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.

Therefore thus saith {H559} the Lord {H136} GOD {H3069}; Behold, I will give {H5414} the land {H776} of Egypt {H4714} unto Nebuchadrezzar {H5019} king {H4428} of Babylon {H894}; and he shall take {H5375} her multitude {H1995}, and take {H7997} her spoil {H7998}, and take {H962} her prey {H957}; and it shall be the wages {H7939} for his army {H2428}.

Therefore Adonai ELOHIM says, 'I will give the land of Egypt to N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel. He will carry off its riches, take its spoil and its prey; and these will be the wages for his army.

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will carry off its wealth, seize its spoil, and remove its plunder. This will be the wages for his army.

Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall carry off her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.

Ezekiel 29:19 presents a powerful declaration from the Lord GOD concerning the fate of ancient Egypt and the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. This verse details God's divine decree to hand over the prosperous land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar as a reward for his arduous military campaign against the city of Tyre.

Context

This prophecy is delivered in the tenth year of King Jehoiachin's exile, specifically in the twenty-seventh year (Ezekiel 29:17), which places it chronologically after many of Ezekiel's other prophecies against Egypt. Earlier in this chapter, God had pronounced judgment on Egypt for its pride and its unreliable role as a "staff of reed" for Israel (see Ezekiel 29:6-7), offering no true support but rather piercing the hand that leaned on it. The immediate context for verse 19 (Ezekiel 29:17-18) reveals that Nebuchadnezzar, despite his immense efforts and sacrifices during the thirteen-year siege of Tyre, received no significant plunder from that city. Therefore, God, in His sovereign plan, designates Egypt as the compensatory "wages" for Nebuchadnezzar and his army, demonstrating His control over all earthly powers.

Key Themes

  • Divine Sovereignty and Justice: The verse vividly illustrates God's absolute sovereignty over nations and their rulers. He orchestrates the rise and fall of empires, using them as instruments of His judgment and to fulfill His purposes. Egypt, despite its power, is merely a pawn in God's grand design.
  • Recompense and Reward: God is a God of justice who repays. Nebuchadnezzar, though a pagan king, served as God's unwitting instrument against Tyre. For his service, God ensures he is compensated, even if it comes from another nation. This highlights a principle of divine recompense for labor, even when performed by those who do not explicitly serve Him.
  • Prophetic Fulfillment: This prophecy, delivered long before its occurrence, underscores the reliability of God's word. The subsequent historical subjugation of Egypt by Babylon stands as a testament to the unfailing accuracy of biblical prophecy.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "Lord GOD" often translates the Hebrew Adonai Yahweh (אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה), emphasizing God's supreme authority as the sovereign Master and covenant-keeping God. The term "wages" (Hebrew: sakar, שָׂכָר) directly means "hire," "reward," or "payment," clearly indicating that Egypt's wealth and people would serve as a direct compensation or payment to Nebuchadnezzar and his army for their unrewarded efforts against Tyre.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a powerful reminder that God is actively involved in the affairs of mankind and nations. Even when events seem chaotic or driven by human ambition, God remains in ultimate control, weaving all circumstances into His perfect plan. It encourages believers to trust in God's overarching justice and sovereignty, knowing that He will bring about His purposes, even through seemingly unlikely means or individuals. It also reminds us that no nation or individual is beyond God's reach or accountability, and His word will always be fulfilled.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 43:10

    And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them.

  • Jeremiah 43:13

    He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that [is] in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.

  • Ezekiel 30:24

    And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand: but I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded [man].

  • Ezekiel 30:25

    But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt.

  • Ezekiel 32:11

    For thus saith the Lord GOD; The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee.

  • Ezekiel 30:10

    Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon.

  • Ezekiel 30:12

    And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked: and I will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I the LORD have spoken [it].

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