Ezekiel 21:23

21:23 But those in Jerusalem 1  will view it as a false omen. They have sworn solemn oaths, 2  but the king of Babylon 3  will accuse them of violations 4  in order to seize them. 5 

Ezekiel 21:29

21:29 while seeing false visions for you

and reading lying omens for you 6  –

to place that sword 7  on the necks of the profane wicked, 8 

whose day has come,

the time of final punishment.

Ezekiel 22:28

22:28 Her prophets coat their messages with whitewash. 9  They see false visions and announce lying omens for them, saying, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says,’ when the Lord has not spoken.

1 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the people in Jerusalem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

2 sn When the people of Judah realized the Babylonians’ intentions, they would object on grounds that they had made a treaty with the Babylonian king (see 17:13).

3 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king of Babylon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

4 tn Or “iniquity.”

5 tn Heb “and he will remind of guilt for the purpose of being captured.” The king would counter their objections by pointing out that they had violated their treaty with him (see 17:18).

6 tn Heb “in the seeing concerning you falsehood, in divining concerning you a lie.” This probably refers to the attempts of the Ammonites to ward off judgment through prophetic visions and divination.

7 tn Heb “you”; the referent (the sword mentioned in v. 28) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

8 sn The second half of the verse appears to state that the sword of judgment would fall upon the wicked, despite their efforts to prevent it.

9 tn Heb “her prophets coat for themselves with whitewash.” The expression may be based on Ezek 13:10-15.