Ezekiel 21:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

In their eyes, he will seem to have consulted the oracle in vain, as if mimicking a day of rest; yet, he will recall iniquities for judgment. Therefore, thus declares the Lord God, since you have brought your sins to remembrance, uncovered your deceit, and made your transgressions evident in your thoughts; since you have indeed remembered, you will be seized.

I recall an intricate interpretation of this passage through the lens of the LXX translation by a certain commentator who categorizes Gabbath of the children of Ammon among the Gentiles, while associating Judah and Jerusalem with those who gather in the name of Christ, honoring works with that name. According to this view, the king of confusion, the devil, stands at the beginnings of the paths, hiding in the shadows, fulfilling the verse: "In the paths of temptation have I put me." He is stationed at the crossroads, intent on either retaining his own or capturing new followers, often inclining towards the right side to seize those aligned with goodness, relishing in their trials, with the aim of overpowering the unfortunate Jerusalem. Initially, it seems as though Jerusalem is idle and engaged in futile efforts. However, as it brings to mind the sins of the faithful, or more aptly, as evil actions recall former offenses to opposing forces, the sins and thoughts of the populace are laid bare, leading to their captivity, as they compound previous wrongdoings with new ones.

Yet we must adhere to the historical context that was initiated. When the Divine instructed me to prophesy, addressing the sword, saying, "The sword, the sword," which is part of the prophecy concerning the sword, the Lord then asked me if I wished to understand the identity of this sword and more clearly discern its representation. Picture two roads through which the sword of the king of Babylon will pass, traveling along one way of the Chaldeans; as he arrives at the junction in the wilderness of Arabia, known as the land of the children of Ammon. One path leads right to Jerusalem, while the other veers left to Rabbath of the children of Ammon, their chief city, presently called Philadelphia. Remembering the defeat of the Assyrian king when one hundred eighty-five thousand fell in a single night, he will hesitate to venture right against the fortified Jerusalem; rather, he will halt at the crossroads. Following his people’s customs, he will seek guidance from the oracle, casting lots or drawing arrows inscribed with names, stirring them to see which arrow will emerge first and which city will be attacked. The Greeks refer to this as βελομαντίαν (divination by arrows) or π῾αβδομαντ´αν (divination by rods). Thus he consults idols and examines entrails seeking guidance. His forecasts indicate he will march against Jerusalem, construct siege works, raise battering rams, establish a siege, and cause clamor among his forces. While engaging in this, he may seem to those in Jerusalem to be futilely inquiring of the oracle, as if wasting time in idle pursuits. Yet the king of Babylon places his trust not in personal prowess but in the iniquities of the populace, knowing they have offended God and have compounded their ancestors’ sins with new transgressions, rendering their treachery visible to all. Therefore, he will remain confident of victory, assured of the sins that besiege Jerusalem. This understanding aligns with the Hebrew text, which the LXX does not diverge from significantly in meaning, though with slight variances in wording.

He designated Rabbah of the sons of Ammon since there exists another city sharing the same name, or Rabbah of Ammon. This latter city, as others assert, is Philadelphia, currently referred to as such in Arabia, still known in the native tongue as the city of Ammon. To this, God adds: