In the Hebrew Bible, a new chapter starts at 20:45—appropriately, as 20:45–49 is less in continuity with the preceding judgment God pronounced on the leaders of the exilic community than with the following oracles God directed against Jerusalem (21:1–17, 18–24; 21:1–16; 22:1–16) and its leadership (21:25–27; 22:23–31; see the discussion below of the curiously-placed oracle against Ammon, 21:28–32). While it is difficult to find unity in this section, there are clear signs of intentional arrangement here: for example, most units in chapter 21 share the image of the sword. The typical introductory formula The word of the LORD came to me also recurs throughout this section (see 20:45; 21:1, 8, 18; 22:1, 17, 23).

20:45–49  This oracle begins with Ezekiel’s typical opening formula (v. 45), and c…