Ezekiel 32:23

23 who were assigned graves in the deepest region of the pit. His assembly surrounded his grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who caused terror in the land of the living.

Ezekiel 32:23 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 32:23

Whose graves are set in the sides of the pit
Or vault, where lay the king of Assyria, and those who fell by the sword with him, who are represented as lying in graves all around him; the nearest to him those who were in the highest posts, and most valiant and courageous, and next the common soldiers, as follows: and her company is round about her grave
not Pharaoh's company round about the grave of the Assyrian monarch; but the company of the king of Assyria, or his army, as the Targum, round about grave; or lying about in the ruins of his kingdom: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land
of the living;
even they who now are in the state of the dead, and can no more disturb and distress any, while they were alive, or in the world, struck terror in all neighbouring states and kingdoms; threatening destruction to them, and obliging them to submit to their tyranny and exactions. Jarchi interprets this of the land of Israel; and the Jewish writers commonly understand by the land of the living the land of Canaan wherever they meet with it; because here men worshipped the living God, and lived before him; and the inhabitants of this land were often terrified by the king of Assyria. So the Targum,

``because they ruled in the land of Israel.''

Ezekiel 32:23 In-Context

21 The mighty chieftains, those who once came to his aid, will speak to him from the middle of the underworld, for the uncircumcised have gone down and have lain down, slain by the sword.

22 Assyria is there, and all its assembly round about his grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword,

23 who were assigned graves in the deepest region of the pit. His assembly surrounded his grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who caused terror in the land of the living.

24 Elam is there, her entire horde round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who went down uncircumcised to the world below, who caused terror in the land of the living. They bore their shame like those who go down to the pit.

25 Among the slain they made a bed for her, with all her hordes round about her grave, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, for they caused terror in the land of the living. They bore their shame like those who go down to the pit; in the midst of the slain she was placed.