Ezekiel 32

A Warning for Pharaoh

1. On March 3,[a] during the twelfth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord:

2. “Son of man, mourn for Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and give him this message: 2 “You think of yourself as a strong young lion among the nations, 2 but you are really just a sea monster, 2 heaving around in your own rivers, 2 stirring up mud with your feet.

3. Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: 3 I will send many people 3 to catch you in my net 3 and haul you out of the water.

4. I will leave you stranded on the land to die. 4 All the birds of the heavens will land on you, 4 and the wild animals of the whole earth 4 will gorge themselves on you.

5. I will scatter your flesh on the hills 5 and fill the valleys with your bones.

6. I will drench the earth with your gushing blood 6 all the way to the mountains, 6 filling the ravines to the brim.

7. When I blot you out, 7 I will veil the heavens and darken the stars. 7 I will cover the sun with a cloud, 7 and the moon will not give you its light.

8. I will darken the bright stars overhead 8 and cover your land in darkness. 8 I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!

9. “I will disturb many hearts when I bring news of your downfall to distant nations you have never seen.

10. Yes, I will shock many lands, and their kings will be terrified at your fate. They will shudder in fear for their lives as I brandish my sword before them on the day of your fall.

11. For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: 11 “The sword of the king of Babylon 11 will come against you.

12. I will destroy your hordes with the swords of mighty warriors— 12 the terror of the nations. 12 They will shatter the pride of Egypt, 12 and all its hordes will be destroyed.

13. I will destroy all your flocks and herds 13 that graze beside the streams. 13 Never again will people or animals 13 muddy those waters with their feet.

14. Then I will let the waters of Egypt become calm again, 14 and they will flow as smoothly as olive oil, 14 says the Sovereign Lord.

15. And when I destroy Egypt 15 and strip you of everything you own 15 and strike down all your people, 15 then you will know that I am the Lord.

16. Yes, this is the funeral song 16 they will sing for Egypt. 16 Let all the nations mourn. 16 Let them mourn for Egypt and its hordes. 16 I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

Egypt Falls into the Pit

17. On March 17,[b] during the twelfth year, another message came to me from the Lord:

18. “Son of man, weep for the hordes of Egypt and for the other mighty nations.[c] For I will send them down to the world below in company with those who descend to the pit.

19. Say to them, 19 ‘O Egypt, are you lovelier than the other nations? 19 No! So go down to the pit and lie there among the outcasts.[d]’

20. The Egyptians will fall with the many who have died by the sword, for the sword is drawn against them. Egypt and its hordes will be dragged away to their judgment.

21. Down in the grave[e] mighty leaders will mockingly welcome Egypt and its allies, saying, ‘They have come down; they lie among the outcasts, hordes slaughtered by the sword.’

22. “Assyria lies there surrounded by the graves of its army, those who were slaughtered by the sword.

23. Their graves are in the depths of the pit, and they are surrounded by their allies. They struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere, but now they have been slaughtered by the sword.

24. “Elam lies there surrounded by the graves of all its hordes, those who were slaughtered by the sword. They struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere, but now they have descended as outcasts to the world below. Now they lie in the pit and share the shame of those who have gone before them.

25. They have a resting place among the slaughtered, surrounded by the graves of all their hordes. Yes, they terrorized the nations while they lived, but now they lie in shame with others in the pit, all of them outcasts, slaughtered by the sword.

26. “Meshech and Tubal are there, surrounded by the graves of all their hordes. They once struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere. But now they are outcasts, all slaughtered by the sword.

27. They are not buried in honor like their fallen heroes, who went down to the grave[f] with their weapons—their shields covering their bodies[g] and their swords beneath their heads. Their guilt rests upon them because they brought terror to everyone while they were still alive.

28. “You too, Egypt, will lie crushed and broken among the outcasts, all slaughtered by the sword.

29. “Edom is there with its kings and princes. Mighty as they were, they also lie among those slaughtered by the sword, with the outcasts who have gone down to the pit.

30. “All the princes of the north and the Sidonians are there with others who have died. Once a terror, they have been put to shame. They lie there as outcasts with others who were slaughtered by the sword. They share the shame of all who have descended to the pit.

31. “When Pharaoh and his entire army arrive, he will take comfort that he is not alone in having his hordes killed, says the Sovereign Lord.

32. Although I have caused his terror to fall upon all the living, Pharaoh and his hordes will lie there among the outcasts who were slaughtered by the sword. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

Footnotes:
a. 32:1: Hebrew On the first day of the twelfth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This event occurred on March 3, 585 B.c.; also see note on 1:1.
b. 32:17: Hebrew On the fifteenth day of the month, presumably in the twelfth month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar (see 32:1). This would put this message at the end of King Jehoiachin’s twelfth year of captivity, on March 17, 585 B.c.; also see note on 1:1. Greek version reads On the fifteenth day of the first month, which would put this message on April 27, 586 B.c., at the beginning of Jehoiachin’s twelfth year.
c. 32:18: The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
d. 32:19: Hebrew the uncircumcised; also in 32:21, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32.
e. 32:21: Hebrew in Sheol.
f. 32:27a: Hebrew to Sheol.
g. 32:27b: The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.