Yechezkel 32:17-32

17 It came to pass also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth day of the month, that the Devar Hashem came unto me, saying,

18 Ben adam, wail for the multitude of Mitzrayim, and send them down, even her, and the banot of the mighty Goyim, unto the depths of ha’aretz, with them that go down into the bor (pit).

19 Whom dost thou surpass in beauty? Go down, and be thou laid with the arelim (uncircumcised).

20 They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the cherev; she is delivered to the cherev; drag her off and all her multitudes.

21 The mightiest among the gibborim shall speak to him out of the midst of Sheol with them [that as allies] help him; they are gone down, they lie with the arelim (uncircumcised), slain by the cherev.

22 Ashur (Assyria) is there and all her kahal; his kevarim are about him; all of them slain, fallen by the cherev;

23 Whose kevarim are set in the recesses of the bor (pit), and her kahal (company) is all around her kevurah; all of them slain, fallen by the cherev, which caused terror in Eretz Chayyim.

24 There is Elam and all her multitude around her kevurah, all of them slain, fallen by the cherev, which are gone down arelim (uncircumcised) into the lower parts of ha’aretz, which caused their terror in Eretz Chayyim; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the bor (pit).

25 They have set her a mishkav (bed) in the midst of the slain with all her multitude; her kevarim are all around him; all of them arelim (uncircumcised), slain by the cherev; for they spread terror in Eretz Chayyim, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the bor (pit); he is put in the midst of them that are slain.

26 There is Meshech, Tuval, and all her multitude; her kevarim are all around him; all of them arelim (uncircumcised), slain by the cherev, though they caused their terror in Eretz Chayyim.

27 And they shall not lie with the gibborim that are fallen of the arelim (uncircumcised), which are gone down to Sheol with their weapons of milchamah; and they have laid their charavot (swords) under their heads, but their avonot shall be upon their atzmot, though they were the terror of the gibborim in Eretz Chayyim.

28 Indeed, thou shalt be broken in the midst of the arelim (uncircumcised), and shalt lie with them that are slain with the cherev.

29 There is Edom, her melachim, and all her nasi’im, which despite their gevurah (might) are laid beside them that were slain by the cherev; they shall lie with the arelim (uncircumcised), and with them that go down to the bor.

30 There are the princes of the north, all of them, and all those of Tzidon, which are gone down with the slain; in shame at the terror which they caused by their gevurah (might); and they lie as arelim (uncircumcised) with them that be slain by the cherev, and bear their shame with them that go down to the bor.

31 Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be consoled over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army slain by the cherev, saith Adonoi Hashem.

32 For I have caused My terror in Eretz Chayyim; and he shall be laid in the midst of the arelim (uncircumcised) with them that are slain with the cherev, even Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith Adonoi Hashem.

Yechezkel 32:17-32 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.