Ezekiel 29:1-16

Against Egypt

1 In the tenth year, on the twelfth day of the tenth month, the LORD's word came to me:

2 Human one, face Pharaoh, Egypt's king, and prophesy against him and against all of Egypt.

3 Speak and say, The LORD God proclaims: I'm against you, Pharaoh, Egypt's king, great crocodile lurking in the Nile's canals, who says, "The Nile is all mine; I made it for myself!"

4 I will set hooks in your jaws; I will make the fish from the Nile's canals cling to your scales. I will drag you out of the Nile's canals, and also all the fish from the Nile's canals clinging to your scales.

5 I will fling you out into the desert, and also all the fish from the Nile's canals. You will fall on the open ground, and won't be gathered or retrieved. I've given you to the beasts of the earth and the birds in the sky for food.

6 Everyone living in Egypt will know that I am the LORD. Because they were a flimsy crutch for the house of Israel—

7 when they took you in hand, you would splinter and make their shoulders sore; when they leaned on you, you would break, bringing them to their knees—

8 now the LORD God proclaims: I'm bringing a sword against you, and I will cut off from you human and beast.

9 The land of Egypt will be turned into a wasteland and ruins. Then they will know that I am the LORD. Because you said, "The Nile is mine; I made it,"

10 I'm against you and against the Nile's canals. I will make the land of Egypt into an utter ruin, a wasteland, from Migdol to Syene and as far as its boundary with Cush.

11 No foot, animal or human, will walk across it, and it won't be inhabited for forty years.

12 I will make the land of Egypt the most desolate of wastelands and its cities the most devastated of ruined cities. It will be a wasteland for forty years, and the Egyptians will be scattered among the nations and dispersed throughout the lands.

13 The LORD God proclaims: At the end of forty years, I will gather the Egyptians from among the nations where they are scattered.

14 I will improve their circumstances and bring them back to the land of Pathros, the land of their origin. Egypt will be a lowly kingdom there.

15 Out of all the kingdoms, it will be the lowliest. It will never again exalt itself over the nations, and I will make it small to keep it from ruling the nations.

16 The house of Israel will never again bring guilt on itself by faithlessly turning to Egypt for help, for they will know that I am the LORD God.

Ezekiel 29:1-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 29

This chapter contains a prophecy against Pharaoh king of Egypt; and of the destruction of the land of Egypt; and of the restoration of it after a certain time. The time of prophecy is noted, Eze 29:1, the order to prophesy against Pharaoh, who is described as a large fish, lying in his rivers, and boasting of them, Eze 29:2,3, his destruction and the manner of it, Eze 29:4,5, the reason of it, his treachery to the Jews, Eze 29:6,7, hence the whole land of Egypt is threatened with desolation, from one end to the other, so as to be uninhabited by man or beast for the space of forty years, Eze 29:8-14, but shall not arrive to their former glory as a kingdom, nor be any more the confidence of the house of Israel, Eze 29:15,16, then follows a prophecy seventeen years after this, showing the reason why Egypt was given to the king of Babylon, Eze 29:17-20, and the chapter is closed with a promise of happiness to Israel, Eze 29:21.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or he