv/psalms/72/2);
[Isaiah 9:6](../../../kjv/isaiah/9/6); [Isaiah 9:7](../../../kjv/isaiah/9/7);
[Isaiah 11:4](../../../kjv/isaiah/11/4); [Revelation 19:11](../../../kjv/revelation/19/11)).
Others (Nebuchadnezzar, c.), who held the rule of the earth delegated
to them by God, abused it by unrighteousness, and so forfeited the
"right." He both has the truest "right" to the
rule, and exercises it in "right." It is true the *tribal*
"scepter" continued with Judah "till Shiloh came"
([Genesis 49:10](../../../kjv/genesis/49/10)) but there was no
*kingly* scepter till Messiah came, as the *spiritual* King
then ([John 18:36](../../../kjv/john/18/36); [John 18:37](../../../kjv/john/18/37));
this spiritual kingdom being about to pass into the *literal,
personal* kingdom over Israel at His second coming, when, and not
before, this prophecy shall have its exhaustive fulfilment ([Luke 1:32](../../../kjv/luke/1/32);
[Luke 1:33](../../../kjv/luke/1/33); [Jeremiah 3:17](../../../kjv/jeremiah/3/17);
[Jeremiah 10:7](../../../kjv/jeremiah/10/7); "To thee doth it
appertain").

**28.** Lest Ammon should think to
escape because Nebuchadnezzar had taken the route to Jerusalem,
Ezekiel denounces judgment against Ammon, without the prospect of a
restoration such as awaited Israel. , it is true, speaks of a "bringing again of its
captivity," but this probably refers to its *spiritual*
restoration under Messiah; or, if referring to it *politically,*
must refer to but a partial restoration at the downfall of Babylon
under Cyrus.
**their reproach**—This
constituted a leading feature in their guilt; they treated with proud
contumely the covenant-people after the taking of Jerusalem by
Nebuchadnezzar ([Ezekiel 25:3](../../../kjv/ezekiel/25/3); [Ezekiel 25:6](../../../kjv/ezekiel/25/6);
[Zephaniah 2:9](../../../kjv/zephaniah/2/9); [Zephaniah 2:10](../../../kjv/zephaniah/2/10)),
and appropriated Israel's territory ([Jeremiah 49:1](../../../kjv/jeremiah/49/1);
[Amos 1:13-15](../../../kjv/amos/1/13-15)).
**furbished, to consume**—MAURER
punctuates thus, "Drawn for the slaughter, it is furbished to
devour ('consume'), to glitter." *English Version,* "to
consume because of the glittering," means, "to consume *by
reason of the lightning, flash-like rapidity* with which it
falls." Five years after the fall of Jerusalem, Ammon was
destroyed for aiding Ishmael in usurping the government of Judea
against the will of the king of Babylon ([2 Kings 25:25](../../../kjv/2-kings/25/25);
[Jeremiah 41:15](../../../kjv/jeremiah/41/15)) [GROTIUS].

**29. see vanity . . . divine a
lie**—Ammon, too, had false diviners who flattered them with
assurances of safety; the only result of which will be to "bring
Ammon upon the necks," &c., that is, to add the Ammonites to
the *headless trunks* of the slain of Judah, whose bad example
Ammon followed, and "whose day" of visitation for their
guilt "is come."
**when their iniquity shall
have an end**—See on [Ezekiel 21:2](../../../kjv/ezekiel/21/2).

**30. Shall I cause it to return into
his sheath**—namely, without first destroying Ammon. Certainly
not ([Jeremiah 47:6](../../../kjv/jeremiah/47/6); [Jeremiah 47:7](../../../kjv/jeremiah/47/7)).
Others, as the *Margin,* less suitably read it imperatively,
"Cause it to return," that is, after it has done the work
appointed to it.
**in the land of thy
nativity**—Ammon was not to be carried away captive as Judah, but
to perish in his own land.

**31. blow against thee in,**
c.—rather, "blow upon thee with the fire," &c. Image
from smelting metals ([Ezekiel 22:20](../../../kjv/ezekiel/22/20)
[Ezekiel 22:21](../../../kjv/ezekiel/22/21)).
**brutish**—ferocious.
**skilful to destroy**—literally,
"artificers of destruction"; alluding to [Ezekiel 22:21](../../../kjv/ezekiel/22/21).

**32. thy blood shall be**—that
is, shall flow.
**be no more remembered**—be
consigned as a nation to oblivion.

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