Keraia
Ezekiel 32

Ezekiel 32:23

Egypt Cast into the Pit · Ezekiel 32:17–32
Read Ezekiel 32

Translations

Modern
Her graves are set in the depths of the Pit, and her company is all around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword—those who once spread terror in the land of the living.
Traditional
Whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her grave: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land of the living.
Literal
…of whom her graves are appointed in the far sides of the Pit; and her assembly is all around her grave, all of them slain, having fallen by the sword, those who gave forth terror in the land of the living.
Latin
Quorum data sunt sepulchra in novissimis laci, et facta est multitudo ejus per gyrum sepulchri ejus: universi interfecti, cadentesque gladio, qui dederant quondam formidinem in terra viventium.

Original

Hebrew
English
Her graves are set in the depths of the Pit, and her company is all around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword—those who once spread terror in the land of the living.

Notes

Ezekiel 32:21–30

Assyria … Elam … Meshech and Tubal … Edom … the leaders of the north and the Sidonians: In the past, these nations filled people with fear. Now they are described as weak shadows of what they once were. Their power is gone, and they exist in a place without joy or purpose.

Assyria had been defeated by the Babylonians and the Medes between 627 and 609 BC. After that time, it was no longer a great world power.

Ezekiel 32:17–32

This final message against Egypt brings the whole series of messages to a close. It gathers together the main themes from God’s judgments against all the nations.

Ezekiel 29:1–32:32

  • The seventh and final message of judgment against the nations targets Egypt, an old enemy and ally of Israel. This message is the longest and, like the one against Tyre, it addresses both Egypt and its ruler.

  • Egypt often tempted Israel and Judah to turn away from their loyalty to the Lord. Soon after leaving Egypt, Israel fell into the trap of Egypt's idolatry. Egypt led Judah to rely on chariots and horses instead of the Lord, but Egypt was unreliable when it mattered most. The Lord judged Egypt for leading his people astray (compare Luke 17:1–2).

Ezekiel 25:1–32:32

  • This section contains a series of messages of judgment against nearby nations. There are six shorter messages against Judah's immediate neighbors, arranged in a clockwise order, followed by a final message against Egypt (Ezekiel 30–32). Through experiencing God's judgment, the nations would recognize God's control over everything. The nations might be used to carry out God's judgment on his people, but they would not avoid judgment themselves.

  • One of the main purposes of these messages was to show that the negative part of God's promise to Abraham ("I will … curse those who curse you," Genesis 12:3) was still active. No one can harm God's people and avoid consequences, even when God's people are under his judgment.

Theme notes and profiles

Messages Against the Nations

Events

Glossary

Book of Jeremiah Circumcision Ezekiel, Book of Lord Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar Place of the Dead