Ezekiel 29-32
GOD’S WORD Translation
Judgment on Egypt
29 On the twelfth day of the tenth month in the tenth year, the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 2 “Son of man, turn to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. 3 Tell him, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says:
I’m against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
You are like a monster crocodile lying in the Nile River.
You say, “The Nile River is mine. I made it for myself.”
4 “ ‘I will put hooks in your jaws
and make the fish in the Nile River stick to your scales.
I will pull you out of your river
with all the fish in the Nile sticking to your scales.
5 I will leave you in the desert, you and all the fish from the Nile.
You will fall in an open field.
No one will pick you up or bury you.
I will feed you to wild animals and birds.
6 Then all those living in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.
Egypt, you have become like a ⌞broken⌟ walking stick
to the nation of Israel.
7 When Israel grabbed you, you splintered and tore up their shoulders.
When they leaned on you, you broke, and they wrenched their backs.
8 “ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: I am going to attack you with a sword. I will kill people and animals. 9 Egypt will become a wasteland and a pile of rubble. Then you will know that I am the Lord. You said, “The Nile River is mine. I made it.” 10 That is why I’m against you and the Nile River. I will turn Egypt into a pile of rubble. It will become a wasteland, from Migdol to Syene, all the way to the border of Sudan. 11 No human or animal will walk through it, and no one will live there for 40 years. 12 I will make Egypt the most desolate country in the world. For 40 years Egypt’s cities will lie in ruins. They will be ruined more than any other city. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and force them into other countries.
13 “ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: After 40 years I will gather the Egyptians from the nations where they have been scattered. 14 I will bring back the Egyptian captives and return them to Pathros,[a] the land they came from. There they will be a weak kingdom. 15 They will be the weakest kingdom, and they will never rule the nations again. I will make them so weak that they will never rule the nations again. 16 The nation of Israel will never trust Egypt again. The people of Israel will remember how wrong they were whenever they turned to Egypt ⌞for help⌟. Then they will know that I am the Almighty Lord.’ ”
17 On the first day of the first month in the twenty-seventh year, the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 18 “Son of man, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made his army fight hard against Tyre. Every soldier’s head was worn bald, and every soldier’s shoulder was rubbed raw. Yet, he and his army got no reward for their hard-fought battle against Tyre. 19 This is what the Almighty Lord says: I’m going to give Egypt to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He will carry off its wealth, take its prized possessions, and loot it. That will be the pay for his army. 20 I have given him Egypt as pay for what he has done. Nebuchadnezzar and his army worked for me, declares the Almighty Lord.
21 “On that day I will make the people of Israel strong again, and I will give you, Ezekiel, something to say among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Nebuchadnezzar Will Conquer Egypt
30 The Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 2 “Son of man, prophesy. Say, ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says:
Cry for that day!
3 The day is near. The day of the Lord is near.
It will be a gloomy day, a time of trouble for the nations.
4 There will be war in Egypt and anguish in Ethiopia.
Many Egyptians will fall dead.
People will take away Egypt’s wealth,
and its foundations will be torn down.
5 Sudan, Put, Lud, all the Arabs, the Libyans,
and people from the promised land will die in battle.
6 “ ‘This is what the Lord says:
All Egypt’s allies will die.
Egypt’s strength will disappear.
People will die in war from Migdol to Syene,
declares the Almighty Lord.
7 “ ‘Egypt will become the most desolate country in the world, and Egypt’s cities will lie in ruins. They will be ruined more than other cities. 8 Then they will know that I am the Lord, because I will set fire to Egypt and all her defenders will be killed. 9 On that day I will send messengers in ships to terrify those who live in safety in Sudan. The people of Sudan will be in anguish when Egypt is in trouble. That day is coming!
10 “ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will use King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to bring an end to Egypt. 11 He and his troops, the most ruthless troops among the nations, will be brought to destroy the land. They will draw their swords to attack Egypt and fill the land with dead bodies. 12 I will dry up the Nile River and sell the land to wicked people. I will have foreigners destroy the land and everything in it. I, the Lord, have spoken.
13 “ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: I will destroy the statues and put an end to the idols in Memphis. A prince will never rise again in Egypt. I will spread fear throughout Egypt. 14 I will destroy Pathros, set fire to Zoan, and bring punishment on Thebes. 15 I will pour out my fury on Sin, Egypt’s fortress, and I will kill many people in Thebes. 16 I will set fire to Egypt. Sin will be in much pain. Thebes will be broken into pieces, and Memphis will be in trouble every day. 17 The young men from Heliopolis and Bubastis will die in battle, and people from these cities will go into exile. 18 At Tahpanhes the day will turn dark when I break Egypt’s power. Egypt’s strong army will be defeated. Clouds will cover Egypt, and people from its villages will go into exile. 19 Then they will know that I am the Lord, because I will bring punishment on Egypt.’ ”
20 On the seventh day of the first month in the eleventh year, the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. His arm isn’t bandaged, so it can’t heal and be strong enough to hold a sword.
22 “This is what the Almighty Lord says: I’m against Pharaoh, king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the healthy one and the broken one. I will make the sword fall from his hand. 23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and force them into other countries. 24 I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong. I will put my sword in his hand, but I will break Pharaoh’s arms. Pharaoh will groan like a person who is dying. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but Pharaoh’s arms will fall. Then they will know that I am the Lord, because I will put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon. He will strike Egypt with it. 26 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and force them into other countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Egypt Will Be Conquered as Assyria Was Conquered
31 On the first day of the third month in the eleventh year, the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 2 “Son of man, say to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and his many people,
‘Was there ever anyone as great as you?
3 What about Assyria?
It was a cedar in Lebanon
with fine branches that shaded the forest.
It was very tall.
Its top was among the clouds.
4 Water made the tree grow,
and underground springs made it tall.
Rivers flowed around the place where the tree was planted.
Streams ran beside all the other trees around it.
5 That is why it grew taller than all the other trees in the field.
Its branches became large and long because of so much water.
6 All the birds made their nests in its branches.
All the wild animals gave birth to their young under it.
All the powerful nations lived in its shade.
7 So the tree was big and beautiful with its long branches.
Its roots reached down to many sources of water.
8 The cedar trees in God’s garden couldn’t compare to it.
The pine trees couldn’t equal its branches.
The plane trees couldn’t measure up to its branches.
All the trees in God’s garden couldn’t match its beauty.
9 I was the one who made it beautiful with its many branches.
This tree was the envy of all the trees in Eden, in God’s garden.
10 “ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: The tree grew very tall, and its top reached the clouds. It became arrogant because it was so tall. 11 So I handed it over to a mighty ruler among the nations, and he surely dealt with it. I forced it out because of its wickedness. 12 Foreigners from the most ruthless nation cut it down and threw it away. Its branches fell on the mountains and in every valley. Its broken branches fell in every ravine in the land. All the nations in the world came out from under its shade and left. 13 All the birds perched on the fallen tree, and all the wild animals lived in its branches. 14 Then all the other trees growing by the water were kept from becoming arrogant because of their height, and their tops were no longer allowed to reach the clouds. So no tree, even if it is well-watered, will ever stand that tall. Every tree is going to die and go below the earth to join those who have died and gone down to the pit.
15 “ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: When the tree went down to the grave, I made people mourn. I covered the underground springs and held back the rivers. The many water sources stopped flowing. I made Lebanon mourn for the tree, and all the trees in the field fainted as they grieved over it. 16 I made the nations tremble in fear at the sound of the tree’s crash. I brought the tree down to the grave to join those who had gone down to the pit. Then all the trees in Eden, the choicest and best trees of Lebanon, and all the trees that were well-watered were comforted below the earth. 17 They had gone down with the tree in the grave to join others killed in battle. All who lived in its shadow were scattered among the nations.
18 “ ‘This tree is you, Pharaoh, and all your many people. No tree in Eden has ever been as honorable and as great as you. But you will be brought down below the earth with the trees of Eden. You will lie among the godless people who were killed in battle, declares the Almighty Lord.’ ”
A Funeral Song about Pharaoh
32 On the first day of the twelfth month in the twelfth year, the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 2 “Son of man, sing a funeral song for Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Tell him,
‘You think you are like a lion among the nations.
Instead, you are like a crocodile in the water.
You splash around in the water.
You stir up the water with your feet.
You make the streams muddy.
3 “ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: When many nations gather together, I will spread my net over you, and they will haul you up in a net. 4 I will throw you on the ground and toss you into an open field. I will make birds perch on you, and wild animals from all over the earth will feed on you. 5 I will scatter your flesh on the hills and fill the valleys with your rotting corpse. 6 I will drench the earth with your flowing blood all the way to the mountains. Ravines will be filled with your dead body.
7 “ ‘When I put out your light, I will cover the sky and darken the stars. I will cover the sun with clouds, and the moon won’t shine anymore. 8 I will darken all the lights shining in the sky above you. I will bring darkness over your land, declares the Almighty Lord.
9 “ ‘I will make many people troubled when I spread the news of your destruction among the nations to countries that you haven’t heard of. 10 Many people will be shocked by what I will do to you. Their kings will shudder when I swing my sword in their faces. When you die, all of them will tremble in fear for their own lives.
11 “ ‘This is what the Almighty Lord says: The sword of the king of Babylon will attack you. 12 I will cut down your people with the swords of warriors. All of them will be the most ruthless warriors among the nations. They will shatter the pride of Egypt and destroy its many people. 13 I will also destroy all the animals beside its many water sources. The feet of humans and the hoofs of animals won’t stir up the water anymore. 14 Then I will make its water clear and make its streams flow like oil, declares the Almighty Lord. 15 I will turn Egypt into a wasteland. I will take everything in the land, and I will kill all the people who live there. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’
16 “This is a funeral song. The people from the nations will sing this song. They will sing it as they mourn for Egypt and its many people,” declares the Almighty Lord.
The Egyptians Will Join the Other Nations in the Grave
17 On the fifteenth day of the month in the twelfth year, the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, 18 “Son of man, cry for the many people of Egypt. Bring them down along with the other mighty nations. Send them down below the earth to be with those who have gone down to the pit.
19 “⌞Tell them,⌟ ‘Are you more beautiful than anyone else? Go down and join the godless people.’
20 “The Egyptians will lie among those who were killed in battle. A sword has been drawn. Drag Egypt and all its people away. 21 The mightiest warriors will say to Pharaoh from the grave, ‘You and your defenders have come down, and you now lie with the godless people who were killed in battle.’
22 “Assyria is there with its whole army, and the graves of its soldiers are all around it. All of its soldiers are dead. They have been killed in battle. 23 Their graves are in the deepest parts of the pit. Assyria’s army lies around its grave. All of its soldiers are dead. They have been killed in battle. They once terrified people in the land of the living.
24 “Elam is there with all its soldiers, and the graves of its soldiers are all around it. All of its soldiers are dead. They have been killed in battle. They went down below the earth as godless people. They once terrified people in the land of the living. Now they suffer disgrace with those who have gone down to the pit. 25 A bed has been made for Elam among the dead. The graves of its soldiers are all around it. The soldiers were godless people. They were killed in battle because they terrified others in the land of the living. Now they suffer disgrace with those who have gone down to the pit. They lie among the dead.
26 “Meshech and Tubal are there with all their soldiers, and the graves of their soldiers are all around them. Their soldiers were all godless people. They were killed in battle because they terrified others in the land of the living. 27 They don’t lie with the godless warriors who died and went down to the grave with their weapons of war. Their swords were placed under their heads. Their shields were placed on their bones because they terrified others in the land of the living.
28 “You Egyptians will be crushed with the godless people, and you will lie with those who were killed in battle.
29 “Edom is there with its kings and its princes. They used to be powerful, but now they lie with those who were killed in battle. They lie there with the godless people and with those who have gone down to the pit.
30 “All the rulers from the north and all the people from Sidon are there. They, too, went down with the dead. They are disgraced because they terrified people with their power. They were godless people. Now they lie with those who were killed in battle. They suffer disgrace with those who went down to the pit.
31 “Pharaoh and his army will see these things and be comforted over all the soldiers who have been killed in battle, declares the Almighty Lord. 32 I terrified people in the land of the living. Pharaoh and all his soldiers will be laid among the godless people who were killed in battle,” declares the Almighty Lord.
Footnotes
- 29:14 Or “southern Egypt.”
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