Font Size
Ezekiel 29-32
Easy-to-Read Version
Ezekiel 29-32
Easy-to-Read Version
The Message Against Egypt
29 On the twelfth day of the tenth month of the tenth year of exile,[a] the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2 “Son of man,[b] look toward Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Speak for me against him and Egypt. 3 Say, ‘This is what the Lord God says:
“‘I am against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
You are the great monster[c] lying beside the Nile River.
You say, “This is my river!
I made this river!”
4-5 “‘But I will put hooks in your jaws.
The fish in the Nile River will stick to your scales.
I will pull you and your fish up
out of your rivers and onto the dry land.
You will fall on the ground,
and no one will pick you up or bury you.
I will give you to the wild animals and birds.
You will be their food.
6 Then all the people living in Egypt
will know that I am the Lord!
“‘Why will I do these things?
Because the people of Israel leaned on Egypt for support,
but Egypt was only a weak blade of grass.
7 The people of Israel leaned on Egypt for support,
but Egypt only pierced their hands and shoulder.
They leaned on you for support,
but you broke and twisted their back.’”
8 So this is what the Lord God says:
“I will bring a sword against you.
I will destroy all your people and animals.
9 Egypt will be empty and destroyed.
Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
God said, “Why will I do these things? Because you said, ‘This is my river. I made this river.’ 10 So I am against you. I am against the many branches of your Nile River. I will destroy Egypt completely. The cities will be empty from Migdol to Aswan and as far as the border of Ethiopia. 11 No person or animal will pass through Egypt. Nothing will pass through or settle there for 40 years. 12 I will destroy Egypt. The cities will be in ruins for 40 years! I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. I will make them strangers[d] in foreign lands.”
13 This is what the Lord God says: “I will scatter the people of Egypt among many nations. But at the end of 40 years, I will gather those people together again. 14 I will bring back the Egyptian captives. I will bring back the Egyptians to the land of Pathros, to the land where they were born. But their kingdom will not be important. 15 It will be the least important kingdom. It will never again lift itself above the other nations. I will make them so small that they will not rule over the nations. 16 And the family of Israel will never again depend on Egypt. The Israelites will remember their sin—they will remember that they turned to Egypt for help and not to God, and they will know that I am the Lord God.”
Babylon Will Get Egypt
17 On the first day of the first month in the twenty-seventh year of exile,[e] the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 18 “Son of man, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made his army fight hard against Tyre. They shaved every soldier’s head. Every shoulder was rubbed bare from carrying heavy loads. Nebuchadnezzar and his army worked hard to defeat Tyre, but they got nothing from all that hard work.” 19 So this is what the Lord God says: “I will give Egypt to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and he will carry away the people. He will take the many valuable things in Egypt to pay his army. 20 I will give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar as a reward for the hard work he did for me.” This is what the Lord God said!
21 “On that day I will make the family of Israel strong. So Ezekiel, I will let you speak to them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
The Army of Babylon Will Attack Egypt
30 The word of the Lord came to me again. He said, 2 “Son of man,[f] speak for me. Say, ‘This is what the Lord God says:
“‘Cry and say,
“A terrible day is coming.”
3 That day is near!
Yes, the Lord’s day for judging is near.
It will be a cloudy day,
the time for judging the nations.
4 A sword will come against Egypt!
People in Ethiopia will shake with fear, when Egypt falls.
The army of Babylon will take the Egyptians as prisoners.
Egypt’s foundations will be torn down.
5 “‘Many people made peace agreements with Egypt. But all those people from Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all Arabia, Libya, and the people of Israel[g] will be destroyed!
6 “‘This is what the Lord says:
Those who support Egypt will fall!
The pride in her power will end.
The people in Egypt will be killed in battle,
all the way from Migdol to Aswan.
This is what the Lord God said!
7 Egypt will join the other countries that were destroyed.
Its cities will be among those that are in ruins.
8 I will start a fire in Egypt,
and all her helpers will be destroyed.
Then they will know that I am the Lord!
9 “‘At that time I will send out messengers. They will go in ships to carry the bad news to Ethiopia. Ethiopia now feels safe, but the people of Ethiopia will shake with fear when Egypt is punished. That time is coming!’”
10 This is what the Lord God says:
“I will use the king of Babylon.
I will use Nebuchadnezzar to destroy the people of Egypt.
11 Nebuchadnezzar and his people
are the most terrible of the nations,
and I will bring them to destroy Egypt.
They will pull out their swords against Egypt.
They will fill the land with dead bodies.
12 I will make the Nile River become dry land.
Then I will sell the dry land to evil people.
I will use strangers to make that land empty.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
The Idols of Egypt Will Be Destroyed
13 This is what the Lord God says:
“I will also destroy the idols in Egypt.
I will take the statues away from Memphis.
There will no longer be a leader in the land of Egypt.
I will put fear there instead.
14 I will make Pathros empty.
I will start a fire in Zoan.
I will punish Thebes.
15 I will pour out my anger against Pelusium, the fortress of Egypt!
I will destroy the people of Thebes.
16 I will start a fire in Egypt;
the city of Pelusium will ache with fear.
The soldiers will break into the city of Thebes,
and Memphis will have new troubles every day.
17 The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis[h] will die in battle,
and the women will be taken away as prisoners.
18 It will be a dark day in Tahpanhes when I break Egypt’s control.[i]
Her proud power will be finished!
A cloud will cover Egypt,
and her daughters will be taken away as prisoners.
19 So I will punish Egypt.
Then they will know that I am the Lord!”
Egypt Will Become Weak Forever
20 On the seventh day of the first month of the eleventh year of exile,[j] the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. No one will wrap his arm with a bandage. It will not heal, so his arm will not be strong enough to hold a sword.”
22 This is what the Lord God says: “I am against Pharaoh, king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the strong arm and the arm that is already broken. I will make the sword fall from his hand. 23 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. 24 I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong. I will put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh. Then Pharaoh will cry out in pain, the kind of cry that a dying man makes. 25 So I will make the arms of the king of Babylon strong, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
“I will put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon. Then he will stretch the sword out against the land of Egypt. 26 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord!”
Assyria Is Like a Cedar Tree
31 On the first day of the third month in the eleventh year of exile, the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2 “Son of man,[k] say this to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and to his people:
“‘You are so great!
Who can I compare you to?
3 Assyria was a cedar tree in Lebanon with beautiful branches,
with forest shade, and very tall.
Its top was among the clouds!
4 The water made the tree grow.
The deep river made the tree tall.
Rivers flowed around the place
where the tree was planted.
Only small streams flowed from that tree
to all the other trees of the field.
5 So that tree was taller than all the other trees of the field,
and it grew many branches.
There was plenty of water,
so the tree branches spread out.
6 All the birds of the sky made their nests
in the branches of that tree,
and all the animals of the field gave birth
under the branches of that tree.
All the great nations lived
under the shade of that tree.
7 The tree was very beautiful.
It was so large!
It had such long branches.
Its roots had plenty of water.
8 Even the cedar trees in God’s garden
were not as big as this tree.
Cypress trees did not have as many branches.
Plane trees did not have such branches.
No tree in God’s garden
was as beautiful as this tree.
9 I gave it many branches
and made it beautiful.
And all the trees in Eden, God’s garden,
were jealous!’”
10 So this is what the Lord God says: “That tree grew tall. Its top reached up to the clouds. It grew so big that it became proud! 11 So I let a powerful king have that tree. That ruler punished the tree for the bad things it did. I took that tree out of my garden. 12 Strangers—the most terrible people in the world—cut it down and scattered its branches on the mountains and in the valleys. Its broken limbs drifted down the rivers flowing through that land. There was no more shadow under that tree, so all the people left. 13 Now birds live in that fallen tree. Wild animals walk over its fallen branches.
14 “Now, none of the trees by that water will be proud. They will not try to reach the clouds. None of the strong trees that drink that water will brag about being tall, because all of them must die. They will all go down into the world below, to Sheol, the place of death. They will join the other people who died and went down into that deep hole.”
15 This is what the Lord God says: “I made the people cry on the day that tree went down to Sheol. I covered him with the deep ocean. I stopped its rivers and all the water stopped flowing. I made Lebanon mourn for it. All the trees of the field became sick with sadness for that big tree. 16 I made the tree fall—and the nations shook with fear at the sound of the falling tree. I sent the tree down to the place of death to join the other people who had gone down into that deep hole. In the past, all the trees of Eden, the best of Lebanon, drank that water. The trees were comforted in the world below. 17 Yes, those trees also went down with the big tree to the place of death. They joined the people who were killed in battle. That big tree made the other trees strong. Those trees had lived under the big tree’s shadow among the nations.
18 “Egypt, there were many big and powerful trees in Eden. Which of those trees should I compare you to? They all went down into the world below! And you, too, will join those foreigners[l] in that place of death. You will lie there among the people killed in battle.
“Yes, that will happen to Pharaoh and to the crowds of people with him!” This is what the Lord God said.
Pharaoh: a Lion or a Dragon?
32 On the first day of the twelfth month in the twelfth year of exile,[m] the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 2 “Son of man,[n] sing this sad song about Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Say to him:
“‘You thought you were like a powerful young lion walking proud among the nations.
But really, you are like a dragon[o] in the lakes.
You push your way through the streams.
You make the water muddy with your feet
and stir up the rivers of Egypt.’”
3 This is what the Lord God says:
“I have gathered many people together.
Now I will throw my net over you.
Then those people will pull you in.
4 Then I will drop you on the dry ground.
I will throw you down in the field.
I will let all the birds come and eat you.
I will let wild animals from every place come and eat you until they are full.
5 I will scatter your body on the mountains.
I will fill the valleys with your dead body.
6 I will pour your blood on the mountains,
and it will soak down into the ground.
The rivers will be full of you.
7 I will make you disappear.
I will cover the sky and make the stars dark.
I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not shine.
8 I will darken the lights in the sky over you.
I will make your whole country dark.”
This is what the Lord God said.
9 “I will make many people sad and upset when I bring an enemy to destroy you. Nations you don’t even know will be upset. 10 I will make many people shocked about you. Their kings will be terrified of you, when I swing my sword before them. They will shake with fear on the day you fall. Each king will be afraid for his own life.”
11 That will happen because of what the Lord God said: “The sword of the king of Babylon will come to fight against you. 12 I will use those soldiers to kill your people in battle. They come from the most terrible of the nations. They will destroy the things Egypt is proud of. The people of Egypt will be destroyed. 13 There are many animals by the rivers in Egypt. I will also destroy all those animals. People will not make the waters muddy with their feet anymore. The hoofs of cattle will not make the water muddy anymore. 14 So I will make the water in Egypt calm. I will cause their rivers to run slowly—they will be slick like oil.” This is what the Lord God said. 15 “I will make the land of Egypt empty. That land will lose everything. I will punish all the people living in Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord!
16 “This is a sad song that people will sing for Egypt. The daughters in other nations will sing this sad song. They will sing it as a sad song about Egypt and all its people.” This is what the Lord God said.
Egypt to Be Destroyed
17 On the fifteenth day of that month in the twelfth year of exile, the word of the Lord came to me. He said, 18 “Son of man, cry for the people of Egypt. Lead Egypt and the daughters from powerful nations to the grave. Lead them to the world below where they will be with the other people who went down into that deep hole.
19 “Egypt, you are no better than anyone else! Go down to the place of death. Go lie down with those foreigners.[p]
20 “Egypt will go to be with all the other men who were killed in battle. The enemy has pulled her and all her people away.
21 “Strong and powerful men were killed in battle. Those foreigners went down to the place of death. And from that place, those who were killed will speak to Egypt and his helpers.
22-23 “Assyria and all its army are there in the place of death. Their graves are deep down in that deep hole. All the Assyrian soldiers were killed in battle, and their graves are all around his grave. When they were alive, they made people afraid, but they were all killed in battle.
24 “Elam is there and all its army is around her grave. All of them were killed in battle. Those foreigners went deep down into the ground. When they were alive, they made people afraid. But they carried their shame with them down to that deep hole. 25 They have made a bed for Elam and all its soldiers who were killed in battle. Elam’s army is all around its grave. All those foreigners were killed in battle. When they were alive, they scared people. But they carried their shame with them down into that deep hole. They were put with all the other people who were killed.
26 “Meshech, Tubal, and all their armies are there. Their graves are around it. All those foreigners were killed in battle. When they were alive, they made people afraid. 27 But now they are lying down by the powerful men who died long, long ago! They were buried with their weapons of war. Their swords will be laid under their heads. But their sins are on their bones, because when they were alive, they scared people.
28 “Egypt, you also will be destroyed, and you will lie down by those foreigners. You will lie with the other soldiers who were killed in battle.
29 “Edom is there also. His kings and other leaders are there with him. They were powerful soldiers, but now they lie with the other men who were killed in battle. They are lying there with those foreigners. They are there with the other people who went down into that deep hole.
30 “The rulers from the north are there, all of them, and there are all the soldiers from Sidon. Their strength scared people, but they are embarrassed. Those foreigners lie there with the other men who were killed in battle. They carried their shame with them down into that deep hole.
31 “Yes, Pharaoh and all his army will be killed in battle. Pharaoh will be comforted when he sees his many men and all the others who went down into the place of death.” This is what the Lord God said.
32 “People were afraid of Pharaoh when he was alive, but he will lie down next to those foreigners. Pharaoh and his army will lie down with all the other soldiers who were killed in battle.” This is what the Lord God said.
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 29:1 tenth year of exile This was the winter of 587 B.C.
- Ezekiel 29:2 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel. Also in verse 18.
- Ezekiel 29:3 great monster There were ancient stories about a sea monster that fought against God. The prophets called Egypt that sea monster many times. But here, this might mean the crocodiles that rest on the banks of the Nile River.
- Ezekiel 29:12 I will … strangers Or “I will scatter them ….”
- Ezekiel 29:17 twenty-seventh year of exile This was in the spring of 571 B.C.
- Ezekiel 30:2 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel. Also in verse 21.
- Ezekiel 30:5 people of Israel Literally, “sons of the agreement.” This might mean “all the people who made peace agreements with Egypt,” or it might mean “Israel, the people who made the agreement with God.”
- Ezekiel 30:17 Heliopolis and Bubastis Hebrew, “On and Pi Beseth,” cities in Egypt.
- Ezekiel 30:18 control Literally, “yoke.”
- Ezekiel 30:20 eleventh year of exile This was the summer of 587 B.C. Also in 31:1.
- Ezekiel 31:2 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel.
- Ezekiel 31:18 foreigners Literally, “uncircumcised.” This means people who did not share in the agreement God made with Israel. See “circumcise, circumcision” in the Word List.
- Ezekiel 32:1 twelfth year of exile This was early spring, 585 B.C. Also in verse 17.
- Ezekiel 32:2 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel. Also in verse 18.
- Ezekiel 32:2 dragon This might be a crocodile or a giant sea creature. The giant sea creature represented the power of the sea, and the Nile River made Egypt a powerful nation.
- Ezekiel 32:19 foreigners Literally, “uncircumcised.” This means people who did not share in the agreement God made with Israel. See “circumcise, circumcision” in the Word List.
Ezekiel 29-32
New International Version
Ezekiel 29-32
New International Version
A Prophecy Against Egypt
Judgment on Pharaoh
29 In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day, the word of the Lord came to me:(A) 2 “Son of man, set your face against(B) Pharaoh king of Egypt(C) and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.(D) 3 Speak to him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘I am against you, Pharaoh(E) king of Egypt,
you great monster(F) lying among your streams.
You say, “The Nile(G) belongs to me;
I made it for myself.”
4 But I will put hooks(H) in your jaws
and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales.
I will pull you out from among your streams,
with all the fish sticking to your scales.(I)
5 I will leave you in the desert,
you and all the fish of your streams.
You will fall on the open field
and not be gathered(J) or picked up.
I will give you as food
to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the sky.(K)
6 Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.
“‘You have been a staff of reed(L) for the people of Israel. 7 When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered(M) and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched.[a](N)
8 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring a sword against you and kill both man and beast.(O) 9 Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
“‘Because you said, “The Nile(P) is mine; I made it,(Q)” 10 therefore I am against you(R) and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt(S) a ruin and a desolate waste(T) from Migdol(U) to Aswan,(V) as far as the border of Cush.[b](W) 11 The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years.(X) 12 I will make the land of Egypt desolate(Y) among devastated lands, and her cities will lie desolate forty years among ruined cities. And I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.(Z)
13 “‘Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the nations where they were scattered. 14 I will bring them back from captivity and return them to Upper Egypt,(AA) the land of their ancestry. There they will be a lowly(AB) kingdom.(AC) 15 It will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself above the other nations.(AD) I will make it so weak that it will never again rule over the nations. 16 Egypt will no longer be a source of confidence(AE) for the people of Israel but will be a reminder(AF) of their sin in turning to her for help.(AG) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.(AH)’”
Nebuchadnezzar’s Reward
17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:(AI) 18 “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar(AJ) king of Babylon drove his army in a hard campaign against Tyre; every head was rubbed bare(AK) and every shoulder made raw.(AL) Yet he and his army got no reward from the campaign he led against Tyre. 19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to give Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king(AM) of Babylon, and he will carry off its wealth. He will loot and plunder(AN) the land as pay for his army.(AO) 20 I have given him Egypt(AP) as a reward for his efforts because he and his army did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord.(AQ)
21 “On that day I will make a horn[c](AR) grow for the Israelites, and I will open your mouth(AS) among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(AT)”
A Lament Over Egypt
30 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Wail(AU) and say,
“Alas for that day!”
3 For the day is near,(AV)
the day of the Lord(AW) is near—
a day of clouds,
a time of doom for the nations.
4 A sword will come against Egypt,(AX)
and anguish will come upon Cush.[d](AY)
When the slain fall in Egypt,
her wealth will be carried away
and her foundations torn down.(AZ)
5 Cush and Libya,(BA) Lydia and all Arabia,(BB) Kub and the people(BC) of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.(BD)
6 “‘This is what the Lord says:
“‘The allies of Egypt will fall
and her proud strength will fail.
From Migdol to Aswan(BE)
they will fall by the sword within her,
declares the Sovereign Lord.
7 “‘They will be desolate
among desolate lands,
and their cities will lie
among ruined cities.(BF)
8 Then they will know that I am the Lord,
when I set fire(BG) to Egypt
and all her helpers are crushed.(BH)
9 “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush(BI) out of her complacency. Anguish(BJ) will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come.(BK)
10 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt
by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar(BL) king of Babylon.(BM)
11 He and his army—the most ruthless of nations(BN)—
will be brought in to destroy the land.
They will draw their swords against Egypt
and fill the land with the slain.(BO)
12 I will dry up(BP) the waters of the Nile(BQ)
and sell the land to an evil nation;
by the hand of foreigners
I will lay waste(BR) the land and everything in it.
I the Lord have spoken.
13 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘I will destroy the idols(BS)
and put an end to the images in Memphis.(BT)
No longer will there be a prince in Egypt,(BU)
and I will spread fear throughout the land.
14 I will lay(BV) waste Upper Egypt,
set fire to Zoan(BW)
and inflict punishment on Thebes.(BX)
15 I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium,
the stronghold of Egypt,
and wipe out the hordes of Thebes.
16 I will set fire(BY) to Egypt;
Pelusium will writhe in agony.
Thebes will be taken by storm;
Memphis(BZ) will be in constant distress.
17 The young men of Heliopolis(CA) and Bubastis
will fall by the sword,
and the cities themselves will go into captivity.
18 Dark will be the day at Tahpanhes(CB)
when I break the yoke of Egypt;(CC)
there her proud strength will come to an end.
She will be covered with clouds,
and her villages will go into captivity.(CD)
19 So I will inflict punishment(CE) on Egypt,
and they will know that I am the Lord.’”
Pharaoh’s Arms Are Broken
20 In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the Lord came to me:(CF) 21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm(CG) of Pharaoh(CH) king of Egypt. It has not been bound up to be healed(CI) or put in a splint so that it may become strong enough to hold a sword. 22 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt.(CJ) I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.(CK) 23 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.(CL) 24 I will strengthen(CM) the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword(CN) in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan(CO) before him like a mortally wounded man. 25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I put my sword(CP) into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.(CQ) 26 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.(CR)”
Pharaoh as a Felled Cedar of Lebanon
31 In the eleventh year,(CS) in the third month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:(CT) 2 “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:
“‘Who can be compared with you in majesty?
3 Consider Assyria,(CU) once a cedar in Lebanon,(CV)
with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest;
it towered on high,
its top above the thick foliage.(CW)
4 The waters(CX) nourished it,
deep springs made it grow tall;
their streams flowed
all around its base
and sent their channels
to all the trees of the field.(CY)
5 So it towered higher(CZ)
than all the trees of the field;
its boughs increased
and its branches grew long,
spreading because of abundant waters.(DA)
6 All the birds of the sky
nested in its boughs,
all the animals of the wild
gave birth(DB) under its branches;
all the great nations
lived in its shade.(DC)
7 It was majestic in beauty,
with its spreading boughs,
for its roots went down
to abundant waters.(DD)
8 The cedars(DE) in the garden of God
could not rival it,
nor could the junipers
equal its boughs,
nor could the plane trees(DF)
compare with its branches—
no tree in the garden of God
could match its beauty.(DG)
9 I made it beautiful
with abundant branches,
the envy of all the trees of Eden(DH)
in the garden of God.(DI)
10 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because the great cedar towered over the thick foliage, and because it was proud(DJ) of its height, 11 I gave it into the hands of the ruler of the nations, for him to deal with according to its wickedness. I cast it aside,(DK) 12 and the most ruthless of foreign nations(DL) cut it down and left it. Its boughs fell on the mountains and in all the valleys;(DM) its branches lay broken in all the ravines of the land. All the nations of the earth came out from under its shade and left it.(DN) 13 All the birds settled on the fallen tree, and all the wild animals lived among its branches.(DO) 14 Therefore no other trees by the waters are ever to tower proudly on high, lifting their tops above the thick foliage. No other trees so well-watered are ever to reach such a height; they are all destined(DP) for death,(DQ) for the earth below, among mortals who go down to the realm of the dead.(DR)
15 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day it was brought down to the realm of the dead I covered the deep springs with mourning for it; I held back its streams, and its abundant waters were restrained. Because of it I clothed Lebanon with gloom, and all the trees of the field withered away.(DS) 16 I made the nations tremble(DT) at the sound of its fall when I brought it down to the realm of the dead to be with those who go down to the pit. Then all the trees(DU) of Eden,(DV) the choicest and best of Lebanon, the well-watered trees, were consoled(DW) in the earth below.(DX) 17 They too, like the great cedar, had gone down to the realm of the dead, to those killed by the sword,(DY) along with the armed men who lived in its shade among the nations.
18 “‘Which of the trees of Eden can be compared with you in splendor and majesty? Yet you, too, will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the earth below; you will lie among the uncircumcised,(DZ) with those killed by the sword.
“‘This is Pharaoh and all his hordes, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
A Lament Over Pharaoh
32 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:(EA) 2 “Son of man, take up a lament(EB) concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him:
“‘You are like a lion(EC) among the nations;
you are like a monster(ED) in the seas(EE)
thrashing about in your streams,
churning the water with your feet
and muddying the streams.(EF)
3 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘With a great throng of people
I will cast my net over you,
and they will haul you up in my net.(EG)
4 I will throw you on the land
and hurl you on the open field.
I will let all the birds of the sky settle on you
and all the animals of the wild gorge themselves on you.(EH)
5 I will spread your flesh on the mountains
and fill the valleys(EI) with your remains.
6 I will drench the land with your flowing blood(EJ)
all the way to the mountains,
and the ravines will be filled with your flesh.(EK)
7 When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens
and darken their stars;
I will cover the sun with a cloud,
and the moon will not give its light.(EL)
8 All the shining lights in the heavens
I will darken(EM) over you;
I will bring darkness over your land,(EN)
declares the Sovereign Lord.
9 I will trouble the hearts of many peoples
when I bring about your destruction among the nations,
among[e] lands you have not known.
10 I will cause many peoples to be appalled at you,
and their kings will shudder with horror because of you
when I brandish my sword(EO) before them.
On the day(EP) of your downfall
each of them will tremble
every moment for his life.(EQ)
11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘The sword(ER) of the king of Babylon(ES)
will come against you.(ET)
12 I will cause your hordes to fall
by the swords of mighty men—
the most ruthless of all nations.(EU)
They will shatter the pride of Egypt,
and all her hordes will be overthrown.(EV)
13 I will destroy all her cattle
from beside abundant waters
no longer to be stirred by the foot of man
or muddied by the hooves of cattle.(EW)
14 Then I will let her waters settle
and make her streams flow like oil,
declares the Sovereign Lord.
15 When I make Egypt desolate
and strip the land of everything in it,
when I strike down all who live there,
then they will know that I am the Lord.(EX)’
16 “This is the lament(EY) they will chant for her. The daughters of the nations will chant it; for Egypt and all her hordes they will chant it, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
Egypt’s Descent Into the Realm of the Dead
17 In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:(EZ) 18 “Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and consign(FA) to the earth below both her and the daughters of mighty nations, along with those who go down to the pit.(FB) 19 Say to them, ‘Are you more favored than others? Go down and be laid among the uncircumcised.’(FC) 20 They will fall among those killed by the sword. The sword is drawn; let her be dragged(FD) off with all her hordes.(FE) 21 From within the realm of the dead(FF) the mighty leaders will say of Egypt and her allies, ‘They have come down and they lie with the uncircumcised,(FG) with those killed by the sword.’
22 “Assyria is there with her whole army; she is surrounded by the graves of all her slain, all who have fallen by the sword. 23 Their graves are in the depths of the pit(FH) and her army lies around her grave.(FI) All who had spread terror in the land of the living are slain, fallen by the sword.
24 “Elam(FJ) is there, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword.(FK) All who had spread terror in the land of the living(FL) went down uncircumcised to the earth below. They bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.(FM) 25 A bed is made for her among the slain, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised,(FN) killed by the sword. Because their terror had spread in the land of the living, they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit; they are laid among the slain.
26 “Meshek and Tubal(FO) are there, with all their hordes around their graves. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword because they spread their terror in the land of the living. 27 But they do not lie with the fallen warriors of old,[f](FP) who went down to the realm of the dead with their weapons of war—their swords placed under their heads and their shields[g] resting on their bones—though these warriors also had terrorized the land of the living.
28 “You too, Pharaoh, will be broken and will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.
29 “Edom(FQ) is there, her kings and all her princes; despite their power, they are laid with those killed by the sword. They lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the pit.(FR)
30 “All the princes of the north(FS) and all the Sidonians(FT) are there; they went down with the slain in disgrace despite the terror caused by their power. They lie uncircumcised(FU) with those killed by the sword and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.(FV)
31 “Pharaoh—he and all his army—will see them and he will be consoled(FW) for all his hordes that were killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord. 32 Although I had him spread terror in the land of the living, Pharaoh(FX) and all his hordes will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord.”(FY)
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 29:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint and Vulgate); Hebrew and you caused their backs to stand
- Ezekiel 29:10 That is, the upper Nile region
- Ezekiel 29:21 Horn here symbolizes strength.
- Ezekiel 30:4 That is, the upper Nile region; also in verses 5 and 9
- Ezekiel 32:9 Hebrew; Septuagint bring you into captivity among the nations, / to
- Ezekiel 32:27 Septuagint; Hebrew warriors who were uncircumcised
- Ezekiel 32:27 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text punishment
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.