Ezekiel 32:21

21 The mighty chiefs 1shall speak of them, 2with their helpers, out of the midst of Sheol: 'They have come down, they lie still, 3the uncircumcised, 4slain by the sword.'

Ezekiel 32:21 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 32:21

The strong among the mighty shall speak to him
The strongest of them, such who have excelled others in strength and courage, famous for military exploits, who have been generals of armies, great warriors, and conquerors; and yet with all their might and strength could not withstand death, but were subdued by it, and brought down to the grave; these are, by a poetical figure, represented as meeting Pharaoh king of Egypt, when he came to his grave, saluting and welcoming him to the state of the dead in which they were; taking a sort of comfort in it, and insulting him as being as weak as they; see ( Isaiah 14:9 Isaiah 14:10 Isaiah 14:16 ) , which they should do out of the midst of hell,
or the grave, "Hades", the state of the dead: with them that help him;
the associates, allies, and friends of Pharaoh, his auxiliaries that fell with him, and were brought to the grave at the same time with him; these should be greeted, saluted, and welcomed in like manner: they are gone down;
to the grave; those mighty ones that are represented as speaking, and the Egyptians and their helpers who are spoken to: they lie uncircumcised;
among them that are so, ( Ezekiel 32:19 ) : slain by the sword;
of their enemies, who got the victory over them.

Ezekiel 32:21 In-Context

19 'Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be laid to rest with the uncircumcised.'
20 They shall fall amid those who are slain by the sword. Egypt is delivered to the sword; drag her away, and all her multitudes.
21 The mighty chiefs shall speak of them, with their helpers, out of the midst of Sheol: 'They have come down, they lie still, the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.'
22 "Assyria is there, and all her company, its graves all around it, all of them slain, fallen by the sword,
23 whose graves are set in the uttermost parts of the pit; and her company is all around her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who spread terror in the land of the living.

Cross References 4

  • 1. Isaiah 14:9, 10
  • 2. [Ezekiel 30:6, 8]
  • 3. Ezekiel 28:10; Ezekiel 31:18
  • 4. [See ver. 20 above]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.