←Ezekiel 32→BSB

In This Chapter 2 people 11 places 26 terms

People

Pharaoh (Hophra) 6 Hophra

Places

    Key Terms

    Uncircumcised Person 23 Lamentation 7 Word of the Lord 4 Mighty (Ruthless) 3 Mighty (Majestic) 3 Transgression 2 Leader To Sin Sin Guilt (State) Sin (Act) Sin (Incur Guilt) Guilty (Responsible) Guilt (Consequence) Guiltiness Trespass (Sin) Sinful Sin (Offense) To Stand Guilty Sin (Guilty) Sin (Wrongdoing) Guilty Considered Guilty Guilty Of Sin Previously Sin Against

    A Lament for Pharaoh King of Egypt

    1In the twelfth year, on the first day of the twelfth month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

    ⓘ Ezekiel returns to the image of Pharaoh as...
    • Ezekiel returns to the image of Pharaoh as a mighty beast (29:3).
    • Egypt’s pharaohs used the lion and the sea monster (or crocodile) as images of strength, yet both creatures could be hunted and killed, and that is what would happen to Pharaoh. God, through his agents (32:11–12), would hunt Pharaoh, catch him, and haul him in.

    2“Son of man, take up a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him:

    ‘You are like a lion among the nations;you are like a monster in the seas.You thrash about in your rivers,churning up the waters with your feetand muddying the streams.’
    3This is what the Lord GOD says:
    ‘I will spread My net over youwith a company of many peoples,and they will draw you up in My net.
    ⓘ hills... valleys... mountains... ravines: In Hebrew, this literary...

    hills . . . valleys . . . mountains . . . ravines: In Hebrew, this literary device (merism) indicates both the boundaries and everything within them; here, it portrays the totality of God’s judgment. The carnage is described using hyperbole to communicate the complete destruction of Egypt.
    4I will abandon you on the landand hurl you into the open field.I will cause all the birds of the airto settle upon you,and all the beasts of the earthto eat their fill of you.5I will put your flesh on the mountainsand fill the valleys with your remains.†6I will drench the landwith the flow of your blood,all the way to the mountains—the ravines will be filled.
    ⓘ As in the previous chapter, Pharaoh’s downfall would...

    As in the previous chapter, Pharaoh’s downfall would be accompanied by global darkness and widespread mourning. These images were commonly associated with the day of the Lord (cp. Joel 2:30). In this case, the darkness would also remind the Egyptians of the plague on Egypt at the time of the Exodus (Exod 10:21–22).
    7When I extinguish you,I will cover the heavensand 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 heavensI will darken over you,and I will bring darknessupon your land,’declares the Lord GOD.
    ⓘ The surrounding nations and their kings would all...

    The surrounding nations and their kings would all be terrified at Egypt’s downfall, fearing for their own future.
    9‘I will trouble the hearts of many peoples,when I bring about your destruction among the nations,in countries† you do not know.10I will cause many peoplesto be appalled over you,and their kings will shudder in horror because of youwhen I brandish My sword before them.On the day of your downfalleach of them will trembleevery moment for his life.’
    ⓘ The human agent of God’s wrath, the sword...

    The human agent of God’s wrath, the sword of the king of Babylon, was coming to shatter the power of Egypt once and for all. This would be an even greater destruction than at the time of the first Passover, when only the firstborn male humans and animals of Egypt died (Exod 12:29).
    11For this is what the Lord GOD says:
    ‘The sword of the king of Babylonwill come against you!12I will make your hordes fallby the swords of the mighty,the most ruthless of all nations.They will ravage the pride of Egyptand all her multitudes will be destroyed.13I will slaughter all her cattlebeside the abundant waters.No human foot will muddy them again,and no cattle hooves will disturb them.14Then I will let her waters settleand will make her rivers flow like oil,’declares the Lord GOD.
    ⓘ This total and final devastation of Egypt would...

    This total and final devastation of Egypt would result in their recognizing the power of the Lord, just as they did at the time of the Exodus.
    15‘When I make the land of Egypt a desolationand empty it of all that filled it,when I strike down all who live there,then they will know that I am the LORD.’

    16This is the lament they will chant for her; the daughters of the nations will chant it. Over Egypt and all her multitudes they will chant it, declares the Lord GOD.”

    Egypt Cast into the Pit

    ⓘ This last, climactic message against Egypt sums up...

    This last, climactic message against Egypt sums up the whole series of messages against all of the nations.

    17In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month,† the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

    ⓘ In an earlier message (31:17–18), God had declared...

    In an earlier message (31:17–18), God had declared that Egypt would go down to join the other nations in the underworld. Here that idea is expanded. Egypt’s destination was with the outcasts, along with those who fell by the sword. This place of horror, the pit, was already populated by many nations that once wielded power but had now gone down to destruction (cp. Isa 14:9–11).

    18“Son of man, wail for the multitudes of Egypt, and consign her and the daughters of the mighty nations to the depths of the earth with those who descend to the Pit:

    19Whom do you surpass in beauty?Go down and be placed with the uncircumcised!20They will fall among those slain by the sword.The sword is appointed!Let them drag her awayalong with all her multitudes.
    ⓘ Assyria... Elam... Meshech and Tubal... Edom... the princes...

    Assyria . . . Elam . . . Meshech and Tubal . . . Edom . . . the princes of the north and the Sidonians: These nations that once struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere were now shadowy figures, spent forces in a world without meaning or joy. Assyria had been conquered by the Babylonians and Medes between 627 and 609 BC and had been removed from its previous status as a superpower.
    21Mighty chiefs will speak from the midst of Sheolabout Egypt and her allies:‘They have come down and lie with the uncircumcised,with those slain by the sword.’
    22Assyria is there with her whole company;her graves are all around her.All of them are slain,fallen by the sword.23Her graves are set in the depths of the Pit,and her company is all around her grave.All of them are slain,fallen by the sword—those who once spread terrorin the land of the living.
    24Elam is therewith all her multitudes around her grave.All of them are slain,fallen by the sword—those who went down uncircumcisedto the earth below,who once spread their terrorin the land of the living.They bear their disgracewith those who descend to the Pit.25Among the slain they preparea resting place for Elamwith all her hordes,with her graves all around her.All of them are uncircumcised,slain by the sword,although their terror was once spreadin the land of the living.They bear their disgracewith those who descend to the Pit.They are placed among the slain.
    26Meshech and Tubal are therewith all their multitudes,with their graves all around them.All of them are uncircumcised,slain by the sword,because they spread their terrorin the land of the living.27They do not lie downwith the fallen warriors of old,†who went down to Sheolwith their weapons of war,whose swords were placed under their heads,whose shields† rested on their bones,although the terror of the mightywas once in the land of the living.28But you too will be shatteredand lie down among the uncircumcised,with those slain by the sword.
    29Edom is there,and all her kings and princes,who despite their mightare laid among those slain by the sword.They lie down with the uncircumcised,with those who descend to the Pit.
    30All the leaders of the northand all the Sidonians are there;they went down in disgrace with the slain,despite the terror of their might.They lie uncircumcisedwith those slain by the swordand bear their shamewith those who descend to the Pit.
    ⓘ Pharaoh and all the power of Egypt will...

    Pharaoh and all the power of Egypt will share a similar fate. For the time appointed by God, Pharaoh caused his terror to fall upon all the living, yet when God decided to act, Egypt’s power would be broken once and for all.
    31Pharaoh will see themand be comforted over all his multitude—Pharaoh and all his army,slain by the sword,declares the Lord GOD.32For I will spread My terrorin the land of the living,so that Pharaoh and all his multitudewill be laid to rest among the uncircumcised,with those slain by the sword,declares the Lord GOD.”