Ezekiel 32:19

Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.

Whom dost thou pass in beauty {H5276}? go down {H3381}, and be thou laid {H7901} with the uncircumcised {H6189}.

Are you more beautiful than the others? Go down, lie with the uncircumcised dead!

Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be placed with the uncircumcised!

Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.

Commentary

Ezekiel 32:19 is a stark prophetic declaration within a lament concerning the impending judgment of Egypt and its powerful pharaoh. It vividly portrays the dramatic fall of a nation that once boasted of its immense strength and splendor, now destined for a humiliating end.

Context

This verse is part of a series of oracles (Ezekiel 29-32) delivered by the prophet Ezekiel against Egypt, a dominant regional power in the ancient Near East. Pharaoh, often depicted as a mighty cedar (Ezekiel 31:3) or a fearsome sea monster (leviathan), represented the epitome of earthly might and pride. God's judgment here is a direct response to Egypt's arrogance and its failure to acknowledge divine sovereignty. The prophet uses the form of a funeral dirge, preparing the world for the demise of this proud nation.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Sovereignty: The verse underscores God's absolute control over all nations, demonstrating that no earthly power, however mighty or "beautiful" (splendid), can escape His ultimate judgment.
  • Humiliation of Pride: The rhetorical question, "Whom dost thou pass in beauty?", highlights Egypt's former glory and self-perception, only to be immediately contrasted with its impending disgrace. This shows how pride goes before destruction.
  • Dishonorable End: To "go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised" signifies a deeply shameful and contemptible end for Egypt. Unlike the covenant people who practiced circumcision as a sign of their relationship with God, being buried among the "uncircumcised" meant being relegated to the status of unclean, foreign, and godless nations in the grave (Sheol), deprived of any honor or special standing.

Linguistic Insights

The term "uncircumcised" (Hebrew: arelim) carries profound significance from an Israelite perspective. Circumcision was the covenant sign given to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 17:10), distinguishing Israel from the surrounding nations. To be "uncircumcised" was not merely a physical description but a spiritual and cultural indictment, signifying those outside the covenant, considered ritually unclean and alienated from God. Thus, Egypt's fate of being "laid with the uncircumcised" emphasized the utter degradation and loss of its perceived superior status.

Significance and Application

Ezekiel 32:19 serves as a timeless warning against the dangers of national or personal pride and self-reliance. It reminds us that:

  • Earthly Power is Fleeting: All human achievements, strength, and glory are temporary and can be swiftly brought low by divine decree.
  • God's Justice Prevails: No nation or individual is exempt from God's righteous judgment, especially when marked by arrogance and opposition to His will.
  • Spiritual Standing Matters More: The verse highlights the profound difference between worldly status and one's standing before God. True honor and security come not from earthly "beauty" or might, but from a right relationship with the Creator.

This prophecy encourages humility and a recognition of God's ultimate authority over all of creation and its inhabitants.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Ezekiel 32:29

    There [is] Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with their might are laid by [them that were] slain by the sword: they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with them that go down to the pit.

  • Ezekiel 32:30

    There [be] the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain; with their terror they are ashamed of their might; and they lie uncircumcised with [them that be] slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit.

  • Ezekiel 31:18

    To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with [them that be] slain by the sword. This [is] Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD.

  • Jeremiah 9:25

    Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all [them which are] circumcised with the uncircumcised;

  • Jeremiah 9:26

    Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all [that are] in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all [these] nations [are] uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel [are] uncircumcised in the heart.

  • Ezekiel 32:21

    The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.

  • Ezekiel 32:24

    There [is] Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit.
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