Ezekiel 29:20

20 [As] his wages that he worked for, I will give to him the land of Egypt, because they worked for me," {declares} the Lord Yahweh.

Ezekiel 29:20 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 29:20

I have given him the land of Egypt for labour wherewith he
served against it,
That is, against Tyre; meaning not Nebuchadnezzar merely or only, but his army also, who did the main of the service and labour, and had the plunder of the country for it; though the kingdom itself was given to their king, and annexed to his monarchy: because they wrought for me, saith the Lord God;
not intentionally, but eventually; they did not design to do any service for God; they only sought to serve themselves with the riches and wealth of those they subdued; and yet while they besieged Tyre, and when they took it, and while they were ravaging, plundering, and subduing Egypt, they were doing the Lord's will and work, and executing his righteous judgments on these enemies of his for their sins; wherefore he rewarded them sufficiently: none ever are employed by him but he gives them their wages; even though they are wicked and ungodly men, verily they have their reward.

Ezekiel 29:20 In-Context

18 "Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, he made his army labor hard against Tyre. Every head was rubbed bare, and every shoulder [was] rubbed raw, but a wage was not [paid] for him and for his army from Tyre for the labor that he did against it."
19 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Look! I [am] giving to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon the land of Egypt, and he will carry its wealth [away], and he will plunder its plunder, and he will loot its loot, and it will be [a] wage for his army.
20 [As] his wages that he worked for, I will give to him the land of Egypt, because they worked for me," {declares} the Lord Yahweh.
21 "On that day I will cause {power} to grow [up] for the house of Israel, and for you I will give an opening of [your] mouth in the midst of them, and they will know that I [am] Yahweh."

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Literally "declaration of"
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.