Ezekiel 32:1-11

A Lament Over Pharaoh

1 In 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.
4 I 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.
5 I will spread your flesh on the mountains and fill the valleys with your remains.
6 I will drench the land with your flowing blood all the way to the mountains, and the ravines will be filled with your flesh.
7 When 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.
8 All the shining lights in the heavens I will darken over you; I will bring darkness over your land, declares the Sovereign LORD.
9 I will trouble the hearts of many peoples when I bring about your destruction among the nations, among[a] lands you have not known.
10 I 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.

Ezekiel 32:1-11 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.

Cross References 20

  • 1. S Ezekiel 31:1; Ezekiel 33:21
  • 2. 2 Samuel 1:17; 2 Samuel 3:33; 2 Chronicles 35:25; S Ezekiel 19:1; Ezekiel 27:2
  • 3. S 2 Kings 24:1; Ezekiel 19:3,6; Nahum 2:11-13
  • 4. S Job 3:8; S Psalms 74:13
  • 5. S Genesis 1:21
  • 6. ver 13; Job 41:31; S Ezekiel 29:3; Ezekiel 34:18
  • 7. S Ezekiel 12:13; Habakkuk 1:15
  • 8. S Isaiah 18:6; Ezekiel 31:12-13; Ezekiel 39:4-5,17
  • 9. S Ezekiel 31:12
  • 10. S Isaiah 34:3
  • 11. S Ezekiel 29:5
  • 12. S Isaiah 13:10; Isaiah 34:4; S Ezekiel 30:3; Joel 2:2,31; Joel 3:15; S Matthew 24:29; Revelation 8:12
  • 13. S Psalms 102:26
  • 14. S Job 9:7; S Jeremiah 4:23; Joel 2:10
  • 15. S Isaiah 30:32
  • 16. S Jeremiah 46:10
  • 17. S Ezekiel 26:16; S Ezekiel 27:35; Ezekiel 30:9; Revelation 18:9-10
  • 18. S Ezekiel 21:19
  • 19. S Isaiah 19:4; S Jeremiah 46:13; Jeremiah 46:26
  • 20. S Ezekiel 29:19

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Hebrew; Septuagint "bring you into captivity among the nations, " / "to"
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