Ezekiel 32:1-16

1 On the first day of the twelfth month in the twelfth year, the LORD spoke his word to me. He said,
2 "Son of man, sing a funeral song for Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Tell him, 'You think you are like a lion among the nations. Instead, you are like a crocodile in the water. You splash around in the water. You stir up the water with your feet. You make the streams muddy.
3 "'This is what the Almighty LORD says: When many nations gather together, I will spread my net over you, and they will haul you up in a net.
4 I will throw you on the ground and toss you into an open field. I will make birds perch on you, and wild animals from all over the earth will feed on you.
5 I will scatter your flesh on the hills and fill the valleys with your rotting corpse.
6 I will drench the earth with your flowing blood all the way to the mountains. Ravines will be filled with your dead body.
7 "'When I put out your light, I will cover the sky and darken the stars. I will cover the sun with clouds, and the moon won't shine anymore.
8 I will darken all the lights shining in the sky above you. I will bring darkness over your land, declares the Almighty LORD.
9 "'I will make many people troubled when I spread the news of your destruction among the nations to countries that you haven't heard of.
10 Many people will be shocked by what I will do to you. Their kings will shudder when I swing my sword in their faces. When you die, all of them will tremble in fear for their own lives.
11 "'This is what the Almighty LORD says: The sword of the king of Babylon will attack you.
12 I will cut down your people with the swords of warriors. All of them will be the most ruthless warriors among the nations. They will shatter the pride of Egypt and destroy its many people.
13 I will also destroy all the animals beside its many water sources. The feet of humans and the hoofs of animals won't stir up the water anymore.
14 Then I will make its water clear and make its streams flow like oil, declares the Almighty LORD.
15 I will turn Egypt into a wasteland. I will take everything in the land, and I will kill all the people who live there. Then they will know that I am the LORD.'
16 "This is a funeral song. The people from the nations will sing this song. They will sing it as they mourn for Egypt and its many people," declares the Almighty LORD.

Ezekiel 32:1-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 32

This chapter contains two more prophecies concerning the destruction of Egypt. The date of the first is given, Eze 22:1, in which the king of Egypt is compared to a large fish taken in a net, and brought to land, and left on it, to be the prey of the fowls of the air and beasts of the field, Eze 32:2-4, and the ruin of that kingdom is further amplified by the casting of it on the mountains and valleys; by the land flowing with its blood; by the darkness of the heavens; by the vexation in the hearts of many people; and by the amazement of kings and nations, Eze 32:5-10, the means and instruments of all which will be the king of Babylon and his army, Eze 32:11,12, the devastation made by him, which would be such as would cause lamentation in other nations, is described, Eze 32:13-16, then follows the other prophecy, whose date is given, Eze 32:17, the prophet is bid to lament the fall of Egypt, which is represented under the funeral of a corpse, Eze 32:18-20, saluted by those gone down to the grave before, or were become desolate; which are mentioned, to assure Egypt of its destruction, Eze 32:21 as the Assyrian empire, and all its provinces, Eze 32:22,23, the Persians and Medes, with all their dominions, Eze 32:24,25, the posterity of Meshech and Tubal, or the Scythians, those warlike people, Eze 32:26-28, the Edomites, the princes of the north, and all the Zidonians, Eze 32:29,30 which would be a comfort, though a poor one to the king of Egypt and his subjects, to have such company with them, Eze 32:31,32.

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