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Ezekiel 32:29 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

29 There is Edom, H123 her kings, H4428 and all her princes, H5387 which with their might H1369 are laid H5414 by them that were slain H2491 by the sword: H2719 they shall lie H7901 with the uncircumcised, H6189 and with them that go down H3381 to the pit. H953

Cross Reference

Jeremiah 49:7-22 STRONG

Concerning Edom, H123 thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 Is wisdom H2451 no more in Teman? H8487 is counsel H6098 perished H6 from the prudent? H995 is their wisdom H2451 vanished? H5628 Flee H5127 ye, turn back, H6437 dwell H3427 deep, H6009 O inhabitants H3427 of Dedan; H1719 for I will bring H935 the calamity H343 of Esau H6215 upon him, the time H6256 that I will visit H6485 him. If grapegatherers H1219 come H935 to thee, would they not leave H7604 some gleaning grapes? H5955 if thieves H1590 by night, H3915 they will destroy H7843 till they have enough. H1767 But I have made Esau H6215 bare, H2834 I have uncovered H1540 his secret places, H4565 and he shall not be able H3201 to hide H2247 himself: his seed H2233 is spoiled, H7703 and his brethren, H251 and his neighbours, H7934 and he is not. Leave H5800 thy fatherless children, H3490 I will preserve them alive; H2421 and let thy widows H490 trust H982 in me. For thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Behold, they whose judgment H4941 was not to drink H8354 of the cup H3563 have assuredly H8354 drunken; H8354 and art thou he that shall altogether H5352 go unpunished? H5352 thou shalt not go unpunished, H5352 but thou shalt surely H8354 drink H8354 of it. For I have sworn H7650 by myself, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 that Bozrah H1224 shall become a desolation, H8047 a reproach, H2781 a waste, H2721 and a curse; H7045 and all the cities H5892 thereof shall be perpetual H5769 wastes. H2723 I have heard H8085 a rumour H8052 from the LORD, H3068 and an ambassador H6735 is sent H7971 unto the heathen, H1471 saying, Gather ye together, H6908 and come H935 against her, and rise up H6965 to the battle. H4421 For, lo, I will make H5414 thee small H6996 among the heathen, H1471 and despised H959 among men. H120 Thy terribleness H8606 hath deceived H5377 thee, and the pride H2087 of thine heart, H3820 O thou that dwellest H7931 in the clefts H2288 of the rock, H5553 that holdest H8610 the height H4791 of the hill: H1389 though thou shouldest make thy nest H7064 as high H1361 as the eagle, H5404 I will bring thee down H3381 from thence, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Also Edom H123 shall be a desolation: H8047 every one that goeth H5674 by it shall be astonished, H8074 and shall hiss H8319 at all the plagues H4347 thereof. As in the overthrow H4114 of Sodom H5467 and Gomorrah H6017 and the neighbour H7934 cities thereof, saith H559 the LORD, H3068 no man H376 shall abide H3427 there, neither shall a son H1121 of man H120 dwell H1481 in it. Behold, he shall come up H5927 like a lion H738 from the swelling H1347 of Jordan H3383 against the habitation H5116 of the strong: H386 but I will suddenly H7280 make him run away H7323 from her: and who is a chosen H977 man, that I may appoint H6485 over her? for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? H3259 and who is that shepherd H7462 that will stand H5975 before H6440 me? Therefore hear H8085 the counsel H6098 of the LORD, H3068 that he hath taken H3289 against Edom; H123 and his purposes, H4284 that he hath purposed H2803 against the inhabitants H3427 of Teman: H8487 Surely the least H6810 of the flock H6629 shall draw them out: H5498 surely he shall make their habitations H5116 desolate H8074 with them. The earth H776 is moved H7493 at the noise H6963 of their fall, H5307 at the cry H6818 the noise H6963 thereof was heard H8085 in the Red H5488 sea. H3220 Behold, he shall come up H5927 and fly H1675 as the eagle, H5404 and spread H6566 his wings H3671 over Bozrah: H1224 and at that day H3117 shall the heart H3820 of the mighty men H1368 of Edom H123 be as the heart H3820 of a woman H802 in her pangs. H6887

Genesis 36:1-19 STRONG

Now these are the generations H8435 of Esau, H6215 who is Edom. H123 Esau H6215 took H3947 his wives H802 of the daughters H1323 of Canaan; H3667 Adah H5711 the daughter H1323 of Elon H356 the Hittite, H2850 and Aholibamah H173 the daughter H1323 of Anah H6034 the daughter H1323 of Zibeon H6649 the Hivite; H2340 And Bashemath H1315 Ishmael's H3458 daughter, H1323 sister H269 of Nebajoth. H5032 And Adah H5711 bare H3205 to Esau H6215 Eliphaz; H464 and Bashemath H1315 bare H3205 Reuel; H7467 And Aholibamah H173 bare H3205 Jeush, H3274 and Jaalam, H3281 and Korah: H7141 these are the sons H1121 of Esau, H6215 which were born H3205 unto him in the land H776 of Canaan. H3667 And Esau H6215 took H3947 his wives, H802 and his sons, H1121 and his daughters, H1323 and all the persons H5315 of his house, H1004 and his cattle, H4735 and all his beasts, H929 and all his substance, H7075 which he had got H7408 in the land H776 of Canaan; H3667 and went H3212 into the country H776 from the face H6440 of his brother H251 Jacob. H3290 For their riches H7399 were more H7227 than that they might dwell H3427 together; H3162 and the land H776 wherein they were strangers H4033 could H3201 not bear H5375 them because H6440 of their cattle. H4735 Thus dwelt H3427 Esau H6215 in mount H2022 Seir: H8165 Esau H6215 is Edom. H123 And these are the generations H8435 of Esau H6215 the father H1 of the Edomites H123 in mount H2022 Seir: H8165 These are the names H8034 of Esau's H6215 sons; H1121 Eliphaz H464 the son H1121 of Adah H5711 the wife H802 of Esau, H6215 Reuel H7467 the son H1121 of Bashemath H1315 the wife H802 of Esau. H6215 And the sons H1121 of Eliphaz H464 were Teman, H8487 Omar, H201 Zepho, H6825 and Gatam, H1609 and Kenaz. H7073 And Timna H8555 was concubine H6370 to Eliphaz H464 Esau's H6215 son; H1121 and she bare H3205 to Eliphaz H464 Amalek: H6002 these were the sons H1121 of Adah H5711 Esau's H6215 wife. H802 And these are the sons H1121 of Reuel; H7467 Nahath, H5184 and Zerah, H2226 Shammah, H8048 and Mizzah: H4199 these were the sons H1121 of Bashemath H1315 Esau's H6215 wife. H802 And these were the sons H1121 of Aholibamah, H173 the daughter H1323 of Anah H6034 the daughter H1323 of Zibeon, H6649 Esau's H6215 wife: H802 and she bare H3205 to Esau H6215 Jeush, H3274 and Jaalam, H3281 and Korah. H7141 These were dukes H441 of the sons H1121 of Esau: H6215 the sons H1121 of Eliphaz H464 the firstborn H1060 son of Esau; H6215 duke H441 Teman, H8487 duke H441 Omar, H201 duke H441 Zepho, H6825 duke H441 Kenaz, H7073 Duke H441 Korah, H7141 duke H441 Gatam, H1609 and duke H441 Amalek: H6002 these are the dukes H441 that came of Eliphaz H464 in the land H776 of Edom; H123 these were the sons H1121 of Adah. H5711 And these are the sons H1121 of Reuel H7467 Esau's H6215 son; H1121 duke H441 Nahath, H5184 duke H441 Zerah, H2226 duke H441 Shammah, H8048 duke H441 Mizzah: H4199 these are the dukes H441 that came of Reuel H7467 in the land H776 of Edom; H123 these are the sons H1121 of Bashemath H1315 Esau's H6215 wife. H802 And these are the sons H1121 of Aholibamah H173 Esau's H6215 wife; H802 duke H441 Jeush, H3266 duke H441 Jaalam, H3281 duke H441 Korah: H7141 these were the dukes H441 that came of Aholibamah H173 the daughter H1323 of Anah, H6034 Esau's H6215 wife. H802 These are the sons H1121 of Esau, H6215 who is Edom, H123 and these are their dukes. H441

Isaiah 34:1-17 STRONG

Come near, H7126 ye nations, H1471 to hear; H8085 and hearken, H7181 ye people: H3816 let the earth H776 hear, H8085 and all that is therein; H4393 the world, H8398 and all things that come forth H6631 of it. For the indignation H7110 of the LORD H3068 is upon all nations, H1471 and his fury H2534 upon all their armies: H6635 he hath utterly destroyed H2763 them, he hath delivered H5414 them to the slaughter. H2874 Their slain H2491 also shall be cast out, H7993 and their stink H889 shall come up H5927 out of their carcases, H6297 and the mountains H2022 shall be melted H4549 with their blood. H1818 And all the host H6635 of heaven H8064 shall be dissolved, H4743 and the heavens H8064 shall be rolled together H1556 as a scroll: H5612 and all their host H6635 shall fall down, H5034 as the leaf H5929 falleth off H5034 from the vine, H1612 and as a falling H5034 fig from the fig tree. H8384 For my sword H2719 shall be bathed H7301 in heaven: H8064 behold, it shall come down H3381 upon Idumea, H123 and upon the people H5971 of my curse, H2764 to judgment. H4941 The sword H2719 of the LORD H3068 is filled H4390 with blood, H1818 it is made fat H1878 with fatness, H2459 and with the blood H1818 of lambs H3733 and goats, H6260 with the fat H2459 of the kidneys H3629 of rams: H352 for the LORD H3068 hath a sacrifice H2077 in Bozrah, H1224 and a great H1419 slaughter H2874 in the land H776 of Idumea. H123 And the unicorns H7214 shall come down H3381 with them, and the bullocks H6499 with the bulls; H47 and their land H776 shall be soaked H7301 with blood, H1818 and their dust H6083 made fat H1878 with fatness. H2459 For it is the day H3117 of the LORD'S H3068 vengeance, H5359 and the year H8141 of recompences H7966 for the controversy H7379 of Zion. H6726 And the streams H5158 thereof shall be turned H2015 into pitch, H2203 and the dust H6083 thereof into brimstone, H1614 and the land H776 thereof shall become burning H1197 pitch. H2203 It shall not be quenched H3518 night H3915 nor day; H3119 the smoke H6227 thereof shall go up H5927 for ever: H5769 from generation H1755 to generation H1755 it shall lie waste; H2717 none shall pass through H5674 it for ever H5331 and ever. H5331 But the cormorant H6893 and the bittern H7090 shall possess H3423 it; the owl H3244 also and the raven H6158 shall dwell H7931 in it: and he shall stretch out H5186 upon it the line H6957 of confusion, H8414 and the stones H68 of emptiness. H922 They shall call H7121 the nobles H2715 thereof to the kingdom, H4410 but none shall be there, and all her princes H8269 shall be nothing. H657 And thorns H5518 shall come up H5927 in her palaces, H759 nettles H7057 and brambles H2336 in the fortresses H4013 thereof: and it shall be an habitation H5116 of dragons, H8577 and a court H2681 for owls. H1323 H3284 The wild beasts of the desert H6728 shall also meet H6298 with the wild beasts of the island, H338 and the satyr H8163 shall cry H7121 to his fellow; H7453 the screech owl H3917 also shall rest H7280 there, and find H4672 for herself a place of rest. H4494 There shall the great owl H7091 make her nest, H7077 and lay, H4422 and hatch, H1234 and gather H1716 under her shadow: H6738 there shall the vultures H1772 also be gathered, H6908 every one H802 with her mate. H7468 Seek ye out H1875 of the book H5612 of the LORD, H3068 and read: H7121 no one H259 of these H2007 shall fail, H5737 none H802 shall want H6485 her mate: H7468 for my mouth H6310 it hath commanded, H6680 and his spirit H7307 it hath gathered H6908 them. And he hath cast H5307 the lot H1486 for them, and his hand H3027 hath divided H2505 it unto them by line: H6957 they shall possess H3423 it for H5704 ever, H5769 from generation H1755 to generation H1755 shall they dwell H7931 therein.

Isaiah 63:1-6 STRONG

Who is this that cometh H935 from Edom, H123 with dyed H2556 garments H899 from Bozrah? H1224 this that is glorious H1921 in his apparel, H3830 travelling H6808 in the greatness H7230 of his strength? H3581 I that speak H1696 in righteousness, H6666 mighty H7227 to save. H3467 Wherefore art thou red H122 in thine apparel, H3830 and thy garments H899 like him that treadeth H1869 in the winefat? H1660 I have trodden H1869 the winepress H6333 alone; and of the people H5971 there was none H376 with me: for I will tread H1869 them in mine anger, H639 and trample H7429 them in my fury; H2534 and their blood H5332 shall be sprinkled H5137 upon my garments, H899 and I will stain H1351 all my raiment. H4403 For the day H3117 of vengeance H5359 is in mine heart, H3820 and the year H8141 of my redeemed H1350 is come. H935 And I looked, H5027 and there was none to help; H5826 and I wondered H8074 that there was none to uphold: H5564 therefore mine own arm H2220 brought salvation H3467 unto me; and my fury, H2534 it upheld H5564 me. And I will tread down H947 the people H5971 in mine anger, H639 and make them drunk H7937 in my fury, H2534 and I will bring down H3381 their strength H5332 to the earth. H776

Ezekiel 25:1-17 STRONG

The word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came again unto me, saying, H559 Son H1121 of man, H120 set H7760 thy face H6440 against the Ammonites, H1121 H5983 and prophesy H5012 against them; And say H559 unto the Ammonites, H1121 H5983 Hear H8085 the word H1697 of the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Because thou saidst, H559 Aha, H1889 against my sanctuary, H4720 when it was profaned; H2490 and against the land H127 of Israel, H3478 when it was desolate; H8074 and against the house H1004 of Judah, H3063 when they went H1980 into captivity; H1473 Behold, therefore I will deliver H5414 thee to the men H1121 of the east H6924 for a possession, H4181 and they shall set H3427 their palaces H2918 in thee, and make H5414 their dwellings H4908 in thee: they shall eat H398 thy fruit, H6529 and they shall drink H8354 thy milk. H2461 And I will make H5414 Rabbah H7237 a stable H5116 for camels, H1581 and the Ammonites H1121 H5983 a couchingplace H4769 for flocks: H6629 and ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068 For thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Because thou hast clapped H4222 thine hands, H3027 and stamped H7554 with the feet, H7272 and rejoiced H8055 in heart H5315 with all thy despite H7589 against the land H127 of Israel; H3478 Behold, therefore I will stretch out H5186 mine hand H3027 upon thee, and will deliver H5414 thee for a spoil H957 H897 to the heathen; H1471 and I will cut thee off H3772 from the people, H5971 and I will cause thee to perish H6 out of the countries: H776 I will destroy H8045 thee; and thou shalt know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Because H3282 that Moab H4124 and Seir H8165 do say, H559 Behold, the house H1004 of Judah H3063 is like unto all the heathen; H1471 Therefore, behold, I will open H6605 the side H3802 of Moab H4124 from the cities, H5892 from his cities H5892 which are on his frontiers, H7097 the glory H6643 of the country, H776 Bethjeshimoth, H1020 Baalmeon, H1186 and Kiriathaim, H7156 Unto the men H1121 of the east H6924 with the Ammonites, H1121 H5983 and will give H5414 them in possession, H4181 that the Ammonites H1121 H5983 may not be remembered H2142 among the nations. H1471 And I will execute H6213 judgments H8201 upon Moab; H4124 and they shall know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Because that Edom H123 hath dealt H6213 against the house H1004 of Judah H3063 by taking H5358 vengeance, H5359 and hath greatly H816 offended, H816 and revenged H5358 himself upon them; Therefore thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 I will also stretch out H5186 mine hand H3027 upon Edom, H123 and will cut off H3772 man H120 and beast H929 from it; and I will make H5414 it desolate H2723 from Teman; H8487 and they of Dedan H1719 shall fall H5307 by the sword. H2719 And I will lay H5414 my vengeance H5360 upon Edom H123 by the hand H3027 of my people H5971 Israel: H3478 and they shall do H6213 in Edom H123 according to mine anger H639 and according to my fury; H2534 and they shall know H3045 my vengeance, H5360 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD. H3069 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Because the Philistines H6430 have dealt H6213 by revenge, H5360 and have taken H5358 vengeance H5359 with a despiteful H7589 heart, H5315 to destroy H4889 it for the old H5769 hatred; H342 Therefore thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Behold, I will stretch out H5186 mine hand H3027 upon the Philistines, H6430 and I will cut off H3772 the Cherethims, H3774 and destroy H6 the remnant H7611 of the sea H3220 coast. H2348 And I will execute H6213 great H1419 vengeance H5360 upon them with furious H2534 rebukes; H8433 and they shall know H3045 that I am the LORD, H3068 when I shall lay H5414 my vengeance H5360 upon them.

Ezekiel 35:1-15 STRONG

Moreover the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto me, saying, H559 Son H1121 of man, H120 set H7760 thy face H6440 against mount H2022 Seir, H8165 and prophesy H5012 against it, And say H559 unto it, Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Behold, O mount H2022 Seir, H8165 I am against thee, and I will stretch out H5186 mine hand H3027 against thee, and I will make H5414 thee most H4923 desolate. H8077 I will lay H7760 thy cities H5892 waste, H2723 and thou shalt be desolate, H8077 and thou shalt know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068 Because thou hast had a perpetual H5769 hatred, H342 and hast shed H5064 the blood of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 by the force H3027 of the sword H2719 in the time H6256 of their calamity, H343 in the time H6256 that their iniquity H5771 had an end: H7093 Therefore, as I live, H2416 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 I will prepare H6213 thee unto blood, H1818 and blood H1818 shall pursue H7291 thee: sith H518 thou hast not hated H8130 blood, H1818 even blood H1818 shall pursue H7291 thee. Thus will I make H5414 mount H2022 Seir H8165 most H8077 desolate, H8077 and cut off H3772 from it him that passeth out H5674 and him that returneth. H7725 And I will fill H4390 his mountains H2022 with his slain H2491 men: in thy hills, H1389 and in thy valleys, H1516 and in all thy rivers, H650 shall they fall H5307 that are slain H2491 with the sword. H2719 I will make H5414 thee perpetual H5769 desolations, H8077 and thy cities H5892 shall not return: H7725 H3427 and ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068 Because thou hast said, H559 These two H8147 nations H1471 and these two H8147 countries H776 shall be mine, and we will possess H3423 it; whereas the LORD H3068 was there: Therefore, as I live, H2416 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 I will even do H6213 according to thine anger, H639 and according to thine envy H7068 which thou hast used H6213 out of thy hatred H8135 against them; and I will make myself known H3045 among them, when I have judged H8199 thee. And thou shalt know H3045 that I am the LORD, H3068 and that I have heard H8085 all thy blasphemies H5007 which thou hast spoken H559 against the mountains H2022 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 They are laid desolate, H8074 H8077 they are given H5414 us to consume. H402 Thus with your mouth H6310 ye have boasted H1431 against me, and have multiplied H6280 your words H1697 against me: I have heard H8085 them. Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 When the whole earth H776 rejoiceth, H8055 I will make H6213 thee desolate. H8077 As thou didst rejoice H8057 at the inheritance H5159 of the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 because it was desolate, H8074 so will I do H6213 unto thee: thou shalt be desolate, H8077 O mount H2022 Seir, H8165 and all Idumea, H123 even all of it: and they shall know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068

Amos 1:11-12 STRONG

Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 For three H7969 transgressions H6588 of Edom, H123 and for four, H702 I will not turn away H7725 the punishment thereof; because he did pursue H7291 his brother H251 with the sword, H2719 and did cast off H7843 all pity, H7356 and his anger H639 did tear H2963 perpetually, H5703 and he kept H8104 his wrath H5678 for ever: H5331 But I will send H7971 a fire H784 upon Teman, H8487 which shall devour H398 the palaces H759 of Bozrah. H1224

Obadiah 1:1-9 STRONG

The vision H2377 of Obadiah. H5662 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 concerning Edom; H123 We have heard H8085 a rumour H8052 from the LORD, H3068 and an ambassador H6735 is sent H7971 among the heathen, H1471 Arise H6965 ye, and let us rise up H6965 against her in battle. H4421 Behold, I have made H5414 thee small H6996 among the heathen: H1471 thou art greatly H3966 despised. H959 The pride H2087 of thine heart H3820 hath deceived H5377 thee, thou that dwellest H7931 in the clefts H2288 of the rock, H5553 whose habitation H3427 is high; H4791 that saith H559 in his heart, H3820 Who shall bring me down H3381 to the ground? H776 Though thou exalt H1361 thyself as the eagle, H5404 and though thou set H7760 thy nest H7064 among the stars, H3556 thence will I bring thee down, H3381 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 If thieves H1590 came H935 to thee, if robbers H7703 by night, H3915 (how art thou cut off!) H1820 would they not have stolen H1589 till they had enough? H1767 if the grapegatherers H1219 came H935 to thee, would they not leave H7604 some grapes? H5955 How are the things of Esau H6215 searched out! H2664 how are his hidden H4710 things sought up! H1158 All the men H582 of thy confederacy H1285 have brought H7971 thee even to the border: H1366 the men H582 that were at peace H7965 with thee have deceived H5377 thee, and prevailed H3201 against thee; they that eat thy bread H3899 have laid H7760 a wound H4204 under thee: there is none understanding H8394 in him. Shall I not in that day, H3117 saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 even destroy H6 the wise H2450 men out of Edom, H123 and understanding H8394 out of the mount H2022 of Esau? H6215 And thy mighty H1368 men, O Teman, H8487 shall be dismayed, H2865 to the end that every one H376 of the mount H2022 of Esau H6215 may be cut off H3772 by slaughter. H6993

Malachi 1:3-4 STRONG

And I hated H8130 Esau, H6215 and laid H7760 his mountains H2022 and his heritage H5159 waste H8077 for the dragons H8568 of the wilderness. H4057 Whereas Edom H123 saith, H559 We are impoverished, H7567 but we will return H7725 and build H1129 the desolate places; H2723 thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 They shall build, H1129 but I will throw down; H2040 and they shall call H7121 them, The border H1366 of wickedness, H7564 and, The people H5971 against whom the LORD H3068 hath indignation H2194 for H5704 ever. H5769

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Ezekiel 32

Commentary on Ezekiel 32 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary


Introduction

Lamentations over the Ruin of Pharaoh and His People

The chapter contains two lamentations composed at different times: the first, in vv. 1-16, relating to the fall of Pharaoh, which rests upon the prophecy contained in Ezekiel 29:1-16 and Ezekiel 30:20-26; the second, in vv. 17-32, in which the prophecy concerning the casting down of this imperial power into hell (Ezekiel 31:14-17) is worked out in elegiac form.


Verses 1-16

Lamentation over the King of Egypt

Pharaoh, a sea-monster, is drawn by the nations out of his waters with the net of God, and cast out upon the earth. His flesh is given to the birds and beasts of prey to devour, and the earth is saturated with his blood (Ezekiel 32:2-6). At his destruction the lights of heaven lose their brightness, and all the nations will be amazed thereat (Ezekiel 32:7-10). The king of Babel will come upon Egypt, will destroy both man and beast, and will make the land a desert (Ezekiel 32:11-16). - The date given in Ezekiel 32:1 - ”In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first of the month, the word of Jehovah came to me, saying” - agrees entirely with the relation in which the substance of the ode itself stands to the prophecies belonging to the tenth and eleventh years in Ezekiel 29:1-16 and Ezekiel 30:20-26; whereas the different date found in the Septuagint cannot come into consideration for a moment.

Ezekiel 32:2-6

The destruction of Pharoah. - Ezekiel 32:2. Son of man, raise a lamentation over Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and say to him, Thou wast compared to a young lion among the nations, and yet wast like a dragon in the sea; thou didst break forth in thy streams, and didst trouble the waters with thy feet, and didst tread their streams. Ezekiel 32:3. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Therefore will I spread out my net over thee in the midst of many nations, that they may draw thee up in my yarn; Ezekiel 32:4. And will cast thee upon the land, hurl thee upon the surface of the field, and will cause all the birds of the heaven to settle upon thee, and the beasts of the whole earth to satisfy themselves with thee. Ezekiel 32:5. Thy flesh will I put upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with thy funeral heap. Ezekiel 32:6. I will saturate the earth with thine outflow of thy blood even to the mountains, and the low places shall become full of thee. - This lamentation begins, like others, with a picture of the glory of the fallen king. Hitzig objects to the ordinary explanation of the words כּפיר גּוים נדמיתה , λέοντι ἐθνῶν ὡμοιώθης (lxx), leoni gentium assimilatus es (Vulg.), on the ground that the frequently recurring נדמה would only have this meaning in the present passage, and that נמשׁל , which would then be synonymous, is construed in three other ways, but not with the nominative. For these reasons he adopts the rendering, “lion of the nations, thou belongest to death.” But it would be contrary to the analogy of all the קינות to commence the lamentation with such a threat; and Hitzig's objections to the ordinary rendering of the words will not bear examination. The circumstance that the Niphal נדמה is only met with here in the sense of ὁμοιοῦσθαι , proves nothing; for דּמה has this meaning in the Kal , Piel , and Hithpael , and the construction of the Niphal with the accusative (not nominative, as Hitzig says) may be derived without difficulty from the construction of the synonymous נמשׁל with כ . But what is decisive in favour of this rendering is the fact that the following clause is connected by means of the adversative ואתּה (but thou), which shows that the comparison of Pharaoh to a תּנּים forms an antithesis to the clause in which he is compared to a young lion. If נדמית ' כּפיר ג contained a declaration of destruction, not only would this antithesis be lost, but the words addressed to it as a lion of the nations would float in the air and be used without any intelligible meaning. The lion is a figurative representation of a powerful and victorious ruler; and כּפיר גּוים is really equivalent to אל גּוים in Ezekiel 31:11.

Pharaoh was regarded as a mighty conqueror of the nations, “though he was rather to be compared to the crocodile, which stirs up the streams, the fresh waters, and life-giving springs of the nations most perniciously with mouth and feet, and renders turbid all that is pure” (Ewald). תּנּים , as in Ezekiel 29:3. Ewald and Hitzig have taken offence at the words תּגח בּנהרתיך , “thou didst break forth in thy streams,” and alter בּנהרתיך retla d into בּנחרתיך , with thy nostrils (Job 41:12); but they have not considered that תּגח would be quite out of place with such an alteration, as גּיח in both the Kal and Hiphil (Judges 20:33) has only the intransitive meaning to break out. The thought is simply this: the crocodile lies in the sea, then breaks occasionally forth in its streams, and makes the waters and their streams turbid with its feet. Therefore shall Pharaoh also end like such a monster (Ezekiel 32:3-6). The guilt of Pharaoh did not consist in the fact that he had assumed the position of a ruler among the nations (Kliefoth); but in his polluting the water-streams, stirring up and disturbing the life-giving streams of the nations. God will take him in His net by a gathering of nations, and cause him to be drawn out of his element upon the dry land, where he shall become food to the birds and beasts of prey (cf. Ezekiel 29:4-5; Ezekiel 31:12-13). The words ' בּקהל עמּים ר are not to be understood as referring to the nations, as spectators of the event (Hävernick); but ב denotes the instrument, or medium employed, here the persons by whom God causes the net to be thrown, as is evident from the והעלוּך which follows. According to the parallelismus membrorum , the ἁπ . λεγ . רמוּת can only refer to the carcase of the beast, although the source from which this meaning of the word is derived has not yet been traced. There is no worth to be attached to the reading rimowt in some of the codices, as רמּה does not yield a suitable meaning either in the sense of reptile, or in that of putrefaction or decomposed bodies, which has been attributed to it from the Arabic. Under these circumstances we adhere to the derivation from רוּם , to be high, according to which רמוּת may signify a height or a heap, which the context defines as a funeral-pile. צפה , strictly speaking, a participle from צוּף , to flow, that which flows out, the outflow (Hitzig), is not to be taken in connection with ארץ , but is a second object to השׁקיתי ; and the appended word מדּמך indicates the source whence the flowing takes place, and of what the outflow consists. אל ההרים , to the mountains, i.e., up to the top of the mountains. The thought in these verses is probably simply this, that the fall of Pharaoh would bring destruction upon the whole of the land of Egypt, and that many nations would derive advantage from his fall.

Ezekiel 32:7-10

His overthrow fills the whole world with mourning and terror. - Ezekiel 32:7. When I extinguish thee, I will cover the sky and darken its stars; I will cover the sun with cloud, and the moon will not cause its light to shine. Ezekiel 32:8. All the shining lights in the sky do I darken because of thee, and I bring darkness over thy land, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah. Ezekiel 32:9. And I will trouble the heart of many nations when I bring out thine overthrow among the nations into lands which thou knowest not, Ezekiel 32:10. And I will make many nations amazed at thee, and their kings shall shudder at thee when I brandish my sword before their face; and they shall tremble every moment, every one for his life on the day of his fall. - The thought of Ezekiel 32:7 and Ezekiel 32:8 is not exhausted by the paraphrase, “when thou art extinguished, all light will be extinguished, so far as Egypt is concerned,” accompanied with the remark, that the darkness consequent thereupon is a figurative representation of utterly hopeless circumstances (Schmieder). The thought on which the figure rests is that of the day of the Lord, the day of God's judgment, on which the lights of heaven lose their brightness (cf. Ezekiel 30:3 and Joel 2:10, etc.). This day bursts upon Egypt with the fall of Pharaoh, and on it the shining stars of heaven are darkened, so that the land of Pharaoh becomes dark. Egypt is a world-power represented by Pharaoh, which collapses with his fall. But the overthrow of this world-power is an omen and prelude of the overthrow of every ungodly world-power on the day of the last judgment, when the present heaven and the present earth will perish in the judgment-fire. Compare the remarks to be found in the commentary on Joel 3:4 upon the connection between the phenomena of the heavens and great catastrophes on earth. The contents of both verses may be fully explained from the biblical idea of the day of the Lord and the accompanying phenomena; and for the explanation of בּכבּותך , there is no necessity to assume, as Dereser and Hitzig have done, that the sea-dragon of Egypt is presented here under the constellation of a dragon; for there is no connection between the comparison of Egypt to a tannim or sea-dragon, in Ezekiel 32:2 and Ezekiel 29:3 (= רהב , Isaiah 51:9), and the constellation of the dragon (see the comm. on Isaiah 51:9 and Isaiah 30:7). In בּכבּותך Pharaoh is no doubt regarded as a star of the first magnitude in the sky; but in this conception Ezekiel rests upon Isaiah 14:12, where the king of Babylon is designated as a bright morning-star. That this passage was in the prophet's mind, is evident at once from the fact that Ezekiel 32:7 coincides almost verbatim with Isaiah 13:10. - The extinction and obscuration of the stars are not merely a figurative representation of the mourning occasioned by the fall of Pharaoh; still less can Ezekiel 32:9 and Ezekiel 32:10 be taken as an interpretation in literal phraseology of the figurative words in Ezekiel 32:7 and Ezekiel 32:8. For Ezekiel 32:9 and Ezekiel 32:10 do not relate to the mourning of the nations, but to anxiety and terror into which they are plunged by God through the fall of Pharaoh and his might. הכעיס , to afflict the heart, does not mean to make it sorrowful, but to fill it with anxiety, to deprive it of its peace and cheerfulness. “When I bring thy fall among the nations” is equivalent to “spread the report of thy fall.” Consequently there is no need for either the arbitrary alteration of שׁברך into שׂברך , which Ewald proposes, with the imaginary rendering announcement or report; nor for the marvellous assumption of Hävernick, that שׁברך describes the prisoners scattered among the heathen as the ruins of the ancient glory of Egypt, in support of which he adduces the rendering of the lxx αἰχμαλωσίαν σου , which is founded upon the change of שׁברך into שׁביך . For Ezekiel 32:10 compare Ezekiel 27:35. עופף , to cause to fly, to brandish. The sword is brandished before their face when it falls time after time upon their brother the king of Egypt, whereby they are thrown into alarm for their own lives. לרגעים , by moments = every moment (see the comm. on Isaiah 27:3).

Ezekiel 32:11-16

The judgment upon Egypt will be executed by the king of Babylon. - Ezekiel 32:11. For thus saith the Lord Jehovah, The sword of the king of Babylon will come upon thee. Ezekiel 32:12. By swords of heroes will I cause thy tumult to fall, violent ones of the nations are they all, and will lay waste the pride of Egypt, and all its tumult will be destroyed. Ezekiel 32:13. And I will cut off all its cattle from the great waters, that no foot of man may disturb them any more, nor any hoof of cattle disturb them. Ezekiel 32:14. Then will I cause their waters to settle and their streams to flow like oil, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah, Ezekiel 32:15. When I make the land of Egypt a desert, and the land is made desolate of its fulness, because I smite all the inhabitants therein, and they shall know that I am Jehovah. Ezekiel 32:16. A lamentatoin (mournful ode) is this, and they will sing it mournfully; the daughters of the nations will sing it mournfully, over Egypt and over all its tumult will they sing it mournfully, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah. - In this concluding strophe the figurative announcement of the preceding one is summed up briefly in literal terms; and toward the close (Ezekiel 32:14) there is a slight intimation of a better future. The destruction of the proud might of Egypt will be effected through the king of Babylon and his brave and violent hosts. עריצי גּוים , as in Ezekiel 31:12 (see the comm. on Ezekiel 28:7). המון in Ezekiel 32:12 and Ezekiel 32:13 must not be restricted to the multitude of people. It signifies tumult, and embraces everything in Egypt by which noise and confusion were made (as in Ezekiel 31:2 and Ezekiel 31:18); although the idea of a multitude of people undoubtedly predominates in the use of המון in Ezekiel 32:12 . גּאון , the pride of Egypt, is not that of which Egypt is proud, but whatever is proud or exalts itself in Egypt. The utter devastation of Egypt includes the destruction of the cattle, i.e., of the numerous herds which fed on the grassy banks of the Nile and were driven to the Nile to drink (cf. Genesis 47:6; Genesis 41:2.; Exodus 9:3); and this is therefore specially mentioned in Ezekiel 32:13, with an allusion to the consequence thereof, namely, that the waters of the Nile would not be disturbed any more either by the foot of man or hoof of beast (compare Ezekiel 32:13 with Ezekiel 29:11). The disturbing of the water is mentioned with evident reference to Ezekiel 32:2, where Pharaoh is depicted as a sea-monster, which disturbs the streams of water. The disturbance of the water is therefore a figurative representation of the wild driving of the imperial power of Egypt, by which the life-giving streams of the nations were stirred up.

Ezekiel 32:14. Then will God cause the waters of Egypt to sink. Hitzig and Kliefoth understand this as signifying the diminution of the abundance of water in the Nile, which had previously overflowed the land and rendered it fertile, but for which there was no further purpose now. According to this explanation, the words would contain a continued picture of the devastation of the land. But this is evidently a mistake, for the simple reason that it is irreconcilable with the אז , by which the thought is introduced. אז , tunc , is more precisely defined by ' בּתתּי וגו in Ezekiel 32:15 as the time when the devastation has taken place; whereas Kliefoth takes the 15th verse, in opposition both to the words and the usage of the language, as the sequel to Ezekiel 32:14, or in other words, regards בּתתּי as synonymous with ונתתּי . The verse contains a promise, as most of the commentators, led by the Chaldee and Jerome, have correctly assumed.

(Note: The explanation of Jerome is the following: “Then will purest waters, which had been disturbed by the sway of the dragon, be restored not by another, but by the Lord Himself; so that their streams flow like oil, and are the nutriment of true light.”)

השׁקיע , to make the water sink, might no doubt signify in itself a diminution of the abundance of water. But if we consider the context, in which reference is made to the disturbance of the water through its being trodden with the feet (Ezekiel 32:13), השׁקיע can only signify to settle, i.e., to become clear through the sinking to the bottom of the slime which had been stirred up (cf. Ezekiel 34:18). The correctness of this explanation is confirmed by the parallel clause, to make their streams flow with oil. To understand this as signifying the slow and gentle flow of the diminished water, would introduce a figure of which there is no trace in Hebrew. Oil is used throughout the Scriptures as a figurative representation of the divine blessing, or the power of the divine Spirit. כּשׁמן , like oil, according to Hebrew phraseology, is equivalent to “like rivers of oil.” And oil-rivers are not rivers which flow quietly like oil, but rivers which contain oil instead of water (cf. Job 29:6), and are symbolical of the rich blessing of God (cf. Deuteronomy 32:13). The figure is a very appropriate one for Egypt, as the land is indebted to the Nile for all its fertility. Whereas its water had been stirred up and rendered turbid by Pharaoh; after the fall of Pharaoh the Lord will cause the waters of the stream, which pours its blessings upon the land, to purify themselves, and will make its streams flow with oil. The clarified water and flowing oil are figures of the life-giving power of the word and Spirit of God. But this blessing will not flow to Egypt till its natural power is destroyed. Ewald has therefore given the following as the precise meaning of Ezekiel 32:14 : “The Messianic times will then for the first time dawn on Egypt, when the waters no more become devastating and turbid, that is to say, through the true knowledge to which the chastisement leads.” Ezekiel 32:16 “rounds off the passage by turning back to Ezekiel 32:2” (Hitzig). The daughters of the nations are mentioned as the singers, because mourning for the dead was for the most part the business of women (cf. Jeremiah 9:16). The words do not contain a summons to the daughters of the nations to sing the lamentation, but the declaration that they will do it, in which the thought is implied that the predicted devastation of Egypt will certainly occur.


Verses 17-32

Funeral-Dirge for the Destruction of the Might of Egypt

This second lamentation or mourning ode, according to the heading in Ezekiel 32:17, belongs to the same year as the preceding, and to the 15th of the month, no doubt the 12th month; in which case it was composed only fourteen days after the first. The statement of the month is omitted here, as in Ezekiel 26:1; and the omission is, no doubt, to be attributed to a copyist in this instance also. In the ode, which Ewald aptly describes as a “dull, heavy lamentation,” we have six regular strophes, preserving the uniform and monotonous character of the lamentations for the dead, in which the thought is worked out, that Egypt, like other great nations, is cast down to the nether world. The whole of it is simply an elegiac expansion of the closing thought of the previous chapter (Ezekiel 31).

Ezekiel 32:18-21

Introduction and first strophe. - Ezekiel 32:18. Son of man, lament over the tumult of Egypt, and hurl it down, her, like the daughters of glorious nations, into the nether world, to those who go into the pit! Ezekiel 32:19. Whom dost thou surpass in loveliness? Go down and lay thyself with the uncircumcised. Ezekiel 32:20. Among those slain with the sword will they fall; the sword is handed, draw her down and all her tumult. Ezekiel 32:21. The strong ones of the heroes say of it out of the midst of hell with its helpers: they are gone down, they lie there, the uncircumcised, slain with the sword. - נהה , utter a lamentation, and והורדהוּ , thrust it (the tumult of Egypt) down, are co-ordinate. With the lamentation, or by means thereof, is Ezekiel to thrust down the tumult of Egypt into hell. The lamentation is God's word; and as such it has the power to accomplish what it utters. אותהּ is not intended as a repetition of the suffix ־הוּ , but resumes the principal idea contained in the object already named, viz., מצרים , Egypt, i.e., its population. אותהּ and the daughters of glorious nations are co-ordinate. בּנות , as in the expression, daughter of Tyre, daughter Babel, denotes the population of powerful heathen nations. The גּוים אדּרם can only be the nations enumerated in Ezekiel 32:22, Ezekiel 32:24., which, according to these verses, are already in Sheol, not about to be thrust down, but thrust down already. Consequently the copula ו before בּנות is to be taken in the sense of a comparison, as in 1 Samuel 12:15 (cf. Ewald, §340 b ). All these glorious nations have also been hurled down by the word of God; and Egypt is to be associated with them. By thus placing Egypt on a level with all the fallen nations, the enumeration of which fills the middle strophes of the ode, the lamentation over Egypt is extended into a funeral-dirge on the fall of all the heathen powers of the world. For ארץ תּחתּיּות and יורדי , compare Ezekiel 276:20. The ode itself commences in Ezekiel 32:19, by giving prominence to the glory of the falling kingdom. But this prominence consists in the brief inquiry ממּי נעמתּ , before whom art thou lovely? i.e., art thou more lovely than any one else? The words are addressed either to המון מצרים (Ezekiel 32:18), or what is more probable, to Pharaoh with all his tumult (cf. Ezekiel 32:32), i.e., to the world-power, Egypt, as embodied in the person of Pharaoh; and the meaning of the question is the following: - Thou, Egypt, art indeed lovely; but thou art not better or more lovely than other mighty heathen nations; therefore thou canst not expect any better fate than to go down into Sheol, and there lie with the uncircumcised. ערלים , as in Ezekiel 31:18. This is carried out still further in Ezekiel 32:20, and the ground thereof assigned. The subject to יפּלוּ is the Egyptians, or Pharaoh and his tumult. They fall in the midst of those pierced with the sword. The sword is already handed to the executor of the judgment, the king of Babel (Ezekiel 31:11). Their destruction is so certain, that the words are addressed to the bearers of the sword: “Draw Egypt and all its tumult down into Sheol” ( משׁכוּ is imperative for משׁכוּ in Exodus 12:21), and, according to Ezekiel 32:21, the heathen already in Sheol are speaking of his destruction. ידבּרוּ לו is rendered by many, “there speak to him, address him, greet him,” with an allusion to Isaiah 14:9., where the king of Babel, when descending into Sheol, is greeted with malicious pleasure by the kings already there. But however obvious the fact may be that Ezekiel has this passage in mind, there is no address in the verse before us as in Isaiah 14:10, but simply a statement concerning the Egyptians, made in the third person. Moreover, את־עזריו could hardly be made to harmonize with ידבּרוּ לו , if לו signified ad eum . For it is not allowable to connect עת־עזריו (taken in the sense of along with their helpers) with אלי גבּורים as a noun in apposition, for the simple reason that the two are separated by מתּוך שׁאול . Consequently את־עזריו can only belong to ידבּרוּ : they talk (of him) with his helpers. עזריו , his (Pharaoh's) helpers are his allies, who have already gone down before him into hell (cf. Ezekiel 30:8). The singular suffix, which has offended Hitzig, is quite in order as corresponding to לו . The words, “they have gone down, lie there,” etc., point once more to the fact that the same fate has happened to the Egyptians as to all the rest of the rulers and nations of the world whom God has judged. For אלי גבּורים , strong ones of the heroes, compare the comm. on Ezekiel 31:11. שׁאול , hell = the nether world, the gathering-place of the dead; not the place of punishment for the damned. חללי without the article is a predicate, and not in apposition to הערלים . On the application of this epithet to the Egyptians, Kliefoth has correctly observed that “the question whether the Egyptians received circumcision is one that has no bearing upon this passage; for in the sense in which Ezekiel understands circumcision, the Egyptians were uncircumcised, even if they were accustomed to circumcise their flesh.”

In the four following strophes (Ezekiel 32:22-30) a series of heathen nations is enumerated, whom the Egyptian finds already in hell, and with whom he will share the same fate. There are six of these - namely, Asshur, Elam, Meshech-Tubal, Edom, the princes of the north, and Sidon. The six are divisible into two classes - three great and remote world-powers, and three smaller neighbouring nations. In this no regard is paid to the time of destruction. With the empire of Asshur, which had already fallen, there are associated Elam and Meshech-Tubal, two nations, which only rose to the rank of world-powers in the more immediate and more remote future; and among the neighbouring nations, the Sidonians and princes of the north, i.e., The Syrian kings, are grouped with Edom, although the Sidonians had long ago given up their supremacy to Tyre, and the Aramean kings, who had once so grievously oppressed the kingdom of Israel, had already been swallowed up in the Assyrian and Chaldean empire. It may, indeed, be said that “in any case, at the time when Ezekiel prophesied, princes enough had already descended into Sheol both of the Assyrians and Elamites, etc., to welcome the Egyptians as soon as they came” (Kliefoth); but with the same justice may it also be said that many of the rulers and countrymen of Egypt had also descended into Sheol already, at the time when Pharaoh, reigning in Ezekiel's day, was to share the same fate. It is evident, therefore, that “any such reflection upon chronological relations is out of place in connection with our text, the intention of which is merely to furnish an exemplification” (Kliefoth), and that Ezekiel looks upon Egypt more in the light of a world-power, discerning in its fall the overthrow of all the heathen power of the world, and predicting it under the prophetic picture, that Pharaoh and his tumult are expected and welcomed by the princes and nations that have already descended into Sheol, as coming to share their fate with them.

Ezekiel 32:22-23

Second strophe. - Ezekiel 32:22. There is Asshur and all its multitude, round about it their graves, all of them slain, fallen by the sword Ezekiel 32:23. Whose graves are made in the deepest pit, and its multitude is round about its grave; all slain, fallen by the sword, who spread terror in the land of the living. - The enumeration commences with Asshur, the world-power, which had already been overthrown by the Chaldeans. It is important to notice here, that אשּׁוּר , like עילם in Ezekiel 32:24, and משׁך in Ezekiel 32:26, is construed as a feminine, as המונהּ which follows in every case plainly shows. It is obvious, therefore, that the predominant idea is not that of the king or people, but that of the kingdom or world-power. It is true that in the suffixes attached to סביבותיו קברתיו in Ezekiel 32:22, and סביבותיו in Ezekiel 32:25 and Ezekiel 32:26, the masculine alternates with the feminine, and Hitzig therefore proposes to erase these words; but the alternation may be very simply explained, on the ground that the ideas of the kingdom and its king are not kept strictly separate, but that the words oscillate from one idea to the other. It is affirmed of Asshur, that as a world-power it lies in Sheol, and the gravers of its countrymen are round about the graves of its ruler. They all lie there as those who have fallen by the sword, i.e., who have been swept away by a judgment of God. To this is added in Ezekiel 32:23 the declaration that the graves of Asshur lie in the utmost sides, i.e., the utmost or deepest extremity of Sheol; whereas so long as this power together with its people was in the land of the living, i.e., so long as they ruled on earth, they spread terror all around them by their violent deeds. From the loftiest height of earthly might and greatness, they are hurled down to the lowest hell. The higher on earth, the deeper in the nether world. Hävernick has entirely misunderstood the words “round about Asshur are its graves” (Ezekiel 32:22), and “its multitude is round about its grave” (the grave of this world-power), when he finds therein the thought that the graves and corpses are to be regarded as separated, so that the dead are waiting near their graves in deepest sorrow, looking for the honour of burial, but looking in vain. There is not a word of this in the text, but simply that the graves of the people lie round about the grave of their ruler.

Ezekiel 32:24-25

Third strophe. - Ezekiel 32:24. There is Elam, and all its multitude round about its grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who went down uncircumcised into the nether world, who spread terror before them in the land of the living, and bear their shame with those who went into the pit. Ezekiel 32:25. In the midst of the slain have they made it a bed with all its multitude, round about it are their graves; all of them uncircumcised, pierced with the sword; because terror was spread before them in the land of the living, they bear their shame with those who have gone into the pit. In the midst of slain ones is he laid. - Asshur is followed by עילם , Elam, the warlike people of Elymais, i.e., Susiana, the modern Chusistan, whose archers served in the Assyrian army (Isaiah 22:6), and which is mentioned along with the Medes as one of the conquerors of Babylon (Isaiah 21:2), whereas Jeremiah prophesied its destruction at the commencement of Zedekiah's reign (Jeremiah 49:34.). Ezekiel says just the same of Elam as he has already said of Asshur, and almost in the same words. The only difference is, that his description is more copious, and that he expresses more distinctly the thought of shameful destruction which is implied in the fact of lying in Sheol among the slain, and repeats it a second time, and that he also sets the bearing of shame into Sheol in contrast with the terror which Elam had spread around it during its life on earth. נשׂא , as in Ezekiel 16:52. The ב in בּכל־המונהּ is either the “with of association,” or the fact of being in the midst of a crowd. להּ refers to עילם ; and נתנוּ has an indefinite subject, “they gave” = there was given. משׁכּב , the resting-place of the dead, as in 2 Chronicles 16:14. The last clause in Ezekiel 32:25 is an emphatic repetition of the leading thought: he (Elam) is brought or laid in the midst of the slain.

Ezekiel 32:26-28

Fourth strophe. - Ezekiel 32:26. There is Meshech-Tubal and all its multitude, its graves round about it; all of them uncircumcised, slain in with the sword, because they spread terror before them in the land of the living. Ezekiel 32:27. They lie not with the fallen heroes of uncircumcised men, who went down into hell with their weapons of war, whose swords they laid under their heads; their iniquities have come upon their bones, because they were a terror of the heroes in the land of the living. Ezekiel 32:28. Thou also wilt be dashed to pieces among uncircumcised men, and lie with those slain with the sword. - משׁך and תּבל , the Moschi and Tibareni of the Greeks (see the comm. on Ezekiel 27:13), are joined together ἀσυνδετῶς here as one people or heathen power; and Ewald, Hitzig, and others suppose that the reference is to the Scythians, who invaded the land in the time of Josiah, and the majority of whom had miserably perished not very long before (Herod. i. 106). But apart from the fact that the prophets of the Old Testament make no allusion to any invasion of Palestine by the Scythians (see Minor Prophets , vol. ii. p. 124, Eng. transl.), this view is founded entirely upon the erroneous supposition that in this funeral-dirge Ezekiel mentions only such peoples as had sustained great defeats a longer or shorter time before. Meshech-Tubal comes into consideration here, as in Ezekiel 38, as a northern power, which is overcome in its conflict with the kingdom of God, and is prophetically exhibited by the prophet as having already fallen under the judgment of death. In Ezekiel 32:26 Ezekiel makes the same announcement as he has already made concerning Asshur in Ezekiel 32:22, Ezekiel 32:23, and with regard to Elam in Ezekiel 32:24, Ezekiel 32:25. But the announcement in Ezekiel 32:27 is obscure. Rosenmüller, Ewald, Hävernick, and others, regard this verse as a question ( ולא in the sense of הלא ): “and should they not lie with (rest with) other fallen heroes of the uncircumcised, who...?” i.e., they do lie with them, and could not possibly expect a better fate. But although the interrogation is merely indicated by the tone where the language is excited, and therefore ולא might stand for הלא , as in Exodus 8:22, there is not the slightest indication of such excitement in the description given here as could render this assumption a probable one. On the contrary, ולא at the commencement of the sentence suggests the supposition that an antithesis is intended to the preceding verse. And the probability of this conjecture is heightened by the allusion made to heroes, who have descended into the nether world with their weapons of war; inasmuch as, at all events, something is therein affirmed which does not apply to all the heroes who have gone down into hell. The custom of placing the weapons of fallen heroes along with them in the grave is attested by Diod. Sic. xviii. 26; Arrian, i. 5; Virgil, Ane . vi. 233 (cf. Dougtaei Analectt . ss. i. pp. 281, 282); and, according to the ideas prevailing in ancient times, it was a mark of great respect to the dead. But the last place in which we should expect to meet with any allusion to the payment of such honour to the dead would be in connection with Meshech and Tubal, those wild hordes of the north, who were only known to Israel by hearsay. We therefore follow the Vulgate, the Rabbins, and many of the earlier commentators, and regard the verse before us as containing a declaration that the slain of Meshech-Tubal would not receive the honour of resting in the nether world along with those fallen heroes whose weapons were buried with them in the grave, because they fell with honour.

(Note: C. a Lapide has already given the true meaning: “He compares them, therefore, not with the righteous, but with the heathen, who, although uncircumcised, had met with a glorious death, i.e., they will be more wretched than these; for the latter went down to the shades with glory, but they with ignominy, as if conquered and slain.”)

כּלי מלחמה , instruments of war, weapons, as in Deuteronomy 1:41. The text leaves it uncertain who they were who had been buried with such honours. The Seventy have confounded מערלים with מעולם , and rendered , נפלים τῶν πεπτωκότων ἀπ ̓αἰῶνος possibly thinking of the gibborim of Genesis 6:4. Dathe and Hitzig propose to alter the text to this; and even Hävernick imagines that the prophet may possibly have had such passages as Genesis 6:4 and Genesis 10:9. floating before his mind. But there is not sufficient ground to warrant an alteration of the text; and if Ezekiel had had Genesis 6:4 in his mind, he would no doubt have written הגבּורים . The clause ותּהי עונותם is regarded by the more recent commentators as a continuation of the preceding ' ויּתּנוּ וגו , which is a very natural conclusion, if we simply take notice of the construction. But if we consider the sense of the words, this combination can hardly be sustained. The words, “and so were their iniquities upon their bones” (or they came upon them), can well be understood as an explanation of the reason for their descending into Sheol with their weapons, and lying upon their swords. We must therefore regard ותּהי עונותם as a continuation of ישׁכּבוּ , so that their not resting with those who were buried with their weapons of war furnishes the proof that their guilt lay upon their bones. The words, therefore, have no other meaning than the phrase ישׂאוּ כלמּתם in Ezekiel 32:24 and Ezekiel 32:30. Sin comes upon the bones when the punishment consequent upon it falls upon the bones of the sinner. In the last clause we connect גבּורים with חתּית , terror of the heroes, i.e., terrible even to heroes on account of their savage and cruel nature. In Ezekiel 32:28 we cannot take אתּה as referring to Meshech-Tubal, as many of the commentators propose. A direct address to that people would be at variance with the whole plan of the ode. Moreover, the declaration contained in the verse would contradict what precedes. As Meshech-Tubal is already lying in Sheol among the slain, according to Ezekiel 32:26, the announcement cannot be made to it for the first time here, that it is to be dashed in pieces and laid with those who are slain with the sword. It is the Egyptian who is addressed, and he is told that this fate will also fall upon him. And through this announcement, occurring in the midst of the list of peoples that have already gone down to Sheol, the design of that list is once more called to mind.

Ezekiel 32:29-30

Fifth strophe. - Ezekiel 32:29. There are Edom, its kings and all its princes, who in spite of their bravery are associated with those that are pierced with the sword; they lie with the uncircumcised and with those that have gone down into the pit. Ezekiel 32:30. There are princes of the north, all of them, and all the Sidonians who have gone down to the slain, been put to shame in spite of the dread of them because of their bravery; they lie there as uncircumcised, and bear their shame with those who have gone into the pit. - In this strophe Ezekiel groups together the rest of the heathen nations in the neighbourhood of Israel; and in doing so, he changes the שׁם of the preceding list for שׁמּה , thither. This might be taken prophetically: thither will they come, “to these they also belong” (Hävernick), only such nations being mentioned here as are still awaiting their destruction. But, in the first place, the perfects אשׁר נתנוּ , אשׁר ירדוּ , in Ezekiel 32:29, Ezekiel 32:30, do not favour this explanation, inasmuch as they are used as preterites in Ezekiel 32:22, Ezekiel 32:24, Ezekiel 32:25, Ezekiel 32:26, Ezekiel 32:27; and, secondly, even in the previous strophes, not only are such peoples mentioned as have already perished, but some, like Elam and Meshech-Tubal, which did not rise into historical importance, or exert any influence upon the development of the kingdom of God till after Ezekiel's time, whereas the Edomites and Sidonians were already approaching destruction. We therefore regard שׁמּה as simply a variation of expression in the sense of “thither have they come,” without discovering any allusion to the future. - In the case of Edom, kings and נשׂיאים , i.e., tribe-princes, are mentioned. The allusion is to the 'alluphim or phylarchs, literally chiliarchs, the heads of the leading families (Genesis 36:15.), in whose hands the government of the people lay, inasmuch as the kings were elective, and were probably chosen by the phylarchs (see the comm. on Genesis 36:31.). בּגבוּרתם , in, or with their bravery, i.e., in spite of it. There is something remarkable in the allusion to princes of the north ( נסיכי , lit., persons enfeoffed, vassal-princes; see the comm. on Joshua 13:21 and Micah 5:4) in connection with the Sidonians, and after Meshech-Tubal the representative of the northern nations. The association with the Sidonians renders the conjecture a very natural one, that allusion is made to the north of Palestine, and more especially to the Aram of Scripture, with its many separate states and princes (Hävernick); although Jeremiah 25:26, “the kings of the north, both far and near,” does not furnish a conclusive proof of this. So much, at any rate, is certain, that the princes of the north are not to be identified with the Sidonians. For, as Kliefoth has correctly observed, “there are six heathen nations mentioned, viz., Asshur, Elam, Meshech-Tubal, Edom, the princes of the north, and Sidon; and if we add Egypt to the list, we shall have seven, which would be thoroughly adapted, as it was eminently intended, to depict the fate of universal heathenism.” A principle is also clearly discernible in the mode in which they are grouped. Asshur, Elam, and Meshech-Tubal represent the greater and more distant world-powers; Edom the princes of the north, and Sidon the neighbouring nations of Israel on both south and north. בּחתּיתם מגּבוּרתם , literally, in dread of them, (which proceeded) from their bravery, i.e., which their bravery inspired. ' ויּשׂאוּ וגו , as in Ezekiel 32:24.

Ezekiel 32:31-32

Sixth and last strophe. - Ezekiel 32:31. Pharaoh will see them, and comfort himself over all his multitude. Pharaoh and all his army are slain with the sword, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah. Ezekiel 32:32. For I caused him to spread terror in the land of the living, therefore is he laid in the midst of uncircumcised, those slain with the sword. Pharaoh and all his multitude, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah. - In these verses the application to Egypt follows. Pharaoh will see in the nether world all the greater and smaller heathen nations with their rulers; and when he sees them all given up to the judgment of death, he will comfort himself over the fate which has fallen upon himself and his army, as he will perceive that he could not expect any better lot than that of the other rulers of the world. נחם על , to comfort oneself , as in Ezekiel 31:16 and Ezekiel 14:22. Hitzig's assertion, that נחם never signifies to comfort oneself, is incorrect (see the comm. on Ezekiel 14:22). נתתּי את־חתּיתו , I have given terror of him, i.e., I have made him an instrument of terror. The Keri חתּיתי arose from a misunderstanding. The Chetib is confirmed by Ezekiel 32:24 and Ezekiel 32:26. In Ezekiel 32:32 the ode is brought to a close by returning even in expression to Ezekiel 32:19 and Ezekiel 32:20 .

If, now, we close with a review of the whole of the contents of the words of God directed against Egypt, in all of them is the destruction of the might of Pharaoh and Egypt as a world-power foretold. And this prophecy has been completely fulfilled. As Kliefoth has most truly observed, “one only needs to enter the pyramids of Egypt and its catacombs to see that the glory of the Pharaohs has gone down into Sheol. And it is equally certain that this destruction of the glory of ancient Egypt dates from the times of the Babylonio-Persian empire. Moreover, this destruction was so thorough, that even to the New Egypt of the Ptolemies the character of the Old Egypt was a perfect enigma, a thing forgotten and incomprehensible.” But if Ezekiel repeatedly speaks of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon as executing this judgment upon Egypt, we must bear in mind that here, as in the case of Tyre (see the comm. on Ezekiel 28:1-19), Ezekiel regards Nebuchadnezzar as the instrument of the righteous punishment of God in general, and discerns in what he accomplishes the sum of all that in the course of ages has been gradually fulfilling itself in history. At the same time, it is equally certain that this view of the prophet would have no foundation in truth unless Nebuchadnezzar really did conquer Egypt and lay it waste, and the might and glory of this ancient empire were so shattered thereby, that it never could recover its former greatness, but even after the turning of its captivity, i.e., after its recovery from the deadly wounds which the imperial monarchy of Babylonia and afterwards of Persia inflicted upon it, still remained a lowly kingdom, which could “no more rule over the nations” (Ezekiel 29:13-16). Volney, however, in his Recherch. nouv . sur l'hist. anc. (III pp. 151ff.), and Hitzig ( Ezekiel p. 231), dispute the conquest and devastation of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, because the Greek historians, with Herodotus (ii. 161ff.) at their head, make no allusion whatever to an invasion of Egypt; and their statements are even opposed to such an occurrence. But the silence of Greek historians, especially of Herodotus, is a most “miserable” argument. The same historians do not say a word about the defeat of Necho by Nebuchadnezzar at Carchemish; and yet even Hitzig accepts this as an indisputable fact. Herodotus and his successors derived their accounts of Egypt from the communications of Egyptian priests, who suppressed everything that was humiliating to the pride of Egypt, and endeavoured to cover it up with their accounts of glorious deeds which the Pharaohs had performed. But Hitzig has by no means proved that the statements of the Greeks are at variance with the assumption of a Chaldean invasion of Egypt, whilst he has simply rejected but not refuted the attempts of Perizonius, Vitringa, Hävernick, and others, to reconcile the biblical narrative of the conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar with the accounts given by Herodotus, Diodorus Siculus, and other Greeks, concerning the mighty feats of Necho, and his being slain by Amasis. The remark that, in the description given by Herodotus, Amasis appears as an independent king by the side of Cambyses, only less powerful than the Persian monarch, proves nothing more, even assuming the correctness of the fact, than that Amasis had made Egypt once more independent of Babylonia on the sudden overthrow of the Chaldean monarchy.

The conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, after the attitude which Pharaoh Necho assumed towards the Babylonian empire, and even attempted to maintain in the time of Zedekiah by sending an army to the relief of Jerusalem when besieged by the Chaldeans, is not only extremely probable in itself, but confirmed by testimony outside the Bible. Even if no great importance can be attached to the notice of Megasthenes, handed down by Strabo (xv. 1. 6) and Josephus ( c. Ap. i. 20): “he says that he (Nebuchadnezzar) conquered the greater part of Libya and Iberia;” Josephus not only quotes from Berosus ( l.c. i. 19) to the effect that “the Babylonian got possession of Egypt , Syria, Phoenicia, Arabia,” but, on the ground of such statements, relates the complete fulfilment of the prophecies of Scripture, saying, in Antt . x. 9. 7, with reference to Nebuchadnezzar, “he fell upon Egypt to conquer it. And the reigning king he slew; and having appointed another in his place, made those Jews prisoners who had hitherto resided there, and led them into Babylon.” And even if Josephus does not give his authority in this case, the assertion that he gathered this from the prophecies of Jeremiah is untrue; because, immediately before the words we have quoted, he says that what Jeremiah had prophesied (Jeremiah 43:10 and Jer 44) had thus come to pass; making a distinction, therefore, between prophecy and history. And suspicion is not to be cast upon this testimony by such objections as that Josephus does not mention the name of the Egyptian king, or state precisely the time when Egypt was conquered, but merely affirms in general terms that it was after the war with the Ammonites and Moabites.