Ezekiel - Chapter 29

Ezekiel 29.1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Ezekiel 29.2 Son of man, set thy face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt: Ezekiel 29.3 Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself. Ezekiel 29.4 But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto thy scales. Ezekiel 29.5 And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given thee for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven. Ezekiel 29.6 And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. Ezekiel 29.7 When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand. Ezekiel 29.8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast out of thee. Ezekiel 29.9 And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall know that I am the LORD: because he hath said, The river is mine, and I have made it. Ezekiel 29.10 Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia. Ezekiel 29.11 No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years. Ezekiel 29.12 And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries. Ezekiel 29.13 Yet thus saith the Lord GOD; At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered: Ezekiel 29.14 And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom. Ezekiel 29.15 It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations. Ezekiel 29.16 And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 29.17 And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Ezekiel 29.18 Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it: Ezekiel 29.19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army. Ezekiel 29.20 I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 29.21 In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel : Chapter 29

Ezekiel's Prophecies Against Egypt Chapter 29 of the book of Ezekiel opens a series of powerful and revealing prophecies against Egypt, a former superpower. In this passage, God portrays Egypt as a great crocodile, captured by His hand, illustrating the futility of nations that place their trust in themselves rather than in divine sovereignty. This text addresses crucial themes such as human pride and God's control over history. Furthermore, Ezekiel 29 contains a promise of partial restoration for Egypt, highlighting God's mercy even in judgment.

Enlightening Bible Passages

Let's reflect together on five biblical passages that illuminate the timeless principles found in this prophetic chapter.

Isaiah 19:1

"A warning against Egypt: 'Lo! The Lord rides on a swift cloud, heading for Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians melt within them.'" This verse, taken from the writings of Isaiah, resonates with Ezekiel's prophecy, revealing divine judgment upon this nation.

Jeremiah 46:2

"Concerning Egypt: A message against the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the River Euphrates, at Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, defeated in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah." Jeremiah, like Ezekiel, announces judgment on Egypt, specifically mentioning Nebuchadnezzar, who is mentioned in Ezekiel 29:19 as God's instrument.

Psalms 68:30

"Rebuke the wild beast among the reeds, the herd of bulls among the calves of the nations. Bring in bars of silver, humbled. Scatter the nations that delight in war." This verse is often interpreted as a reference to Egypt, highlighting divine judgment as presented in Ezekiel 29.

Isaiah 30:2-3

"who go down to Egypt, and do not consult me; who seek Pharaoh's protection, and seek refuge in the shadow of Egypt. But Pharaoh's protection will bring him shame; Taking refuge in the shadow of Egypt will bring them humiliation." Isaiah warns against trusting in Egypt, a theme also found in Ezekiel 29:6-7, where God rebukes Israel for its dependence on that nation.

Zechariah 10:11

"They shall pass through the sea of ​​affliction; the waves of the sea shall be held back, and the depths of the Nile shall be dried up. The pride of Assyria shall be humbled, and the scepter of Egypt shall be taken away." This passage from Zechariah reaffirms the judgment pronounced against Egypt, highlighting the themes present in Ezekiel 29.

Meditating on these texts, we are called to recognize God's sovereignty over the nations and to place our trust in Him, rather than in human powers that ultimately fail.