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Ezekiel 32

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1In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, “Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 2‘Son of man, take up a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt, and tell him, “You were likened to a young lion of the nations; yet you are as a monster in the seas. You broke out with your rivers, and troubled the waters with your feet, and fouled their rivers.” 3Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “I will spread out my net on you with a company of many peoples; and they will bring you up in my net. 4I will leave you on the land. I will cast you out on the open field, and will cause all the birds of the sky to settle on you. I will satisfy the animals of the whole earth with you. 5I will lay your flesh on the mountains, and fill the valleys with your height. 6I will also water the land in which you swim with your blood, even to the mountains. The watercourses will be full of you. 7When I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens and make its stars dark. I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon won’t give its light. 8I will make all the bright lights of the sky dark over you, and set darkness on your land,” says the Lord Yahweh. 9“I will also trouble the hearts of many peoples, when I bring your destruction among the nations, into the countries which you have not known. 10Yes, I will make many peoples amazed at you, and their kings will be horribly afraid for you, when I brandish my sword before them. They will tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of your fall.” 11For thus says the Lord Yahweh: “The sword of the king of Babylon will come on you. 12I will cause your multitude to fall by the swords of the mighty. They are all the ruthless of the nations. They will bring the pride of Egypt to nothing, and all its multitude will be destroyed. 13I will destroy also all its animals from beside many waters. The foot of man won’t trouble them any more, nor will the hoofs of animals trouble them. 14Then I will make their waters clear, and cause their rivers to run like oil,” says the Lord Yahweh. 15“When I make the land of Egypt desolate and waste, a land destitute of that of which it was full, when I strike all those who dwell therein, then they will know that I am Yahweh. 16“‘“This is the lamentation with which they will lament. The daughters of the nations will lament with this. They will lament with it over Egypt, and over all her multitude,” says the Lord Yahweh.’” 17Also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth day of the month, Yahweh’s word came to me, saying, 18“Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her and the daughters of the famous nations, to the lower parts of the earth, with those who go down into the pit. 19Whom do you pass in beauty? Go down, and be laid with the uncircumcised. 20They will fall among those who are slain by the sword. She is delivered to the sword. Draw her away with all her multitudes. 21The strong among the mighty will speak to him out of the middle of Sheol with those who help him. They have gone down. The uncircumcised lie still, slain by the sword. 22“Asshur is there with all her company. Her graves are all around her. All of them slain, fallen by the sword; 23whose graves are set in the uttermost parts of the pit, and her company is around her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who caused terror in the land of the living. 24“There is Elam and all her multitude around her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who have gone down uncircumcised into the lower parts of the earth, who caused their terror in the land of the living, and have borne their shame with those who go down to the pit. 25They have set her a bed among the slain with all her multitude. Her graves are around her; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for their terror was caused in the land of the living, and they have borne their shame with those who go down to the pit. He is put among those who are slain. 26“There is Meshech, Tubal, and all their multitude. Their graves are around them, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for they caused their terror in the land of the living. 27They will not lie with the mighty who are fallen of the uncircumcised, who have gone down to Sheol with their weapons of war, and have laid their swords under their heads, and their iniquities are on their bones; for they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living. 28“But you will be broken among the uncircumcised, and will lie with those who are slain by the sword. 29“There is Edom, her kings, and all her princes, who in their might are laid with those who are slain by the sword. They will lie with the uncircumcised, and with those who go down to the pit. 30“There are the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Sidonians, who have gone down with the slain. They are put to shame in the terror which they caused by their might. They lie uncircumcised with those who are slain by the sword, and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit. 31“Pharaoh will see them, and will be comforted over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword,” says the Lord Yahweh. 32“For I have put his terror in the land of the living. He will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude,” says the Lord Yahweh.

World English Bible (public domain)

"I will make many peoples appalled at you, and the hair of their kings shall bristle with horror, because of you, when I brandish my sword before them. They shall tremble every moment, every one for his own life, on the day of your downfall."

Ezekiel 32:10

Summary

Ezekiel 32 presents a lamentation over Pharaoh and Egypt, portraying their downfall and comparing Pharaoh to a destructive sea monster. The chapter is a prophetic oracle of judgment, illustrating the inevitability of Egypt's demise and their descent into the afterlife with other nations that have faced similar fates. In the vision, Egypt is condemned to Sheol, the realm of the dead, joining other fallen nations like Assyria and Elam. This chapter emphasizes God's sovereignty over all nations, illustrating that even the mighty Egypt cannot escape divine judgment. The imagery of military defeat and the nation's descent serves to warn against pride and disregard for God's authority.

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Chapter outline

How Ezekiel 32 unfolds

  1. Ezekiel 32:1–2 Lamentation for Pharaoh

    Yahweh instructs Ezekiel to lament for Pharaoh, comparing him to a destructive sea monster and emphasizing his troubling nature.

  2. Ezekiel 32:3–10 Judgment Declared

    God declares that Pharaoh will be caught in a net of judgment, leading to his destruction and causing dread among nations.

  3. Ezekiel 32:11–15 Fall by the Sword

    The prophecy reveals that Babylon's king will defeat Egypt, resulting in desolation and demonstrating Yahweh's sovereignty over the land.

  4. Ezekiel 32:16–21 Wailing Over Egypt

    The lamentation extends to nations mourning Egypt’s fate, with a call for mourning as Pharaoh is cast down among the dead.

  5. Ezekiel 32:22–30 Descent to Sheol

    Ezekiel describes the fallen nations in Sheol, showcasing the fate of Egypt alongside Assyria, Elam, and others.

  6. Ezekiel 32:31–32 Pharaoh's Finality

    Pharaoh witnesses the fate of the slain, reinforcing the finality of his judgment as he joins the uncircumcised in death.

Key verses

  • Ezekiel 32:10This verse encapsulates the terror and inevitability of Pharaoh's downfall, illustrating the broader themes of judgment.

Main themes in Ezekiel 32

Divine Judgment

Divine judgment is a central theme in Ezekiel 32, particularly evident in verses 3-10, where God announces the certain defeat of Pharaoh and Egypt. This theme unfolds through striking imagery that portrays destruction, revealing the consequences of Egypt's pride and arrogance. In the context of the chapter, this judgment emphasizes God's sovereignty over all nations, illustrating that His decisions regarding judgment are both inevitable and just.

Death and Descent into Sheol

The theme of death and descent into Sheol is central in verses 18-30, as Egypt is portrayed as joining other fallen nations. The chapter complicates this theme by detailing the fate of various nations in the afterlife, emphasizing their common humiliation. This serves to illustrate the ultimate equality of all nations before divine justice.

The Fate of Nations

The fate of nations is illustrated throughout the chapter, particularly in the context of Egypt's downfall alongside others like Assyria and Elam. The chapter develops this theme by depicting the collective lamentation for fallen powers, emphasizing their shared end. This highlights the transient nature of earthly glory against God's sovereign rule.

God's Sovereignty

God's sovereignty is asserted in verses 11-15, where He declares the downfall of Egypt at the hands of Babylon. The chapter complicates this theme by presenting God's control over multiple nations and their destinies, revealing His overarching governance. This underscores the certainty that all nations are subject to His will.

Cross-references

Passages that echo Ezekiel 32

Study questions

Questions for studying Ezekiel 32

  1. What imagery is used to describe Pharaoh's downfall?
  2. How does God's judgment manifest in Egypt's fate?
  3. Who are the other nations mentioned alongside Egypt?
  4. What does the lamentation reveal about the nations' reactions?
  5. How does Ezekiel portray Sheol in relation to Egypt?
  6. What does this chapter suggest about pride before God?

Ezekiel 32: frequently asked questions

What is Ezekiel 32 about?+
Ezekiel 32 presents a lamentation over Pharaoh and Egypt, portraying their downfall and comparing Pharaoh to a destructive sea monster. The chapter is a prophetic oracle of judgment, illustrating the inevitability of Egypt's demise and their descent into the afterlife with other nations that have faced similar fates. In the vision, Egypt is condemned to Sheol, the realm of the dead, joining other fallen nations like Assyria and Elam. This chapter emphasizes God's sovereignty over all nations, illustrating that even the mighty Egypt cannot escape divine judgment. The imagery of military defeat and the nation's descent serves to warn against pride and disregard for God's authority.
What is the key verse in Ezekiel 32?+
Ezekiel 32:10: "Yes, I will make many peoples amazed at you, and their kings will be horribly afraid for you, when I brandish my sword before them. They will tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of your fall.”"
What are the main themes of Ezekiel 32?+
The main themes of Ezekiel 32 are Divine Judgment, Death and Descent into Sheol, The Fate of Nations, God's Sovereignty.

Related chapters

Chapters that connect with Ezekiel 32

Study Notes