Ezekiel 32 Commentary: A Lament for Egypt's Fall
And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.
Thus saith the Lord God; I will therefore spread out my net over thee with a company of many people; and they shall bring thee up in my net.
Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee.
And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with thy height.
I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord God.
I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.
Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall.
For thus saith the Lord God; The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee.
By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall spoil the pomp of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed.
I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from beside the great waters; neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them.
Then will I make their waters deep, and cause their rivers to run like oil, saith the Lord God.
When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate, and the country shall be destitute of that whereof it was full, when I shall smite all them that dwell therein, then shall they know that I am the Lord.
This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her: the daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall lament for her, even for Egypt, and for all her multitude, saith the Lord God.
It came to pass also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, and the daughters of the famous nations, unto the nether parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit.
Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.
They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword: she is delivered to the sword: draw her and all her multitudes.
The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.
Asshur is there and all her company: his graves are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword:
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.
There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit.
They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword: though their terror was caused in the land of the living, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit: he is put in the midst of them that be slain.
There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land of the living.
And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.
Yea, thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, and shalt lie with them that are slain with the sword.
There is Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with their might are laid by them that were slain by the sword: they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with them that go down to the pit.
There be the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain; with their terror they are ashamed of their might; and they lie uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit.
Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army slain by the sword, saith the Lord God.
For I have caused my terror in the land of the living: and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord God.
Ezekiel 32 presents the final two of seven prophecies against Egypt, delivered in the twelfth year, twelfth month (Ezekiel 32:1), corresponding to March 585 BC. This was approximately a year and a half after the fall of Jerusalem, and shortly after news of the disaster reached the exiles in Babylon. In this chapter, God commands Ezekiel to utter a lament, not for Judah as he had previously done (see Ezekiel 19), but specifically for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt (Ezekiel 32:2).
While Ezekiel's fellow exiles may have been consumed by their grief over the judgment of Jerusalem, God intended these prophecies to be recorded for future generations. They serve as a powerful reminder that He judges all nations, regardless of their perceived power or might. The Egyptians viewed their Pharaoh as an invincible crocodile, a monstrous force churning the Nile, impossible to overcome (Ezekiel 32:2). This chapter reveals the futility of such arrogance in the face of divine judgment.
The Crocodile's Capture (Ezekiel 32:3-8)
Pharaoh's perceived crocodile-like strength was no match for God's power. God declares that He will spread His net—the armies of Babylon—over Pharaoh, drag him onto the land, and leave him exposed in an open field to be devoured by scavengers (Ezekiel 32:3-5). This vivid imagery depicts the utter humiliation and complete destruction that awaits Egypt.
The prophecy further states that blood will flow through the land, and thick darkness will cover it (Ezekiel 32:6-8). This language echoes the plagues of the Exodus, recalling God's previous judgment against Egypt. The repetition emphasizes the consistency of God's character in dealing with pride and oppression. He who delivered His people from Egypt will again bring judgment upon her.
A Ripple of Fear (Ezekiel 32:9-16)
The lament continues, highlighting the far-reaching impact of Egypt's downfall on other Gentile nations. The news of Egypt's collapse will appall many nations, and their kings will tremble with fear (Ezekiel 32:9-10). They will realize that if such a powerful nation as Egypt could fall, they too are vulnerable to God's judgment. This fear will haunt them for the rest of their lives.
God then abandons the figurative language of the crocodile and the net, stating plainly that He will bring the sword of the King of Babylon against Egypt (Ezekiel 32:11-12). The ruthless Babylonian army will overwhelm Egypt's hordes. Even the animals of Egypt will suffer as the land is devastated (Ezekiel 32:13). The Nile and its streams, once turbulent and muddied, will become placid and flow like oil (Ezekiel 32:14-15). This image depicts the desolation and stillness that will follow Egypt's demise. Finally, God invites the daughters of the nations to join in the lament over Egypt and its multitudes (Ezekiel 32:16).
Descent into the Underworld (Ezekiel 32:17-32)
The final prophecy against Egypt shifts the perspective to the underworld, expanding on earlier descriptions of Assyria's fate. God uses poetic language to depict Egypt's arrival in Sheol, the realm of the dead, where it finds itself among other ungodly nations who have already descended into the Pit (Ezekiel 32:18).
In the underworld, Egypt discovers that it is no better than any other nation that defied God. It will rest with the "uncircumcised" (Ezekiel 32:19), a term used repeatedly in this section (Ezekiel 32:19, 21, 24-30, 32) to denote a shameful death. Those already in the grave mock Egypt, saying, "Well, look who has come to join the rest of us lowly warriors to lie here shamed in the afterlife! If it isn’t mighty Egypt, who thought he was better than everyone else!" (Ezekiel 32:21).
Egypt will find plenty of company in Sheol. Assyria is already there with its army, slain and fallen by the sword (Ezekiel 32:22-23), despite having once spread terror throughout the land of the living. Other nations are also mentioned, each suffering the same fate (Ezekiel 32:24-30).
Ultimately, Egypt receives one final word of condemnation from the Lord. When Pharaoh Hophra and his armies arrive in the grave, they might find a perverse comfort in the fact that they are not alone in suffering a humiliating defeat by the sword (Ezekiel 32:30-31). They join a long line of nations who underestimated God's power and faced the consequences of their pride.
This chapter serves as a sobering reminder of God's sovereignty and the ultimate futility of earthly power when it opposes His will. It foreshadows the prophecies of Israel’s restoration in the following chapters (Ezekiel 33:1 – 39:29), highlighting the contrast between the fate of nations that defy God and the hope for those who trust in Him. Ezekiel 32 is a powerful testament to the fact that all nations are accountable to God, and that pride ultimately leads to destruction.
And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.
Thus saith the Lord God; I will therefore spread out my net over thee with a company of many people; and they shall bring thee up in my net.
Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee.
And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with thy height.
I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.
And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light.
All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord God.
I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.
Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall.
For thus saith the Lord God; The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee.
By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall spoil the pomp of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed.
I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from beside the great waters; neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them.
Then will I make their waters deep, and cause their rivers to run like oil, saith the Lord God.
When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate, and the country shall be destitute of that whereof it was full, when I shall smite all them that dwell therein, then shall they know that I am the Lord.
This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her: the daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall lament for her, even for Egypt, and for all her multitude, saith the Lord God.
It came to pass also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, and the daughters of the famous nations, unto the nether parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit.
Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.
They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword: she is delivered to the sword: draw her and all her multitudes.
The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.
Asshur is there and all her company: his graves are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword:
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.
There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit.
They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword: though their terror was caused in the land of the living, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit: he is put in the midst of them that be slain.
There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land of the living.
And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.
Yea, thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, and shalt lie with them that are slain with the sword.
There is Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with their might are laid by them that were slain by the sword: they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with them that go down to the pit.
There be the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain; with their terror they are ashamed of their might; and they lie uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit.
Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army slain by the sword, saith the Lord God.
For I have caused my terror in the land of the living: and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord God.
Ezekiel 32 presents the final two of seven prophecies against Egypt, delivered in the twelfth year, twelfth month (Ezekiel 32:1), corresponding to March 585 BC. This was approximately a year and a half after the fall of Jerusalem, and shortly after news of the disaster reached the exiles in Babylon. In this chapter, God commands Ezekiel to utter a lament, not for Judah as he had previously done (see Ezekiel 19), but specifically for Pharaoh, the king of Egypt (Ezekiel 32:2).
While Ezekiel's fellow exiles may have been consumed by their grief over the judgment of Jerusalem, God intended these prophecies to be recorded for future generations. They serve as a powerful reminder that He judges all nations, regardless of their perceived power or might. The Egyptians viewed their Pharaoh as an invincible crocodile, a monstrous force churning the Nile, impossible to overcome (Ezekiel 32:2). This chapter reveals the futility of such arrogance in the face of divine judgment.
The Crocodile's Capture (Ezekiel 32:3-8)
Pharaoh's perceived crocodile-like strength was no match for God's power. God declares that He will spread His net—the armies of Babylon—over Pharaoh, drag him onto the land, and leave him exposed in an open field to be devoured by scavengers (Ezekiel 32:3-5). This vivid imagery depicts the utter humiliation and complete destruction that awaits Egypt.
The prophecy further states that blood will flow through the land, and thick darkness will cover it (Ezekiel 32:6-8). This language echoes the plagues of the Exodus, recalling God's previous judgment against Egypt. The repetition emphasizes the consistency of God's character in dealing with pride and oppression. He who delivered His people from Egypt will again bring judgment upon her.
A Ripple of Fear (Ezekiel 32:9-16)
The lament continues, highlighting the far-reaching impact of Egypt's downfall on other Gentile nations. The news of Egypt's collapse will appall many nations, and their kings will tremble with fear (Ezekiel 32:9-10). They will realize that if such a powerful nation as Egypt could fall, they too are vulnerable to God's judgment. This fear will haunt them for the rest of their lives.
God then abandons the figurative language of the crocodile and the net, stating plainly that He will bring the sword of the King of Babylon against Egypt (Ezekiel 32:11-12). The ruthless Babylonian army will overwhelm Egypt's hordes. Even the animals of Egypt will suffer as the land is devastated (Ezekiel 32:13). The Nile and its streams, once turbulent and muddied, will become placid and flow like oil (Ezekiel 32:14-15). This image depicts the desolation and stillness that will follow Egypt's demise. Finally, God invites the daughters of the nations to join in the lament over Egypt and its multitudes (Ezekiel 32:16).
Descent into the Underworld (Ezekiel 32:17-32)
The final prophecy against Egypt shifts the perspective to the underworld, expanding on earlier descriptions of Assyria's fate. God uses poetic language to depict Egypt's arrival in Sheol, the realm of the dead, where it finds itself among other ungodly nations who have already descended into the Pit (Ezekiel 32:18).
In the underworld, Egypt discovers that it is no better than any other nation that defied God. It will rest with the "uncircumcised" (Ezekiel 32:19), a term used repeatedly in this section (Ezekiel 32:19, 21, 24-30, 32) to denote a shameful death. Those already in the grave mock Egypt, saying, "Well, look who has come to join the rest of us lowly warriors to lie here shamed in the afterlife! If it isn’t mighty Egypt, who thought he was better than everyone else!" (Ezekiel 32:21).
Egypt will find plenty of company in Sheol. Assyria is already there with its army, slain and fallen by the sword (Ezekiel 32:22-23), despite having once spread terror throughout the land of the living. Other nations are also mentioned, each suffering the same fate (Ezekiel 32:24-30).
Ultimately, Egypt receives one final word of condemnation from the Lord. When Pharaoh Hophra and his armies arrive in the grave, they might find a perverse comfort in the fact that they are not alone in suffering a humiliating defeat by the sword (Ezekiel 32:30-31). They join a long line of nations who underestimated God's power and faced the consequences of their pride.
This chapter serves as a sobering reminder of God's sovereignty and the ultimate futility of earthly power when it opposes His will. It foreshadows the prophecies of Israel’s restoration in the following chapters (Ezekiel 33:1 – 39:29), highlighting the contrast between the fate of nations that defy God and the hope for those who trust in Him. Ezekiel 32 is a powerful testament to the fact that all nations are accountable to God, and that pride ultimately leads to destruction.