SEV Biblia, Chapter 21:21
Porque el rey de Babilonia se paró en una encrucijada, al principio de dos caminos, para tomar adivinación; acicaló saetas, consultó en ídolos, miró el hígado.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Ezekiel 21:21
Verse 21. For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way] He was in doubt which way he should first take; whether to humble the Ammonites by taking their metropolis, Riblath, or go at once against Jerusalem. In this case of uncertainty, he made use of divination. And this was of three kinds: 1. By arrows. 2. By images or talismans. 3. By inspecting the entrails of a sacrifice offered on the occasion. 1. He made bright his arrows. This might be after the manner in which the divination is still practiced among the Arabs. These arrows were without head or wing. They took three. On one they wrote, Command me, Lord.
On the second, Forbid me, Lord. The third was blank. These were put in a bag, and the querist put in his hand and took one out. If it was Command me, he set about the business immediately; if it was Forbid me, he rested for a whole year; if it was the blank one, he drew again. On all occasions the Arabs consulted futurity by such arrows. See D'Herbelot, under the word ACDAH.
2. As to the images, the Hebrew calls them µyprt teraphim. See the note on Gen. xxxi. 19.
3. And as to the liver, I believe it was only inspected to see whether the animal offered in sacrifice were sound and healthy, of which the state of the liver is the most especial indication. When the liver is sound, the animal is healthy; and it would have been a bad omen to any who offered sacrifice, to find that the animal they had offered to their gods was diseased; as, in that case, they would have taken for granted that the sacrifice was not accepted.
Matthew Henry Commentary
The ruin of Judah under the emblem of a sharp sword. (Ezek. 21:1-17 The approach of the king of Babylon described. (Ezek. 21:18-27) The destruction of the Ammonites. (Ezek. 21:28-32)
Ezek. 21:1-17 Here is an explanation of the parable in the las chapter. It is declared that the Lord was about to cut off Jerusale and the whole land, that all might know it was his decree against wicked and rebellious people. It behoves those who denounce the awfu wrath of God against sinners, to show that they do not desire the wofu day. The example of Christ teaches us to lament over those whose rui we declare. Whatever instruments God uses in executing his judgments he will strengthen them according to the service they are employed in The sword glitters to the terror of those against whom it is drawn. It is a sword to others, a rod to the people of the Lord. God is in earnest in pronouncing this sentence, and the prophet must show himsel in earnest in publishing it.
Ezek. 21:18-27 By the Spirit of prophecy Ezekiel foresa Nebuchadnezzar's march from Babylon, which he would determine by divination. The Lord would overturn the government of Judah, till the coming of Him whose right it is. This seems to foretell the overturnings of the Jewish nation to the present day, and the trouble of states and kingdoms, which shall make way for establishing the Messiah's kingdom throughout the earth. The Lord secretly leads all to adopt his wise designs. And in the midst of the most tremendou warnings of wrath, we still hear of mercy, and some mention of Hi through whom mercy is shown to sinful men.
Ezek. 21:28-32 The diviners of the Ammonites made false prophecies of victory. They would never recover their power, but in time would be wholly forgotten. Let us be thankful to be employed as instruments of mercy; let us use our understandings in doing good; and let us stan aloof from men who are only skilful to destroy __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
כי 3588 עמד 5975 מלך 4428 בבל 894 אל 413 אם 517 הדרך 1870 בראשׁ 7218 שׁני 8147 הדרכים 1870 לקסם 7080 קסם 7081 קלקל 7043 בחצים 2671 שׁאל 7592 בתרפים 8655 ראה 7200 בכבד׃ 3516
