Eze 32:16 | KingComments | STEP | The word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel ( ). It is again a word with a calendar designation: year, month and day are mentioned. Ezekiel is commanded to take up a lamentation over Pharaoh ( ; cf. ). Judgment on God’s enemies, however deserved that judgment may be, deeply saddens a true prophet. Ezekiel is to say to Pharaoh that he resembles a young lion and monster in the seas. The imagery of the lion ( ; cf. ) is not elaborated, that of the sea monster ( ) is. His ferocious actions in the seas and rivers refer to the turmoil Pharaoh has brought among the nations. He is a cruel ruler and an unreliable ally. The Lord GOD will judge him ( ). He will do so by catching him in His net. That net consists of a multitude of nations, namely Babylon and the nations that are with him. They are the tools in God’s hand to overwhelm Pharaoh and take him captive. Once Pharaoh has lost his power and been robbed of everything valuable, he will be left destitute ( ). He will then be a prey to the vultures and the scavengers who will take from him what is left of edible food. The corpses lying on the mountains and valleys will be robbed of what they still possess ( ). The slaughter will be so great that the whole land, up to the mountains and riverbeds, will be filled with blood ( ). Pharaoh, who has been acting like a sun god, will be extinguished, so that nothing of his brilliance will be seen ( ). He, who has seen himself as the radiant center of heaven, will be shrouded in blackness ( ). Clouds of God’s wrath will cover him. He will no longer receive and pass on any (errant) light. Other princes, too, who have allied themselves with him and seen themselves as lights, will be shrouded in black for his sake. The LORD will lay a thick blanket of darkness over the whole land (cf. ; ; ; ; ). When the nations see the downfall of the mighty Egyptian empire, the LORD will trouble the hearts of those nations ( ). They will turn away from Egypt full of disappointment, appalled at its fall. With Egypt failing, their hope of successfully resisting the king of Babylon is dashed. Instead of hope, there is now despair ( ). The sword that defeated Egypt now brandishes menacingly before their eyes. The sword in Nebuchadnezzar’s hand is controlled by the far more powerful hand of God. When Egypt has fallen, it will cause trembling and fear for their own lives. That Egypt will fall by the sword of the king of Babylon is certain ( ). The soldiers of the king of Babylon are all tyrants who will, without mercy, reign in Egypt in a violent manner unprecedented among the nations ( ). The pride of Egypt will be destroyed and all its hordes will be destroyed. All life will be annihilated. The waters will remain ripple-free, because there will be no one, neither man nor beast, left to stir them up ( ). The water will be clear and transparent, without a ripple like that of an oil stream ( ). Egypt is fertile because of the supply of silt brought by a turbid Nile. But there is no more silt, so there will be barrenness and withering instead of fertility. The result of the judgments of the LORD will be that they will know that He is the LORD ( ). The lamentation just sung by Ezekiel will be sung by the daughters of the nations ( ). They will sing about Egypt and all of its multitude when Egypt is desolate and the multitude is gone from the land. That will be after the Babylonians have executed His judgment on Pharaoh and his people as the avenging sword of the LORD.

‏ Ezekiel 32:16

Lamentation Over Pharaoh

The word of the LORD comes to Ezekiel (Eze 32:1). It is again a word with a calendar designation: year, month and day are mentioned. Ezekiel is commanded to take up a lamentation over Pharaoh (Eze 32:2; cf. Eze 2:10 ; Eze 19:1 ; Eze 26:17 ; Eze 28:12). Judgment on God’s enemies, however deserved that judgment may be, deeply saddens a true prophet.

Ezekiel is to say to Pharaoh that he resembles a young lion and monster in the seas. The imagery of the lion (Eze 19:2 ; 3 ; 5 ; 6; cf. Pro 19:12 ; Pro 20:2) is not elaborated, that of the sea monster (Eze 29:3) is. His ferocious actions in the seas and rivers refer to the turmoil Pharaoh has brought among the nations. He is a cruel ruler and an unreliable ally.

The Lord GOD will judge him (Eze 32:3). He will do so by catching him in His net. That net consists of a multitude of nations, namely Babylon and the nations that are with him. They are the tools in God’s hand to overwhelm Pharaoh and take him captive.

Once Pharaoh has lost his power and been robbed of everything valuable, he will be left destitute (Eze 32:4). He will then be a prey to the vultures and the scavengers who will take from him what is left of edible food. The corpses lying on the mountains and valleys will be robbed of what they still possess (Eze 32:5). The slaughter will be so great that the whole land, up to the mountains and riverbeds, will be filled with blood (Eze 32:6).

Pharaoh, who has been acting like a sun god, will be extinguished, so that nothing of his brilliance will be seen (Eze 32:7). He, who has seen himself as the radiant center of heaven, will be shrouded in blackness (Eze 32:8). Clouds of God’s wrath will cover him. He will no longer receive and pass on any (errant) light. Other princes, too, who have allied themselves with him and seen themselves as lights, will be shrouded in black for his sake. The LORD will lay a thick blanket of darkness over the whole land (cf. Rev 8:12; Isa 13:10; Amos 8:9; Joel 2:31 ; Joel 3:15; Mt 24:29).

When the nations see the downfall of the mighty Egyptian empire, the LORD will trouble the hearts of those nations (Eze 32:9). They will turn away from Egypt full of disappointment, appalled at its fall. With Egypt failing, their hope of successfully resisting the king of Babylon is dashed. Instead of hope, there is now despair (Eze 32:10). The sword that defeated Egypt now brandishes menacingly before their eyes. The sword in Nebuchadnezzar’s hand is controlled by the far more powerful hand of God. When Egypt has fallen, it will cause trembling and fear for their own lives.

That Egypt will fall by the sword of the king of Babylon is certain (Eze 32:11). The soldiers of the king of Babylon are all tyrants who will, without mercy, reign in Egypt in a violent manner unprecedented among the nations (Eze 32:12). The pride of Egypt will be destroyed and all its hordes will be destroyed. All life will be annihilated. The waters will remain ripple-free, because there will be no one, neither man nor beast, left to stir them up (Eze 32:13).

The water will be clear and transparent, without a ripple like that of an oil stream (Eze 32:14). Egypt is fertile because of the supply of silt brought by a turbid Nile. But there is no more silt, so there will be barrenness and withering instead of fertility. The result of the judgments of the LORD will be that they will know that He is the LORD (Eze 32:15).

The lamentation just sung by Ezekiel will be sung by the daughters of the nations (Eze 32:16). They will sing about Egypt and all of its multitude when Egypt is desolate and the multitude is gone from the land. That will be after the Babylonians have executed His judgment on Pharaoh and his people as the avenging sword of the LORD.