Ezekiel 32NIV
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Ezekiel32

New International Version

1In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:

2“Son of man, take up a lament concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: “‘You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas thrashing about in your streams, churning the water with your feet and muddying the streams.

3“‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘With a great throng of people I will cast my net over you, and they will haul you up in my net.

4I will throw you on the land and hurl you on the open field. I will let all the birds of the sky settle on you and all the animals of the wild gorge themselves on you.

5I will spread your flesh on the mountains and fill the valleys with your remains.

6I will drench the land with your flowing blood all the way to the mountains, and the ravines will be filled with your flesh.

7When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not give its light.

8All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you; I will bring darkness over your land, declares the Sovereign Lord.

9I will trouble the hearts of many peoples when I bring about your destruction among the nations, among lands you have not known.

10I will cause many peoples to be appalled at you, and their kings will shudder with horror because of you when I brandish my sword before them. On the day of your downfall each of them will tremble every moment for his life.

11“‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘The sword of the king of Babylon will come against you.

12I will cause your hordes to fall by the swords of mighty men— the most ruthless of all nations. They will shatter the pride of Egypt, and all her hordes will be overthrown.

13I will destroy all her cattle from beside abundant waters no longer to be stirred by the foot of man or muddied by the hooves of cattle.

14Then I will let her waters settle and make her streams flow like oil, declares the Sovereign Lord.

15When I make Egypt desolate and strip the land of everything in it, when I strike down all who live there, then they will know that I am the Lord.’

16“This is the lament they will chant for her. The daughters of the nations will chant it; for Egypt and all her hordes they will chant it, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

17In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:

18“Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and consign to the earth below both her and the daughters of mighty nations, along with those who go down to the pit.

19Say to them, ‘Are you more favored than others? Go down and be laid among the uncircumcised.’

20They will fall among those killed by the sword. The sword is drawn; let her be dragged off with all her hordes.

21From within the realm of the dead the mighty leaders will say of Egypt and her allies, ‘They have come down and they lie with the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.’

22“Assyria is there with her whole army; she is surrounded by the graves of all her slain, all who have fallen by the sword.

23Their graves are in the depths of the pit and her army lies around her grave. All who had spread terror in the land of the living are slain, fallen by the sword.

24“Elam is there, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword. All who had spread terror in the land of the living went down uncircumcised to the earth below. They bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.

25A bed is made for her among the slain, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword. Because their terror had spread in the land of the living, they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit; they are laid among the slain.

26“Meshek and Tubal are there, with all their hordes around their graves. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword because they spread their terror in the land of the living.

27But they do not lie with the fallen warriors of old, who went down to the realm of the dead with their weapons of war—their swords placed under their heads and their shields resting on their bones—though these warriors also had terrorized the land of the living.

28“You too, Pharaoh, will be broken and will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.

29“Edom is there, her kings and all her princes; despite their power, they are laid with those killed by the sword. They lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the pit.

30“All the princes of the north and all the Sidonians are there; they went down with the slain in disgrace despite the terror caused by their power. They lie uncircumcised with those killed by the sword and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.

31“Pharaoh—he and all his army—will see them and he will be consoled for all his hordes that were killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord.

32Although I had him spread terror in the land of the living, Pharaoh and all his hordes will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 32.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The fall of Egypt. (1-16). It is like that of other nations. (17-32).

vv1-16

It becomes us to weep and tremble for those who will not weep and tremble for themselves. Great oppressors are, in God's account, no better than beasts of prey. Those who admire the pomp of this world, will wonder at the ruin of that pomp; which to those who know the vanity of all things here below, is no surprise. When others are ruined by sin, we have to fear, knowing ourselves guilty. The instruments of the desolation are formidable. And the instances of the desolation are frightful. The waters of Egypt shall run like oil, which signifies there should be universal sadness and heaviness upon the whole nation. God can soon empty those of this world's goods who have the greatest fulness of them. By enlarging the matters of our joy, we increase the occasions of our sorrow. How weak and helpless, as to God, are the most powerful of mankind! The destruction of Egypt was a type of the destruction of the enemies of Christ.

vv17-32

Divers nations are mentioned as gone down to the grave before Egypt, who are ready to give her a scornful reception; these nations had been lately ruined and wasted. But though Judah and Jerusalem were about this time ruined and laid waste, yet they are not mentioned here. Though they suffered the same affliction, and by the same hand, yet the kind design for which they were afflicted, and the mercy God reserved for them, altered its nature. It was not to them a going down to the pit, as it was to the heathen. Pharaoh shall see, and be comforted; but the comfort wicked ones have after death, is poor comfort, not real, but only in fancy. The view this prophecy gives of ruined states shows something of this present world, and the empire of death in it. Come and see the calamitous state of human life. As if men did not die fast enough, they are ingenious at finding out ways to destroy one another. Also of the other world; though the destruction of nations as such, seems chiefly intended, here is plain allusion to the everlasting ruin of impenitent sinners. How are men deceived by Satan! What are the objects they pursue through scenes of bloodshed, and their many sins? Surely man disquiets himself in vain, whether he pursues wealth, fame, power, or pleasure. The hour cometh, when all that are in their graves shall hear the voice of Christ, and shall come forth; those that have done good to the resurrection of life, and those that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation.

Cross References

Ezekiel 32
v21Isaiah 14:9-15allusion

Direct literary model of Sheol greeting fallen rulers with taunting welcomes.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v2Ezekiel 29:3thematic

Parallels the vivid image of Pharaoh as a crocodile/monster in his rivers.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v7Exodus 10:21-23allusion

Echoes the supernatural darkness plague of Egypt; cosmic signs of judgment.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v3Hosea 7:12thematic

The net of divine judgment thrown over nations to capture them.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v4Ezekiel 29:5thematic

Judgment of being cast into the open wilderness for birds to devour.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v6Exodus 7:19allusion

Allusion to the first plague of Egypt turning waters into blood.

Supported by JFB

v7Matthew 24:29thematic

New Testament use of heavenly bodies darkening to represent dynastic falls.

Supported by JFB

v7Job 18:5thematic

The common biblical image of extinguishing a wicked ruler's light.

Supported by JFB

v13Ezekiel 29:11thematic

Desolation of Egypt's waters, left untroubled by foot of man or beast.

Supported by JFB

v18Ezekiel 31:16thematic

Egypt joining other great empires descending into the nether parts.

Supported by JFB

v2Ezekiel 19:1thematic

Introduction of a prophetic lamentation using the 'young lion' metaphor.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v18Jeremiah 1:10thematic

The prophet's declarative word 'casting down' nations.

Supported by JFB

v19Ezekiel 31:18thematic

Pharaoh being asked whom he surpasses in glory, and lying uncircumcised.

Supported by JFB

v16Ezekiel 19:14thematic

Establishing the solemn lamentation as a formal decree of ruin.

Supported by JFB