Ezekiel 29:7

When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand.

When they took hold {H8610} of thee by thy hand {H3709}, thou didst break {H7533}, and rend {H1234} all their shoulder {H3802}: and when they leaned {H8172} upon thee, thou brakest {H7665}, and madest all their loins {H4975} to be at a stand {H5976}.

When they grasped you in hand, you splintered and threw all their shoulders out of joint; when they leaned on you, you broke and made them all wrench their backs.'

When Israel took hold of you with their hands, you splintered, tearing all their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke, and their backs were wrenched.

When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and didst rend all their shoulders; and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand.

Ezekiel 29:7 is part of a prophetic oracle delivered by the prophet Ezekiel against Egypt and its pharaoh, detailing God's judgment against their pride and unreliability as an ally. This verse specifically describes the consequences for those nations, particularly ancient Israel, who sought help from Egypt.

Context

The entire chapter 29 of Ezekiel begins a series of prophecies concerning Egypt, portraying Pharaoh as a great "dragon" or "sea monster" (KJV "whale") in the Nile, symbolic of its immense power and arrogance. God declares His impending judgment upon Egypt because it acted as a treacherous and unreliable support for the house of Israel. The preceding verse, Ezekiel 29:6, sets the stage by calling Egypt a "staff of reed" to Israel, an image that verse 7 vividly expands upon.

Key Themes

  • The Unreliability of Human Alliances: The core message is the futility and danger of relying on human power and alliances instead of God. Egypt, despite its apparent strength, proved to be a broken reed, causing injury rather than support.
  • Divine Judgment on Pride and Treachery: God's judgment is pronounced against Egypt not only for its arrogance but also for its failure to uphold its commitments, leading those who depended on it to suffer.
  • Consequences of Misplaced Trust: For those who "leaned" on Egypt, the result was not stability but crippling injury ("rend all their shoulder," "madest all their loins to be at a stand"). This illustrates the severe repercussions of trusting in anything other than the Almighty.
  • God's Sovereignty: Ultimately, this prophecy underscores God's absolute control over nations and their destinies, demonstrating that even powerful empires like Egypt are subject to His will.

Linguistic Insights

The imagery of a "staff of reed" (Hebrew: mish'enet qaneh) in verse 6, which directly informs verse 7, is crucial. A reed is weak and brittle; if one leans on it for support, it will splinter and pierce the hand. The phrases "didst break, and rend all their shoulder" and "brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand" use strong verbs implying violent tearing and crippling. The "shoulder" and "loins" symbolize strength, support, and the ability to move, highlighting that Egypt's failure left its allies utterly incapacitated and unable to function.

Related Scriptures

This theme of Egypt as a broken reed is echoed powerfully in other prophetic books. For instance, Isaiah 36:6 states, "Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this bruised reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him." This parallel highlights a consistent divine warning against seeking help from unreliable human sources. Similarly, Jeremiah 2:36-37 speaks of Israel's shame in relying on Egypt. The broader biblical principle is beautifully summarized in Psalm 118:8-9: "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes."

Practical Application

For a modern audience, Ezekiel 29:7 serves as a timeless warning against placing ultimate trust in temporary, human-made solutions—whether they be political systems, financial security, personal connections, or even self-reliance—over the unchanging faithfulness of God. When we lean on things that are inherently weak or unreliable, they will inevitably fail us, often causing more harm than good. This verse encourages believers to examine where their true confidence lies and to remember that genuine and lasting support comes only from the Lord, who never breaks His promises or betrays those who lean on Him.

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.

  • Ezekiel 17:15

    But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such [things]? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?

  • Ezekiel 17:17

    Neither shall Pharaoh with [his] mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:

  • Isaiah 36:6

    Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so [is] Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.

  • Jeremiah 17:5

    ¶ Thus saith the LORD; Cursed [be] the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

  • Jeremiah 17:6

    For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, [in] a salt land and not inhabited.

  • Psalms 118:8

    [It is] better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

  • Psalms 118:9

    [It is] better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

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