Ezekiel 29
In Ezekiel 29, God’s message of judgment against Egypt is primarily recorded. This chapter rebukes the pride of the king of Egypt and the nation through the prophet Ezekiel, and it also includes prophecies about the impending judgment and restoration that will come. As prophecies recorded by Ezekiel during the Babylonian exile, the chapter emphasizes Egypt’s influence over Israel and neighboring countries, their arrogance, and ultimately the fact that God governs history.
1verseIn the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the LORD’s word came to me, saying,
2verse“Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.
3verseSpeak and say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster that lies in the middle of his rivers, that has said, ‘My river is my own, and I have made it for myself.’
4verseI will put hooks in your jaws, and I will make the fish of your rivers stick to your scales. I will bring you up out of the middle of your rivers, with all the fish of your rivers which stick to your scales.
5verseI’ll cast you out into the wilderness, you and all the fish of your rivers. You’ll fall on the open field. You won’t be brought together or gathered. I have given you for food to the animals of the earth and to the birds of the sky.
6verse“‘“All the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.
7verseWhen they took hold of you by your hand, you broke and tore all their shoulders. When they leaned on you, you broke and paralyzed all of their thighs.”
8verse“‘Therefore the Lord GOD says: “Behold, I will bring a sword on you, and will cut off man and animal from you.
9verseThe land of Egypt will be a desolation and a waste. Then they will know that I am the LORD. “‘“Because he has said, ‘The river is mine, and I have made it,’
10versetherefore, behold, I am against you and against your rivers. I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from the tower of Seveneh even to the border of Ethiopia.
11verseNo foot of man will pass through it, nor will any animal foot pass through it. It won’t be inhabited for forty years.
12verseI will make the land of Egypt a desolation in the middle of the countries that are desolate. Her cities among the cities that are laid waste will be a desolation forty years. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.”
13verse“‘For the Lord GOD says: “At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples where they were scattered.
14verseI will reverse the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their birth. There they will be a lowly kingdom.
15verseIt will be the lowest of the kingdoms. It won’t lift itself up above the nations any more. I will diminish them so that they will no longer rule over the nations.
16verseIt will no longer be the confidence of the house of Israel, bringing iniquity to memory, when they turn to look after them. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD.”’”
17verseIt came to pass in the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the LORD’s word came to me, saying,
18verse“Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyre. Every head was made bald, and every shoulder was worn; yet he had no wages, nor did his army, from Tyre, for the service that he had served against it.
19verseTherefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He will carry off her multitude, take her plunder, and take her prey. That will be the wages for his army.
20verseI have given him the land of Egypt as his payment for which he served, because they worked for me,’ says the Lord GOD.
21verse“In that day I will cause a horn to sprout for the house of Israel, and I will open your mouth among them. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
Structure and Flow
| Verses | Main topics |
|---|---|
| Verses 1-7 | Rebuke of the pride of Pharaoh king of Egypt and a pointing out of Egypt’s futile resolve |
| Verses 8-12 | A sword and desolation that will come upon Egypt, and a prophecy of scattering for 40 years |
| Verses 13-16 | Restoration of Egypt after 40 years, yet a promise that its glory will change |
| Verses 17-21 | Egypt is taken as a reward for Babylon’s Nebuchadnezzar |
Key Message and Meaning
- Warning against pride: Since the king of Egypt boasts that he is a great crocodile and the master of the Nile, it warns what kind of outcome pride before God brings.
- A declaration of God’s sovereignty: It emphasizes that the only one who leads human history is God. It shows that the rise and fall of great powers also depends on God’s hand.
- Hope and warning: After the message of judgment, there is a promise of limited restoration. However, it makes clear that Egypt will no longer be a high place among the nations.
Points for Reflection
- Could it be that I am looking for safety or success in something other than God in my own life?
- Do I truly acknowledge that God is sovereign over my life?
- Let’s reflect on what real humility before God is.
Apply It to Me
- Let’s pray about whether we can set aside pride, arrogance, and complacency and entrust all areas of our lives to God.
- Even in any difficulty, let’s hold onto hope with faith that God governs history.
- Let’s remember that restoration and change in life also depend not on my strength, but on God’s hand.
