But to them it will seem like a false divination: Care needs to be taken in this verse to identify the actors accurately. The pronoun them refers to the people of Jerusalem. They will think that Nebuchadnezzar’s decision to attack Jerusalem is based on false divination, that is, the guidance he gets from the liver is wrong because they cannot believe that God will tell him to attack their city. This clause may be rendered “But the people of Jerusalem will think that the Babylonian king is following false advice from the gods [or, idols].”

The reason they cannot believe this advice is because they have sworn solemn oaths. These oaths may refer to the sacred promises of God to protect Jerusalem and his people forever, or to the treaties that Zedekiah made with Nebuchadnezzar when he became king. Because of God’s promises and the treaties with Babylonia, the people of Jerusalem believed that they were safe and the Babylonians would not attack them. Whether the promises of God or the Babylonian treaties are in view here depends on the meaning of the next clause in Hebrew, which Revised Standard Version renders as but he brings their guilt to remembrance. According to Revised Standard Version, Nebuchadnezzar reminds the people of Jerusalem that they have not kept their treaties with him (so also Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation). With this interpretation the oaths refer more likely to the Babylonian treaties. But Good News Translation renders this clause as “But this prediction is to remind them of their sins,” which means the prediction about Nebuchadnezzar’s attack reminds the people of Jerusalem about their sin against God. With this interpretation the oaths refer more likely to God’s promises. For the Hebrew word rendered guilt (ʿ awon), which can also mean “sins” (Good News Translation) here, see the comments on 4.4-5, where it is translated “punishment.”

That they may be captured: Whether their unfaithfulness to God or Nebuchadnezzar is in view here, the people of Jerusalem will be captured and punished. If the language requires an active verb here, translators may say “so that the Babylonians will capture them.”

Models for the two interpretations of this verse are:

• But the people of Jerusalem will think that the Babylonian king is following false leading, because they have made sacred promises to him [or, treaties with him so that they believed that they were safe]. But the Babylonian king’s decision to attack will remind them that they have broken those promises [or, treaties], and as a result, they will be captured [or, he will capture them].

• But the people of Jerusalem will think that the Babylonian king is following false leading, because of the sacred promises of God to protect them. But the Babylonian king’s decision to attack will remind them of their sin [against God], and as a result, they will be captured [or, he will capture them].

We prefer the interpretation in the first model.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .