Bible Strands
Ezekiel 21:19
“Now you, son of man, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same land. And make a signpost where the road branches off to each city.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The Lord addresses Ezekiel as "son of man" at the moment of commissioning a prophetic act to visualize Babylon’s military advance.
The words — שִׂים (sim-) means "make" or "set," and דְּרָכִים (de.ra.Khim) translates to "roads," highlighting the deliberate preparation of paths for the sword.
The thread — This command to map divine judgment runs parallel to Ezekiel’s brick-city enactment (Ezekiel 4:1), his razor-shaving sign (Ezekiel 5:1), and Jeremiah’s commission over nations (Jeremiah 1:10).
Why it lands — The text instructs the prophet to draw branching routes for the king’s sword, requiring a reader to acknowledge the precise, unyielding direction of judgment and the call to obedient action.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Also, thou son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come: both twain shall come forth out of one land: and choose thou a place, choose it at the head of the way to the city.
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 1:10 See, I have appointed you today over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.”
- Ezekiel 4:1 “Now you, son of man, take a brick, place it before you, and draw on it the city of Jerusalem.
- Ezekiel 5:1 “As for you, son of man, take a sharp sword, use it as a barber’s razor, and shave your head and beard. Then take a set of scales and divide the hair.