The Meaning of Ezekiel 21:20 Explained

Ezekiel 21:20

KJV: Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced.

YLT: A way appoint for the coming of the sword, Unto Rabbath of the sons of Ammon, And to Judah, in Jerusalem -- the fenced.

Darby: Appoint a way for the coming of the sword to Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and to Judah at the fenced city of Jerusalem.

ASV: Thou shalt appoint a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Appoint  a way,  that the sword  may come  to Rabbath  of the Ammonites,  and to Judah  in Jerusalem  the defenced. 

What does Ezekiel 21:20 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ezekiel 21

1  Ezekiel prophesies against Jerusalem with a sign of sighing
8  The sharp and bright sword
18  against Jerusalem
25  against the kingdom
28  and against the Ammonites

What do the individual words in Ezekiel 21:20 mean?

A road Appoint to go for the sword to Rabbah of the Ammonites and to Judah into Jerusalem fortified
דֶּ֣רֶךְ תָּשִׂ֔ים לָב֣וֹא חֶ֔רֶב אֵ֖ת רַבַּ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־ עַמּ֑וֹן וְאֶת־ יְהוּדָ֥ה בִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם בְּצוּרָֽה

דֶּ֣רֶךְ  A  road 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
תָּשִׂ֔ים  Appoint 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
לָב֣וֹא  to  go 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
חֶ֔רֶב  for  the  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
רַבַּ֣ת  Rabbah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: רַבָּה  
Sense: the capital city of the Ammonites located east of the Jordan.
עַמּ֑וֹן  the  Ammonites 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַמֹּון  
Sense: a people dwelling in Transjordan descended from Lot through Ben-ammi.
וְאֶת־  and  to 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוּדָ֥ה  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
בִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם  into  Jerusalem 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
בְּצוּרָֽה  fortified 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: בָּצַר 
Sense: to gather, restrain, fence, fortify, make inaccessible, enclose.