Ezekiel 21:18 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 21:18 mean?

Ezekiel 21:18 introduces another message from the LORD to Ezekiel. The words mark what follows as something Ezekiel receives from the LORD, rather than an account Ezekiel begins on his own.

The word “again” marks a fresh message after the preceding speech. The word “saying” leads directly into the instructions in verse 19, where Ezekiel is told to mark out two routes for a king’s sword.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 21:18

• “word” — דָּבָר (davar): This Hebrew word can mean a word or a message. Here it points to the communication that follows, rather than to a single spoken word.
• “LORD” — יְהוָה (YHWH): This is God’s personal name in the Hebrew text, often represented by “LORD” in capital letters in the KJV. The name identifies the speaker whose message Ezekiel receives.

Why Ezekiel 21:18 matters

• The verse gives the instructions that follow their source. “The word of the LORD came unto me” presents Ezekiel as the person receiving the message.
• The new message belongs to the same unfolding scene of danger. In verse 19, the two routes are for the sword of the king of Babylon, which helps explain the threat pictured by the sword in the surrounding passage.