Ezekiel 21:21

For the king of Babylon stands at the fork ¹  in the road at the head of the two routes. He looks for omens: ²  He shakes arrows, he consults idols, ³  he examines ⁴  animal livers. ⁵ 

Ge 31:19,30; Nu 23:28; De 18:10; Jud 17:5; Jud 18:14,18,20,24; 1Sa 15:23; 2Ki 23:24; Pr 16:10; Pr 16:33; Pr 21:1; Ho 3:4; Ho 4:12; Zec 10:2; Ac 16:16

¹ tn Heb “mother.”

² sn Mesopotamian kings believed that the gods revealed the future through omens. They employed various divination techniques, some of which are included in the list that follows. A particularly popular technique was the examination and interpretation of the livers of animals. See R. R. Wilson, Prophecy and Society in Ancient Israel, 90-110.

³ tn This word refers to personal idols that were apparently used for divination purposes (Gen 31:19; 1 Sam 19:13, 16).

⁴ tn Heb “sees.”

⁵ tn Heb “the liver.”