Ezekiel 21 · Verse 23

Ezekiel 21:23

And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight, to them that have sworn oaths: but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.
Ezekiel 21:23, King James Version

Ezekiel 21:23 in other translations

BSBIt will seem like a false omen to the eyes of those who have sworn allegiance to him, but it will draw attention to their guilt and take them captive.
WEBIt will be to them as a false divination in their sight, who have sworn oaths to them; but he brings iniquity to memory, that they may be taken.
ASVAnd it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight, who have sworn oaths unto them; but he bringeth iniquity to remembrance, that they may be taken.
YLTAnd it hath been to them as a false divination in their eyes, Who have sworn oaths to them, And he is causing iniquity to be remembered to be caught.
DARBYAnd this shall be a false divination in their sight, for them that have sworn oaths; but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.
BBEAnd this answer given by secret arts will seem false to those who have given their oaths and have let them be broken: but he will keep the memory of evil-doing so that they may be taken.
WebsterAnd it shall be to them as a false divination in their sight, to them that have sworn oaths: but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.

What does Ezekiel 21:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
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 (Eze 17:13, 15, 16, 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 (Re 16:19) their violating their oath sworn by the true God, whereas Nebuchadnezzar kept his oath sworn by a false god; Eze 21:24 confirms this.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 To them that have sworn oaths - To Zedekiah and his ministers, who had bound themselves by the oath of the Lord to be faithful to the Chaldeans, and to pay them the promised tribute. The oaths may refer, farther, to the alliances formed with the Egyptians, Ammonites, and others. They will not believe that Nebuchadnezzar shall succeed against them, while they expect the powerful assistance of the Egyptians.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ezekiel 21:18-27

By the Spirit of prophecy Ezekiel foresaw 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 troubles of states and kingdoms, which shall make way for establishing the Messiah's kingdom throughout the earth. The…

Read the full comment on Ezekiel 21:18-27 →

Ezekiel 21:23 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְהָיָ֨הve.ha.Yahand it will beH1961
לָהֶ֤םla.Hemto them
כִּקְסָםkik.som-as divinesH7080
שָׁוְא֙shaV'falsehoodH7723
בְּעֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔םbe.'Ei.nei.Hemin view theirH5869
שְׁבֻעֵ֥יshe.vu.'Eioaths ofH7650
שְׁבֻע֖וֹתshe.vu.'otoathsH7621
לָהֶ֑םla.Hem[belong] to them
וְהֽוּא\־ve.hu'-and itH1931
מַזְכִּ֥ירmaz.Kir[will] bring to remembranceH2142
עָוֹ֖ן'a.VoniniquityH5771
לְהִתָּפֵֽשׂ\׃\ \פle.hi.ta.Festo be seizedH8610

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ezekiel 21:23

  • Numbers 5:15

    Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.

  • Ezekiel 21:24

    Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand.

  • Ezekiel 29:16

    And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord God.

  • Ezekiel 17:13-19

    And hath taken of the king’s seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land: That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand. But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered? As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. …

  • Jeremiah 52:3-11

    For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about. So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land. …

  • 1 Kings 17:18

    And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

  • Revelation 16:19

    And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

  • 2 Kings 24:20-25:7

    For through the anger of the Lord it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about. And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. …

  • Ezekiel 12:22

    Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?

  • 2 Chronicles 36:13

    And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel.

  • Ezekiel 11:3

    Which say, It is not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.

  • Isaiah 28:14-15

    Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
as a.
11:3; 12:22; Isa 28:14,15
to them that have sworn oaths. or, for the oaths made untothem.
17:13-19; 2Ch 36:13
but.
2Ki 24:20; 25:1-7; Jer 52:3-11
call.
24; 29:16; Nu 5:15; 1Ki 17:18; Re 16:19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ezekiel 21:22

    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.

  • Ezekiel 21:23

    And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight, to them that have sworn oaths: but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.

  • Ezekiel 21:24

    Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand.

Read all of Ezekiel 21

Ezekiel 21:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y seráles como adivinación mentirosa en sus ojos, por estar juramentados con juramento á ellos: mas él trae á la memoria la maldad, para prenderlos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et la parole de l’ Éternel vint à moi, disant:
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und das Wort Jehovas geschah zu mir also:
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Eritque quasi consulens frustra oraculum in oculis eorum, et sabbatorum otium imitans: ipse autem recordabitur iniquitatis ad capiendum.