Into his right hand comes the lot for Jerusalem: Good News Translation and Contemporary English Version assume that Nebuchadnezzar picks up an arrow that has the name of Jerusalem on it. However, Into his right hand is literally “on his right side,” so it is more likely that there was a distinctive mark on the right side of the liver and, on the basis of that, Nebuchadnezzar decides to take the right-hand road that led to Jerusalem. Looking at the liver seems to tell him to do other things as well. Lot renders the same Hebrew word translated “divination” in the previous verse (see the comments there). This clause may be rendered “The sign [or, marking] is on the right, indicating Jerusalem” or “The marking points to the right, the direction of Jerusalem.” To show the connection between what the liver shows Nebuchadnezzar about which direction to go and the other things he should do, Good News Translation adds “It tells him to go,” which is a helpful model.

The Hebrew text lists six things that Nebuchadnezzar will do when he reaches Jerusalem as follows:

(1) “To set up battering rams” ( NET Bible; similarly Good News Translation, New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh): Revised Standard Version and some other versions omit this clause because it is the same as the fourth item on the list, but it is best to keep it, even if it sounds repetitious. It may be advisable to make this item refer to a general preparation of the battering rams (for example, “to get the battering rams ready”), and item 4 refer to their specific use. For battering rams as weapons to break down city walls in war, see 4.2. King James Version says “to appoint captains,” which makes good sense but involves changing the Hebrew text.
(2) To open the mouth with a cry means Nebuchadnezzar will order his army to shout out very loudly. Although the Septuagint supports this rendering, it involves a slight change of the Hebrew text, which reads “to open the mouth for killing,” which means “give the order to kill” (New Century Version). The Hebrew word for cry is tserach and the word for “killing” is retsach. Although most translations follow the Hebrew, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project notes that either reading is acceptable.
(3) To lift up the voice with shouting means the Babylonian soldiers will should loudly as they go into battle, both to encourage one another and to terrify their enemies. This item is very similar to the Septuagint reading of item 2, so some translations combine items 2 and 3; for example, Good News Translation renders both as “to shout the battle cry” (similarly Contemporary English Version). On the other hand, this similarity may be a good reason to choose the Hebrew reading of item 2.
(4) To set battering rams against the gates: See item 1. Here the battering rams are used against the gates, which are the weakest part of a city’s defenses.
(5) To cast up mounds means to pile up dirt against the city wall as a ramp so that the Babylonian soldiers can get over the wall without climbing vertically up it (see 4.2).
(6) To build siege towers: The Babylonian soldiers will also build earth or wooden towers outside the city wall so that they can shoot arrows over the wall into the city. For the Hebrew word rendered siege towers, see the comments on 4.2, where it is translated “siege wall.”

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 .