Again YHWH’s “word” or message (a “word of prophecy” [Targum]) came to Ezekiel. It was then the first day of the twelfth month (mid-February to mid-March) in the twelfth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin. This is commonly considered to have been the year 585 BCE. (32:1; see the Notes section.)

As at other times, Ezekiel was addressed as “son of man,” as a mortal in the service of the eternal God YHWH. The message for him to make known was in the form of a dirge “over Pharaoh, king of Egypt.” There is a measure of obscurity about the meaning of the opening words of this dirge. A literal rendering would be, “A lion of nations — you have been cut off.” This could mean that Pharaoh was doomed or certain to come to ruin. The Septuagint says, “You were like a lion of nations.” In their renderings, modern translations have been more specific than is the Hebrew wording of the text, with some also departing from it. “You are like a lion among the nations.” (NIV) “Oh great beast among the nations, you are doomed!” (Tanakh [JPS, 1985 edition]) “Young lion of the nations, your end has come.” (REB) “You liken yourself to a lion among nations.” (NAB, revised edition) “You act like a lion among nations.” (TEV) “You act like a lion roaming the earth.” (CEV) “You think of yourself as a strong young lion among the nations.” (NLT) “You consider yourself a lion among the nations.” (NRSV) In view of his power, authority, and seemingly secure position, Pharaoh could appropriately be likened to a lion. With reference to his record as ruler, Pharaoh was more like a dragon or monster “in the seas,” causing ruin through warfare and oppression of his subjects and the peoples whom he vanquished. Like a sea monster (possibly a crocodile), Pharaoh thrashed about in his streams, troubled or churned up water with his feet, and fouled, polluted, or muddied streams, causing devastation and destruction. According to the interpretation of the Targum, Pharaoh was like a “monster in the seas” by bringing about the ruin of other lands with his troops. (32:2)

The Lord YHWH declared punitive judgment against Pharaoh, dealing with him as if he were a sea monster. YHWH would cast his “net” over him, using an “assembly of many peoples” or a large military host. This host of enemy warriors would haul Pharaoh up as if having caught him in a dragnet (God’s dragnet). The Septuagint refers to God as doing this with his “hook.” (LXX). (32:3)

Pharaoh, like a sea monster that had been caught and dragged out of the water, would be left lying on the land after having been hurled upon the field. The “birds of the heavens” could then dwell (evidently for the purpose of feeding) on the monster, and the wild animals could share in feeding on the carcass to satisfaction. (32:4; see the Notes section.)

Regarding Pharaoh as represented by a sea monster or dragon, YHWH declared, “I will place your flesh on the mountains and fill the valleys with your heap.” There is uncertainty about the significance of the Hebrew word here rendered “heap.” It could refer to a large pile of corpses, refuse, or a high stature. It has variously been translated “rotting corpse” (TEV), “rotting flesh” (CEV, Tanakh [JPS, 1985 edition]), “worms that feed on it” (on the carcass of the monster) (REB), “corruption” (NJB), “carcass” (NRSV), “bones” (NLT), “remains” (NIV), and “corpse” (NAB, revised edition). The oldest extant Greek manuscript (P967) reads, “fill all the earth from your blood.” (32:5) YHWH is quoted as continuing to express what would happen to the dead sea monster. He would drench the land with the sea monster’s flowing blood “up to the mountains,” and the wadis would be filled from the monster. The Septuagint refers to the “earth” or land as coming to drink the excrement or the fluid from the dragon’s decaying corpse. (32:6)

A time of gloom, with no bright prospects in sight, would follow when the sea monster would be extinguished. It would then be as if YHWH had covered the “heavens,” darkening the stars so that they could not be seen and covering the sun with a cloud. There would also be no light from the moon. (32:7; see the Notes section.) The Lord YHWH is quoted as declaring that he would make every light-emitting body “in the heavens” dark, and put darkness upon the land that Pharaoh, the great sea monster, had controlled. (32:8)

At the time YHWH would be bringing the “fracture,” the remaining ones, the “captivity (LXX) or the body of captives (the survivors of the military campaign against Pharaoh) among the nations in lands unknown to the Egyptian ruler, the “hearts of many people” would be vexed or disturbed. This could mean that, seized with fear about what could also happen to them, peoples of other nations would find themselves in a state of upheaval and fright in their inmost selves. (32:9)

By means of the overthrow of Pharaoh, YHWH would cause many peoples to be appalled. They would be in a state of shock and apprehensive about the ruin that could also come to them. Their kings would “shudder with shudder” or in horror because of what would be happening to Pharaoh when YHWH would be brandishing his sword “before their faces,” before them, or in their presence. “Every moment” each one of these kings would tremble “for his soul” or his own life in the “day” or at the time of Pharaoh’s downfall. According to the Septuagint, these kings would “accept” or expect their own overthrow. (32:10)

The Lord YHWH revealed that the “sword of the king of Babylon” (Nebuchadnezzar) would “come upon Pharaoh.” (32:11) According to the Septuagint, this sword would be coming with the “swords of giants.” The Hebrew text indicates that, by means of the swords that valiant warriors wielded, YHWH would cause the multitude of Pharaoh to fall. These warriors, “all of them,” under the command of Nebuchadnezzar were identified as terrible or ruthless ones among nations (“pests from nations” [LXX]), suggesting that they would not spare anyone. They would bring the “pride of Egypt” (everything in which the Egyptians took pride) to ruin. “All of [Egypt’s] multitude,” warriors and the people generally, would perish as victims of war. The Septuagint indicates that “all the strength of Egypt” would be crushed. (32:12)

All the livestock that pastured by “many waters,” along the banks of the Nile, streams, and rivulets, would be killed. As YHWH would be using the Babylonian troops to bring about the destruction of the domestic animals, he is the one quoted as taking this action. The destruction of human and animal life would mean that people and livestock would not be entering and passing through the “waters,” muddying them with their feet or their hoofs. (32:13) YHWH’s use of the troops under the command of King Nebuchadnezzar would effect this change in the “waters.” Therefore, he is quoted as saying that he would make the “waters” of Egypt (rivers, streams, and rivulets) clear, and he would cause all rivers or streams to flow as would oil — smoothly without any disturbance. (32:14)

After his use of the military force under the command of King Nebuchadnezzar to desolate the land of Egypt, strip it of its “fullness” or everything valuable, and to strike down (“scatter” [LXX]) the inhabitants of the land, YHWH is the one whom the Egyptians would “know” or be forced to recognize as the God who had acted against them. (32:15)

The expressions of judgment (the “prophecy” [Targum]) against Egypt constituted a “dirge.” Upon its fulfillment, people (you, he, and they [in Greek manuscripts]) would chant it. Like professional female mourners, the “daughters of [other] nations” would chant the dirge “over Egypt and over all its multitude.” This was certain to occur, for the Lord YHWH had made it known in advance through his prophet. (32:16)

Again YHWH’s “word” or message (“word of prophecy” [Targum]) came to Ezekiel. It was then the twelfth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin, which is generally considered to have been the year 585 BCE. Although the Hebrew text contains the day of the month (the “fifteenth day”), the month is not included. According to the Septuagint, it was the first month (mid-March to mid-April). (32:17; see the Notes section.)

As at other times, Ezekiel was addressed as “son of man,” as a mortal in the service of the eternal God YHWH. The prophet was to wail over the “multitude [strength (LXX)] of Egypt” and to cause it [the multitude] to go down, “her [Egypt] and the daughters of majestic nations,” to the land below, with “those descending into a pit.” Ezekiel could not literally plunge Egypt and the “daughters” (or the people) of other major nations into the pit or the netherworld. The judgment message from YHWH that Ezekiel proclaimed, however, would unfailingly be fulfilled. Therefore, through his proclamation of YHWH’s “word,” Ezekiel was bringing Egypt and other major powers down to the netherworld or to their end. According to the Septuagint rendering, “the nations” would bring down the “daughters” of Egypt “dead into the depths of the earth.” (32:18)

The next verse begins with the question in which the Hebrew verb is masculine gender and could apply to Pharaoh as the representative of Egypt. “Whom do you surpass in beauty?” The implied answer may be that there is nothing that would prevent a humiliating end. The verse continues, “Go down, and be laid with the uncircumcised,” or in a state of dishonor. A number of modern translations make the application to Egypt specific and are more interpretive than are literal renderings of the Hebrew text. “O Egypt, are you lovelier than the other nations? No! So go down to the pit and lie there among the outcasts.” (NLT) “Do you think you are more beautiful than anyone else? You will go down to the world of the dead and lie there among the ungodly.” (TEV) “You may be more beautiful than the people of other nations, but you will also die and join the godless in the world below.” (CEV) In the Septuagint, there is no corresponding wording for the Hebrew text here, but it is found in verse 21. (32:19)

The Egyptians would “fall in the midst” of others (possibly allies) who would be “slain by the sword.” Egypt would be delivered (literally, “she is delivered”) to a “sword.” There is some uncertainty about how the Hebrew verb for “draw” or “drag” is to be understood in relation to the phrase “her [Egypt] and all her multitudes,” which would have included many warriors. Modern translations vary in their renderings. “A sword is drawn. Those who marched with her, together with all her hordes, will descend into the company of those slain by the sword.” (REB) “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.” (NLT) “The people of Egypt will fall with those who are killed in battle. A sword is ready to kill them all.” (TEV) “Among those slain by the sword they will fall, for the sword has been appointed! Seize Egypt and all its hordes.” (NAB, revised edition) “They shall lie amid those slain by the sword, [amid those slain by] the sword [Egypt] has been dragged and left with all her masses.” (Tanakh [JPS, 1985 edition]) The Septuagint rendering may be understood to indicate that the Egyptians would fall with Pharaoh (literally, “him”) in the midst of those mortally wounded by the sword, and all his strength would “lie down” (as if it had gone to sleep). (32:20)

Mighty warriors (“giants” [LXX]) who had preceded him in their descent to Sheol or the realm of the dead are represented as speaking to Pharaoh with his “helpers” or allies as they come to join them. Pharaoh and his allies would have to go down to the realm of the dead and there lie down like the uncircumcised or in a state of dishonor as persons slain by the sword. (32:21; see the Notes section regarding the Septuagint rendering.) “Asshur” (Assyria) and “all her company” or her warriors were already in Sheol or the realm of the dead. All around this “company” were burial places. “All of them” were slain men, “fallen by the sword.” According to the Septuagint, the burial place of the company was in the “depth of a pit.” (32:22) “Her [Asshur’s or Assyria’s] burial places” were located in the “remotest parts of a pit,” and “her company” of warriors were “round about her burial place, all of them slain men, having fallen by the sword.” In the past, these warriors “spread terror in the land of the living” during the course of their military campaigns. (32:23; see the Notes section.)

Elam (Ailam [LXX]), an ancient kingdom that was located in what is today southwestern Iran, “and all her multitude [his force (LXX)],” were in Sheol or the realm of the dead. The multitude of warriors were round about the burial place of Elam. All of them were slain men, having “fallen by the sword.” They descended as uncircumcised men, or in a state of dishonor, to the land below or to the netherworld. In the past during the course of aggressive warfare, these men “spread their terror in the land of the living,” but they ended up having to “bear their shame [torment or punishment (LXX)]” as vanquished men “with those descending into a pit.” (32:24; see the Notes section.) “In the midst of slain men,” a bed was positioned for Elam “with all her multitude.” “Her [Elam’s] burial places,” apparently the ones for her multitude of warriors, were round about this bed. All of these warriors were “uncircumcised,” or in a state of disgrace, men “slain by the sword.” While alive, they had “spread terror in the land of the living” as participants in campaigns of conquest. With others descending into a pit as slain warriors, they bore their shame as defeated men. Thus, “in the midst of the slain,” the multitude of Elam had been placed. (32:25; see the Notes section.)

Meshech (Mosoch [LXX]), Tubal (Thobel [LXX]), and “all their multitude [strength (LXX)]” or their many warriors were in Sheol, the realm of the dead. Tubal is considered to have been in eastern Asia Minor to the northeast of Cilicia, and Meshech also has been linked to Asia Minor. The reference to the “burial places” being “round about him” could mean round about the multitude. All the warriors were “uncircumcised” or in a state of dishonor, victims of the piercing sword of war. Formerly, while engaged in campaigns of conquest, “they spread their terror in the land of the living.” (32:26) The Hebrew text could be understood to indicate that this multitude of warriors would not lie down with the valiant heroes who had fallen from among the “uncircumcised” (or from among those who, as dead men, were no longer in a state of honor) and who had descended into Sheol (the realm of the dead) with their weapons of war. At the time of burial, the swords of the fallen men were placed “under their heads.” Apparently their iniquities resulting from ruthless slaughtering in warfare were the “iniquities upon their bones,” a violent record that remained attached to them even after their death. With their brutal military campaigns, the warriors caused terror “in the land of the living.” (32:27; see the Notes section regarding the Septuagint rendering.)

The apparent application of the next words is to Pharaoh or to Pharaoh and his multitude (verses 31 and 32), and a number of modern translations make the application specific in their renderings. “You, too, Pharaoh, will be broken and will be among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.” (NIV) “Pharaoh, you also will lie broken in the company of the uncircumcised dead, lying with those slain by the sword.” (REB) You too, Egypt, will lie crushed and broken among the outcasts, all slaughtered by the sword.” (NLT) “That is how the Egyptians will lie crushed among the uncircumcised who were killed in battle.” (TEV) “You Egyptians will be cruelly defeated, and you will be buried alongside these other godless soldiers who died in battle.” (CEV) Pharaoh and his many warriors would not be spared humiliating defeat, but would come to be in the company of the “uncircumcised” or among the vanquished dead in a state of dishonor. (32:28)

“Edom, her kings, and all her princes” or chieftains (“the rulers of Asshur [Assyria]” [LXX]) were in Sheol, the realm of the dead. Although they had been in possession of might, they were lying with those who had been “slain by the sword.” Among the “uncircumcised” or those in a condition of dishonor, they were lying “with those descending into a pit,” into the place where the dead are. (32:29)

All the “princes of the north” and “all the Sidonians” were in Sheol, the realm of the dead. The mention of the Sidonians who resided north of the former ten-tribe kingdom of Israel suggests that the “princes of the north” included the ruler of Tyre and other rulers in Phoenicia. Regarding these rulers, the expression “in their terror by their might” likely denotes the terror to which they gave rise by reason of the military might at their disposal. Yet, despite this, they went down in shame, or as humiliated defeated ones, “with the slain.” These rulers came to lie, uncircumcised or in a dishonorable state, with those having been “slain by the sword,” and these men bore “their shame [their torment or their punishment (LXX)] with those descending into a pit.” In their disgraced condition, they were no different than all the others in the place where the dead found themselves. (32:30; see the Notes section.)

Pharaoh would see all the ones who had preceded him in their descent to Sheol, the realm of the dead. His being “consoled for all his multitude” could be understood to indicate that he would comfort himself with the thought that he and his multitude were not alone in having experienced a humiliating overthrow. That “Pharaoh and all his army” would be “slain by the sword” or suffer military defeat was certain, for the Lord YHWH had revealed this in advance through his prophet. (32:31)

The Masoretic Text represents the Lord YHWH as declaring, “For I spread his terror in the land of the living.” This could signify that YHWH would cause Pharaoh and his multitude to experience terror or would permit Pharaoh to be a ruler whose military campaigns caused terror among the people of other nations. To emphasize the certainty of the overthrow of Pharaoh and his multitude, the quoted words of YHWH continue, “He [Pharaoh] will be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised [those in a dishonorable condition], with those slain by the sword.” This would be the fate of “Pharaoh and all his multitude” (primarily his many warriors but also his subjects). (32:32; see the Notes section.)

Notes

In verse 1, manuscripts of the Septuagint vary in the dating of the message Ezekiel received. The oldest extant Greek manuscript (P967) and fourth-century Codex Vaticanus, like the Masoretic Text, say that it was the “twelfth year,” but the reading of Codex Alexandrinus is the “eleventh year.” Instead of the “twelfth month,” P967 and Codex Vaticanus say that it was the tenth month (mid-December to mid-January).

In verse 4, the Masoretic Text ends with the words “beasts [or wild animals] of all the earth [or the whole earth].” The oldest extant Greek manuscript (P967) contains corresponding wording, but another Greek manuscript reading is, “all the beasts of the whole earth.”

According to the interpretation of the Targum of verse 7, God’s dimming the glory of Pharaoh’s realm would cover him with trouble. His warriors, who were numerous as the stars, would be greatly reduced through conquest, for a king would cover him with his troops.

Instead of the “twelfth year” in verse 17, P967 (the oldest extant Greek manuscript) says “tenth year.”

The wording of verse 21 in the Septuagint differs from that of the Masoretic Text and incorporates words from verse 19. “And the giants in the depth of the pit will say, To whom are you superior? Go down, and lie with the uncircumcised in the midst of those [mortally] wounded by the sword.” (P967) According to another manuscript reading, the giants say, “Be in the depth of the pit. To whom are you superior? …”

According to the interpretation of the Targum for the words in verse 23, the reason for the destruction was tyrannical domination “over the land of Israel.”

In verse 24, the oldest extant Greek manuscript (P967) does not include the phrase about “torment” or “punishment.”

For the wording of verse 25, Greek manuscripts contain a shorter text that continues the sentence from the previous verse (“in the midst of the [mortally] wounded”). The oldest extant Greek manuscript (P967) omits these words and the entire wording of verse 26.

The Septuagint rendering of verse 27 indicates that the warriors of Mosoch (Mechech) and Thobel (Tubal) did lie down with the “giants” who had fallen in the distant past and had descended “into Hades,” the realm of the dead. The Septuagint concludes with the thought that these warriors had terrified “giants in the land of life” or of the living (“in the life” [P967]).

Instead of “Sidonians,” verse 30 in the Septuagint says, “commanders of Assour” (Assyria).

For the wording of verse 32, modern translations vary in rendering it according to the Masoretic Text or according to an emendation thereof. “I strike terror into the land of the living; Pharaoh and all his masses are laid among the uncircumcised, along with those who were slain by the sword — said the Lord GOD.” (Tanakh [JPS, 1985 edition]) “Although I had him spread terror in the land of the living, Pharaoh and all his hordes will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign LORD.” (NIV) “I caused the king of Egypt to terrorize the living, but he and all his army will be killed and laid to rest with all the uncircumcised who die in battle.” (TEV) “I sent him to terrify people all over the earth. But he and his army will be killed and buried alongside other godless soldiers in the world of the dead. I, the LORD God, have spoken.” (CEV) “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!” (NLT) “Though he spread terror throughout the land of the living, yet he with all his hordes is laid with those slain by the sword, in the company of the uncircumcised dead. This is the word of the Lord GOD.” (REB) “For he spread terror in the land of the living; therefore he shall be laid to rest among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword — Pharaoh and all his multitude, says the Lord GOD.” (NRSV) “For having spread terror through the world of the living, he will be laid with the uncircumcised, with those slaughtered by the sword, Pharaoh and all his throng — declares the Lord Yahweh.” (NJB)