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A Funeral Song

32 It was in the twelfth year [C since King Jehoiachin’s exile (1:2)], in the twelfth month, on the first day of the month [C March 3, 585 bc]. The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], sing a ·funeral song [lament; dirge] about Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Say to him:

‘You are like a young lion [19:1–9] among the nations.
    You are like a ·crocodile [or monster; or dragon; 29:4] in the seas.
You ·splash [thrash] around in your streams
    and stir up the water with your feet,
    making the rivers muddy.

“‘This is what the Lord God says:

I will spread my net over you,
    and I will use a ·large group of [assembly of many] people
to ·pull [haul] you up in my net.

Then I will ·throw [cast; or abandon] you on the land
    ·dropping [hurling] you onto the ·ground [open field].
I will let the birds of the ·sky [heavens] ·rest [settle] on you
    and all the animals of the earth ·eat you until they are full [gorge themselves on you; Rev. 19:21].

I will scatter your flesh on the mountains
and fill the valleys with ·what is left of you [your remains; L your height].

I will drench the land with your flowing blood
    as far as the mountains,
and the ravines will be full of your flesh.

When I ·make you disappear [snuff/blot you out],
    I will cover the ·sky [heavens] and make the stars dark.
I will cover the sun with a cloud,
    and the moon will not shine.

I will make all the shining lights in the ·sky [heavens]
    become dark over you;
    I will bring darkness over your land,
says the Lord God.

I will ·cause many people to be afraid [L trouble the hearts of many peoples]
    when I bring ·you as a captive into other [or about your destruction among the] nations,
to lands you have not known.

10 I will cause many people to be shocked about you.
    Their kings will tremble with ·fear [horror] because of you
    when I ·swing [brandish] my sword in front of them.
They will ·shake [tremble] every moment
    on the day ·you fall [of your downfall];
each ·king [one] will ·be afraid [tremble] for his own life.

11 “‘So this is what the Lord God says:

The sword of the king of Babylon
will attack you.

12 I will cause your people to fall
    by the swords of mighty soldiers,
    the most ·terrible [ruthless] ·in the world [of nations].
They will ·destroy [shatter] the pride of Egypt
    and all its ·people [L hordes/armies will be destroyed].

13 I will also destroy all Egypt’s cattle
that live alongside much water.

The foot of a human will not ·stir [disturb] the water,
and the hoofs of cattle will not muddy it anymore.

14 So I will let ·the Egyptians’ [L their] water ·become clear [or calm; L sink; settle].
    I will cause their rivers to run ·as smoothly as [L like] olive oil,
says the Lord God.

15 When I make the land of Egypt ·empty [a desolation]
    and ·take [strip out; empty] everything that is in the land,
when I ·destroy [strike down] all those who live in Egypt,
    then they will know that I am the Lord.’

16 “This is the ·funeral song [lament; dirge] people will sing for Egypt. The ·women [L daughters] of the nations will ·sing [chant] it; they will ·sing [chant] it for Egypt and all ·its people [her hordes/armies], says the Lord God.”

Egypt to Be Destroyed

17 It was in the twelfth year [C since King Jehoiachin’s exile (1:2)], on the fifteenth day of the month [C March 17, 585 bc]. The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 18 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], ·cry [wail] for the people of Egypt. Bring down Egypt, together with the ·women [L daughters] of the powerful nations; bring them down to the ·place of the dead below the earth [underworld; world below] to join those who go to the ·place of the dead [L pit]. 19 Say to them: ‘Are you more ·beautiful [or favored] than others? Go lie down [C in death] with ·those who are unclean [L the uncircumcised].’ 20 ·The Egyptians [L They] will fall among those killed ·in war [L by the sword]. The sword is ·ready [drawn; or appointed]; ·the enemy [L they] will drag Egypt and all her ·people [hordes; armies] away. 21 From the ·place of the dead [L midst of Sheol] the ·leaders of the mighty ones [or mighty leaders; warrior chiefs] will speak ·about [or to] ·the king of Egypt and the nations which help him [L him and his allies]: ‘The ·unclean [L uncircumcised], those killed ·in war [L by the sword], have come down here and ·lie dead [L lie].’

22 “Assyria and all its ·army [assembly; company] lie dead there. ·The graves of their soldiers [L Its graves] are all around. All were ·killed in war [L struck down by the sword], 23 and their graves were put in the deepest parts of the ·place of the dead [L pit]. ·Assyria’s army [L Her assembly/company] lies around its grave. When they ·lived on earth [L were in the land of the living], they ·frightened people [spread terror], but now all of them have been ·killed in war [L struck down by the sword].

24 “The nation of Elam [C a country east of Assyria; present-day Iran] is there with all its ·army [hordes] around its grave. All of them were ·killed in war [L struck down by the sword]. They had ·frightened people [L spread terror] ·on earth [L in the land of the living] and so went down ·unclean [L uncircumcised] to the ·lowest parts of the place of the dead [underworld; world below]. They must carry their shame with those who have gone down to the ·place of the dead [L pit]. 25 A ·bed [resting place] has been made for Elam [v. 24] ·with all those killed in war [among the slain]. The graves of her ·soldiers [hordes] are all around her. All Elam’s people are ·unclean [L uncircumcised], killed ·in war [L by the sword]. They ·frightened people [spread terror] ·when they lived on earth [L in the land of the living], but now they must carry their shame with those who have gone down to the ·place of the dead [L pit]. ·Their graves are [or They are assigned a place; L They are set] with the rest who were killed.

26 “·Meshech and Tubal [or Meshech-tubal; C people from Asia Minor, southeast of the Black Sea; 27:13] are there with the graves of all their ·soldiers [hordes] around them. All of them are ·unclean [uncircumcised] and have been killed ·in war [L by the sword]. They also ·frightened people [spread terror] ·when they lived on earth [L in the land of the living]. 27 But they ·are not buried [L do not lie] with the ·other soldiers who were killed in battle [fallen warriors of] long ago,[a] those who went with their weapons of war to ·the place of the dead [L Sheol]. These soldiers had their swords laid under their heads and their ·shields [or iniquities; guilt] resting on their ·bodies [L bones]. These mighty soldiers used to ·frighten [terrorize] people ·when they lived on earth [L in the land of the living].

28 “You [C addressing Pharaoh, king of Egypt] will be broken and lie among ·those who are unclean [L the uncircumcised], who were killed ·in war [L by the sword].

29 “Edom is there also, with its kings and all its ·leaders [princes]. They were mighty, but now they lie [C in death] with those killed ·in war [L by the sword], with those who are ·unclean [L uncircumcised], with those who have gone down to the ·place of the dead [L pit].

30 “All the ·rulers [princes] of the north and all the Sidonians are there. Their strength frightened people, but they have gone down in shame with those who were killed. They are ·unclean [L uncircumcised], lying with those killed ·in war [L by the sword]. They carry their shame with those who have gone down to the ·place of the dead [L pit].

31 “·The king of Egypt [L Pharaoh] and his army will see ·these who have been killed in war [L them]. Then he will be comforted for all his ·soldiers [hordes] killed ·in war [L by the sword], says the Lord God. 32 I ·made people afraid of the king of Egypt [or terrified him] ·while he lived on earth [L in the land of the living]. But he and all his ·people [hordes; armies] will lie among those who are ·unclean [L uncircumcised], who were killed ·in war [L by the sword], says the Lord God.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 32:27 long ago Greek copies read “long ago.” Hebrew copies read “of the uncircumcised.”

A Lament Over Pharaoh

32 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:(A) “Son of man, take up a lament(B) concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him:

“‘You are like a lion(C) among the nations;
    you are like a monster(D) in the seas(E)
thrashing about in your streams,
    churning the water with your feet
    and muddying the streams.(F)

“‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘With a great throng of people
    I will cast my net over you,
    and they will haul you up in my net.(G)
I will throw you on the land
    and hurl you on the open field.
I will let all the birds of the sky settle on you
    and all the animals of the wild gorge themselves on you.(H)
I will spread your flesh on the mountains
    and fill the valleys(I) with your remains.
I will drench the land with your flowing blood(J)
    all the way to the mountains,
    and the ravines will be filled with your flesh.(K)
When I snuff you out, I will cover the heavens
    and darken their stars;
I will cover the sun with a cloud,
    and the moon will not give its light.(L)
All the shining lights in the heavens
    I will darken(M) over you;
    I will bring darkness over your land,(N)
declares the Sovereign Lord.
I will trouble the hearts of many peoples
    when I bring about your destruction among the nations,
    among[a] lands you have not known.
10 I will cause many peoples to be appalled at you,
    and their kings will shudder with horror because of you
    when I brandish my sword(O) before them.
On the day(P) of your downfall
    each of them will tremble
    every moment for his life.(Q)

11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘The sword(R) of the king of Babylon(S)
    will come against you.(T)
12 I will cause your hordes to fall
    by the swords of mighty men—
    the most ruthless of all nations.(U)
They will shatter the pride of Egypt,
    and all her hordes will be overthrown.(V)
13 I will destroy all her cattle
    from beside abundant waters
no longer to be stirred by the foot of man
    or muddied by the hooves of cattle.(W)
14 Then I will let her waters settle
    and make her streams flow like oil,
declares the Sovereign Lord.
15 When I make Egypt desolate
    and strip the land of everything in it,
when I strike down all who live there,
    then they will know that I am the Lord.(X)

16 “This is the lament(Y) they will chant for her. The daughters of the nations will chant it; for Egypt and all her hordes they will chant it, declares the Sovereign Lord.”

Egypt’s Descent Into the Realm of the Dead

17 In the twelfth year, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:(Z) 18 “Son of man, wail for the hordes of Egypt and consign(AA) to the earth below both her and the daughters of mighty nations, along with those who go down to the pit.(AB) 19 Say to them, ‘Are you more favored than others? Go down and be laid among the uncircumcised.’(AC) 20 They will fall among those killed by the sword. The sword is drawn; let her be dragged(AD) off with all her hordes.(AE) 21 From within the realm of the dead(AF) the mighty leaders will say of Egypt and her allies, ‘They have come down and they lie with the uncircumcised,(AG) with those killed by the sword.’

22 “Assyria is there with her whole army; she is surrounded by the graves of all her slain, all who have fallen by the sword. 23 Their graves are in the depths of the pit(AH) and her army lies around her grave.(AI) All who had spread terror in the land of the living are slain, fallen by the sword.

24 “Elam(AJ) is there, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword.(AK) All who had spread terror in the land of the living(AL) went down uncircumcised to the earth below. They bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.(AM) 25 A bed is made for her among the slain, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are uncircumcised,(AN) killed by the sword. Because their terror had spread in the land of the living, they bear their shame with those who go down to the pit; they are laid among the slain.

26 “Meshek and Tubal(AO) are there, with all their hordes around their graves. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword because they spread their terror in the land of the living. 27 But they do not lie with the fallen warriors of old,[b](AP) who went down to the realm of the dead with their weapons of war—their swords placed under their heads and their shields[c] resting on their bones—though these warriors also had terrorized the land of the living.

28 “You too, Pharaoh, will be broken and will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.

29 “Edom(AQ) is there, her kings and all her princes; despite their power, they are laid with those killed by the sword. They lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the pit.(AR)

30 “All the princes of the north(AS) and all the Sidonians(AT) are there; they went down with the slain in disgrace despite the terror caused by their power. They lie uncircumcised(AU) with those killed by the sword and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.(AV)

31 “Pharaoh—he and all his army—will see them and he will be consoled(AW) for all his hordes that were killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord. 32 Although I had him spread terror in the land of the living, Pharaoh(AX) and all his hordes will be laid among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword, declares the Sovereign Lord.”(AY)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 32:9 Hebrew; Septuagint bring you into captivity among the nations, / to
  2. Ezekiel 32:27 Septuagint; Hebrew warriors who were uncircumcised
  3. Ezekiel 32:27 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text punishment