Ezekiel

Ezekiel 32:1-10

This oracle is given a few months after the news reached Ezekiel of the fall of Jerusalem.  Ezekiel picks up again this lamentation of Pharaoh.  This reflects some imagery from the Mesopotamian myths (also Ezek 29) that would have been known at the time.  One myth portrays war between god and a dragon; Ezekiel portrays Yahweh as the God and Egypt as the dragon.  He would spread his net over Egypt and capture it.  The nation would be slaughtered and fed to the beasts.  Its blood would water the land.

The Lord then speaks of darkness covering the land, reminiscent of the plagues. Their light among the nations would be put out.  Egypt's destruction would be visible to the nations and trouble many, even in countries they had not known.  They would become a sign to other nations about the seriousness of God's judgment.

Ezekiel 32:11-16

Babylon would be the tool of judgment.  By this time, Egypt had already suffered a mortal blow from Nebuchadnezzar.  Babylon would return to finish them off, to plunder the nation.  The muddy waters portray movement among the nations of men and animals.  The clear waters show the movement has stopped.  The land is desolate.  All would then come to the understanding the Yahweh is Lord.

Ezekiel 32:17-21

This word presumably comes just a few days later, although an exact month is not given.  Ezekiel was to mourn and wail over the multitude of people.  He was then to cast them down.  This must have been a sign act of casting them to the pit, the underworld, sheol.  There they would join the uncircumcised.  This pictures the other nations, gentile nations that had fallen.  They could no longer picture themselves as greater than others when they joined them in the pit.  To be among the 'uncircumcised' was a place of a shame to the circumcised Egyptians.  The question was asked, now that you are in the pit, where do you stand?  See Isaiah 14:9-10.

Ezekiel 32:22-25

The formerly great kingdom and kings of Assyria are there in the pit (Ezek 31:3).  Assyria is found in the deepest recesses of the pit.

Elam would also be found in the pit.  They were located in the 'lower' parts but not the recesses like Assyria.  They remain though among the shamed, the judged.  Elam was located southwest in what is modern day Iran.  They were absorbed into the Persian Empire.

Ezekiel 32:26-28

Meshech and Tubal were located in central Turkey.  Egypt would also find them there in the pit among the uncircumcised who had fallen in judgment by God.  They had their day where they thought themselves mighty and terrorized mankind.  Now they lay on their swords in their grave.

Ezekiel 32:29-30

Edom is Judah's neighbor to the southeast.  The 'princes of the north' may be a reference to Syria (Aram).  The Sidonians were the Phoenicians, Israel's neighbor to the northwest.

Ezekiel 32:31-32

Pharaoh can draw comfort from finding himself among many other great nations.  This is the only comfort found in the pit, in the underworld.  His best days were behind him and he would spend all of eternity with those who looked back at former, worldly glory. 

©2020 Doug Ford