TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Ezekiel 32:17–32. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
This prophecy concludes and completes the burden of Egypt, and leaves it and all its multitude in the pit of destruction.
I.We are here invited to attend the funeral of that once flourishing kingdom, to lament its fall, and to take a view of those who attend it to the grave and accompany it in the grave.
1.This dead corpse of a kingdom is here brought to the grave. The prophet is ordered to cast them down to the pit (Eze 32:18), to foretel their destruction as one that had authority, as Jeremiah was set over the kingdoms, Jer 1:10. He must speak in God's name, and as from him who will cast them down. Yet he must foretel it as one that had an affectionate concern for them; he must wail for the multitude of Egypt, even when he casts them down. When Egypt is slain, let her have an honourable funeral, befitting her quality; let her be buried with the daughters of the famous nations, in their burying-places and with the same ceremony. It is but a poor allay to the reproach and terror of death to be buried with those that were famous; yet this is all that is allowed to Egypt. Shall Egypt think to exempt herself from the common fate of proud and imperious nations? No; she must take her lot with them (Eze 32:19): "Whom dost thou surpass in beauty? Art thou so much fairer than any other nation that thou shouldst expect therefore to be excused? No; others as fair as thou have sunk into the pit; go down therefore, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised. Thou art like them and art likely to lie among them. The multitude of Egypt shall all fall in the midst of those that are slain with the sword, now that there is a general slaughter made among the nations." Egypt with the rest must drink of the bloody cup, and therefore she is delivered to the sword, to the sword of war (but, in God's hand, the sword of justice), is delivered to be publicly executed. Draw her and all her multitude; draw them either as the dead bodies of great men are drawn in honour to the grave, in a hearse, or as malefactors are drawn in disgrace to the place of execution, on a sledge; draw them to the pit, and let them be made a spectacle to the world.
2.This corpse of a kingdom is bid welcome to the grave, and Pharaoh is made free of the congregation of the dead, and admitted into their regions, not without some pomp and ceremony. As the surprising fall of the king of Babylon is thus illustrated, Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming, and to introduce thee into those mansions of darkness (Isa 14:9, etc.), so here (Eze 32:21), They shall speak to him out of the midst of hell, as it were congratulating his arrival and calling him to join with them in acknowledging that which neither he nor they would be brought to own when they were in their pomp and pride, that it is in vain to think of contesting with God, and none ever hardened their hearts against him and prospered. They shall say to him, and to those that pretended to help him, Where are you now? What have you brought your attempts to at last? Divers nations are here mentioned as gone down to the grave before Egypt that are ready to give her a scornful reception and upbraid her with coming to them at last. These nations here spoken of were probably such as had been of late years ruined and wasted by the king of Babylon, and their princes cut off; let Egypt know that she has neighbour's fare. When she goes to the grave she does but migrare ad plures - migrate to the majority; there are innumerable before her. But it is observable that though Judah and Jerusalem were just about this time, or a little before, utterly ruined and laid waste, yet they are not mentioned here among the nations that welcome Egypt to the pit; for though they suffered the same things that these nations suffered, and by the same hand, yet the kind intentions of their affliction, and its happy issue at last, and the mercy God had yet in reserve for them, altered the property of it; it was not to them a going down to the pit, as it was to the heathen; they were not smitten as others were, nor slain according to the slaughter of other nations, Isa 27:7. But let us see who those are that have gone to the grave before Egypt, that lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword, with whom she must now take up her lodging.
(1.)There lie the Assyrian empire, and all the princes and mighty men of that monarchy (Eze 32:22): Asshur is there and all her company, all the countries that were tributaries to and had dependence upon that crown. That mighty potentate who used to lie in state, with his guards and grandees about him, now lies in obscurity, with his graves about him and his soldiers in them, unable any longer to do him service or honour; they are all of them slain, fallen by the sword. The number of their months was cut off in the midst, and, being bloody and deceitful men, they were not suffered to live out half their days. Their braves were set in the sides of the pit, all in a row, like beds in a common chamber, Eze 32:23. All their company is such as were slain, fallen by the sword; a vast congregation there is of such, who had caused terror in the land of the living. But as the death of those to whom they were a terror put an end to their fears (in the grave the prisoners rest together and hear not the voice of the oppressor, Job 3:18), so the death of these mighty men puts an end to their terrors. Who is afraid of a dead lion? Note, Death will be a king of terrors to those who, instead of making themselves blessings, make themselves terrors, in their generation.
(2.)There lies the kingdom of Persia, which perhaps within the memory of man at that time had been wasted and brought down: There is Elam and all her multitude, the king of Elam and his numerous armies, Eze 32:24, Eze 32:25. They also had caused their terror in the land of the living, had made a fearful noise and bluster among the nations in their day. But Elam has now a grave by herself, and the graves of the common people round about her, fallen by the sword; she has her bed in the midst of the slain that went down uncircumcised, unsanctified, unholy, and not in covenant with God. They have borne their shame with those that go down to the pit; they have fallen under the common disgrace and mortification of mankind, that they die and are buried; nay, they die under particular marks of ignominy, which God and man put upon them. Note, Those who cause their terror shall, sooner or later, bear their shame, and be made a terror to themselves. The king of Elam is put in the midst of those that are slain. All the honour he can now pretend to is to be buried in the chief sepulchre.
(3.)There lies the Scythian power, which, about this time, was busy in the world. Meshech and Tubal, those barbarous northern nations, had lately made a descent upon the Medes, and caused their terror among them, lived among them upon free quarter for some years, making every thing their own that they could lay their hands on; but at length Cyaxares, king of the Medes, drew them by a wile into his power, but off abundance of them, and obliged them to quit his country, Eze 32:26. There lie Meshech and Tubal, and all their multitude; there is a burying place for them, with their chief commander in the midst of them, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword. These Scythians, dying ingloriously as they lived, are not laid, as the other nations spoken of before, in the bed of honour (Eze 32:27): They shall not lie with the mighty, shall not be buried in state, as those are, even by consent of the enemy, that are slain in the field of battle, that go down to their graves with their weapons of war carried before the hearse, or trailed after it, that have particularly their swords laid under their heads, as if they could sleep the sweeter in the grave when they laid their heads on such a pillow. These Scythians are not buried with these marks of honour, but their iniquities shall be upon their sons; they shall, for their iniquity, be left unburied, though they were the terror even of the mighty in the land of the living.
(4.)There lies the kingdom of Edom, which had flourished long, but about this time, at least before the destruction of Egypt, was made quite desolate, as was foretold, Eze 25:13. Among the sepulchres of the nations there is Edom, Eze 32:29. There lie, not dignified with monuments or inscriptions, but mingled with common dust, her kings and all her princes, her wise statesmen (which Edom was famous for), and her brave soldiers. These with their might are laid by those that were slain by the sword; their might could not prevent it, nay, their might helped to procure it, for that both encouraged them to engage in war and incensed their neighbours against them, who thought it necessary to curb their growing greatness. A great deal of pains they took to ruin themselves, as many do, who with their might, with all their might, are laid by those that were slain with the sword. The Edomites retained circumcision, being of the seed of Abraham. But that shall stand them in no stead; they shall lie with the uncircumcised.
(5.)There lie the princes of the north, and all the Zidonians. These were as well acquainted with maritime affairs as the Egyptians were, who relied much upon that part of their strength, but they have gone down with the slain (Eze 32:30), down to the pit. Now they are ashamed of their might, ashamed to think how much they boasted of it and trusted to it; and, as the Edomites with their might, so these with their terror, are laid with those that are slain by the sword and are forced to take their lot with them. They bear their shame with those that go down to the pit, die in as much disgrace as those that are cut off by the hand of public justice.
(6.)All this is applied to Pharaoh and the Egyptians, who have no reason to flatter themselves with hopes of tranquillity when they see how the wisest, and wealthiest, and strongest, of their neighbours have been laid waste (Eze 32:28): "Yea, thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised; when God is pulling down the unhumbled and unreformed nations thou must expect to come down with them." [1.] It will be some extenuation of the miseries of Egypt to observe that it has been the case of so many great and mighty nations before (Eze 32:31): Pharaoh shall see them and be comforted; it will be some ease to his mind that he is not the first king that has been slain in battle - his not the first army that has been routed, his not the first kingdom that has been made desolate. Mr. Greenhill observes here, "The comfort which wicked ones have after death is poor comfort, not real, but imaginary." They will find little satisfaction in having so many fellow-sufferers; the rich man in hell dreaded it. It is only in point of honour that Pharaoh can see and be comforted. [2.] But nothing will be an exemption from these miseries; for (Eze 32:32) I have caused my terror in the land of the living. Great men have caused their terror, have studied how to make every body fear them. Oderint dum metuant - Let them hate, so that they do but fear. But now the great God has caused his terror in the land of the living; and therefore he laughs at theirs, because he sees that his day is coming, Psa 37:13. In this day of terror Pharaoh and all his multitude shall be laid with those that are slain by the sword.
II.The view which this prophecy gives us of ruined states may show us something,
1.Of this present world, and the empire of death in it. Come, and see the calamitous state of human life; see what a dying world this is. The strong die, the mighty die, Pharaoh and all his multitude. See what a killing world this is. They are all slain with the sword. As if men did not die fast enough of themselves, men are ingenious at finding out ways to destroy one another. It is not only a great pit, but a great cock-pit.
2.Of the other world. Though it is the destruction of nations as such that perhaps is principally intended here, yet here is a plain allusion to the final and everlasting ruin of impenitent sinners, of those that are uncircumcised in heart; they are slain by the sword of divine justice; their iniquity is upon them, and with it they bear their shame. Those, Christ's enemies, that would not have him to reign over them, shall be brought forth and slain before him, though they be as pompous, though they be as numerous, as Pharaoh and all his multitude.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
(Verse 35, 36, and following) And I will bring you into a desert of peoples, and there I will judge you face to face. Just as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, says the Lord. And I will subject you to my scepter, and I will bring you into the bonds of the covenant, and I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked: from their place of residence I will bring them out, and they will not enter the land of Israel, and you will know that I am the Lord. Thus says the Lord: I will do for you who are in Babylon, and now serve idols, what I did for your ancestors in Egypt. I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face, just as I contended with them in judgment when they came out of Egypt. And after I have judged you, I will subject you to my scepter and rule, and I will make a covenant with you and bring you into your land with the bonds of love, so that bound by my love, you will never be able to depart from me. But I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked, who persist in the hardness of their hearts in evil deeds, not for possession, but for rejection. And I will indeed bring them out of the land of their dwelling, so that when they are brought out, they will not enter the land of Israel; but they will perish in various regions. And by the distinction between good and evil, you shall know that I am the Lord, who judges all things. The rest of the discourse hastens, and we briefly go through each point, in order to provide only the meaning to the readers.
(Verse 17 onwards) 'And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying: Son of man, mourn for the multitude of Egypt, and bring her down, even her and the daughters of the mighty nations, unto the nether parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit. Wherein art thou fairer than any woman? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised. Among them that are slain with the sword, they shall fall: the sword is given: draw her and all her multitudes.' The most powerful of the strong ones from the middle of the underworld will speak to him, who descended with his helpers (or his own) and slept with the uncircumcised and those killed by the sword. There Assur and all his multitude, around his tomb, all the slain and those who fell by the sword, whose tombs were given in the furthest depths, and his multitude became a circle around his tomb, all the slain and fallen by the sword who once caused fear in the land of the living. There Aela and all his multitude around his tomb: all these were killed and fell by the sword, who came down uncircumcised to the nethermost parts of the earth: who caused their terror in the land of the living, and bore their shame with those who descend into the pit. In the midst of the slayers his bed was set in all his people: his tomb is round about him. All these uncircumcised, slain by the sword. For they had (Vulgate: they had given) their terror on the land of the living, and they carried their disgrace with those who descend into the pit; they were placed in the midst of the slain. There are Mosoch and Thubal, and all his multitude, around his grave. All these are uncircumcised, and fallen by the sword, who had given their terror on the land of the living. And they shall not sleep with the mighty, and with the fallen, and with the uncircumcised, who have descended to the underworld with their weapons, and have placed their swords under their heads; and their iniquities shall be upon their bones, because they have become terror among the land of the living. And so you will be crushed among the uncircumcised, and you will sleep with the slain by the sword. There Edom and its kings, and all its princes who have been given with their armies, are laid with the slain by the sword, and they sleep with the uncircumcised, and with those who descend into the pit. There are all the princes of the north, and all the Sidonians, who have gone down with the slain; they are ashamed and confounded because of their strength; they sleep uncircumcised with the slain by the sword, and bear their shame with those who descend into the pit. Pharaoh saw them and consoled himself over his entire multitude, which was killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his army, says the Lord God. For I have given (or I have caused) my terror in the land of the living, and he slept among the uncircumcised with those killed by the sword, Pharaoh and all his multitude, says the Lord God.» This passage differs greatly in the Septuagint edition, both in order and translation, and some additions from Theodotion are included in it. Where it was necessary, we also included the text itself, not sparing in length and serving the diligence of the eager reader.
70. And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth month: the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, lament over the multitude of Egypt, and bring down her daughters to the nations of the dead in the depths of the earth, to those who descend into the pit (Moreover, under the asterisks it is added: + Descend from the most beautiful water; + and sleep with the uncircumcised ** Again it follows in order): In the midst of the slain by the sword they shall fall with him, and all his strength shall sleep, and the giants shall say to you, descend, you who are better, descend, and sleep with the uncircumcised in the midst of the slain by the sword. There Asshur, and all his congregation. (And that which follows: * There all the wounded were given, * and his grave in the depths of the pit, * and his congregation is not found in Hebrew, but was added by the Seventy. Again it is said): Around his tomb all the wounded who had fallen by the sword. (And again from Theodotion's Edition it is added under asterisks: + Those who gave his tombs on the sides of the lake; + and his congregation was made around his tomb. + All these wounded and falling by the sword. After these things the Seventy placed): Those who gave their fear in the land of the living. There Aelam, and all his strength, are around his tomb, all wounded, and falling by the sword: and those who descend uncircumcised into the depths of the earth, who brought their terror upon the land of the living, and received their torment with those who descended into the pit among the wounded. There Mosoch and Thubal were given, and all their strength around his tomb, all his wounded, all uncircumcised and wounded by the sword, who brought their terror upon the land of the living, and did not sleep with the giants who fell from eternity: who descended to hell with the weapons they used in battle, and placed their swords under their heads, and their iniquities became part of their bones, for they terrified the giants in their lifetime. And you will be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, and you will lie with those who are slain by the sword. There Edom and its kings, and all the princes of Assyria, who gave strength to it, lie with the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword; they lie with those who go down to the pit. There are all the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Sidonians, who have gone down with the slain; in shame they lie uncircumcised with those who are slain by the sword, and bear their disgrace with those who go down to the pit. Pharaoh will see them and will find comfort in all their strength: Pharaoh wounded by the sword, and all his strength, says the Lord God. Because I have put his fear upon the land of the living, and he will sleep in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those who are wounded by the sword, Pharaoh and all his multitude, says the Lord God. I am not unaware that such a discrepancy between two editions will be displeasing to the delicate reader. But what can I do about my slanderers, who, if I subtract anything from the translation of the Septuagint interpreters, accuse me of sacrilege and shout without fear of the Lord, especially since they disagree with the truth of faith and follow the errors of the Manichaeans, stirring up the souls of the unlearned by pointing out anything that may have changed in ancient customs, desiring to err willingly rather than learn anything true from a rival. And meanwhile, according to the story, the meaning is clear. For in that same twelfth year, and in the same, as we think, month, but not on the same day as above, but on the fifteenth day, not against Pharaoh, but against the strength or multitude of Egypt, a lamentation is taken up, which is taken away from its pride with all its daughters, or with the strong nations to the farthest land, that is, to the depths of hell, and it is said to the king of Egypt: How much better are you, that you deserve to escape death? For when Assur, and Elam, that is, the Persians, and Mosoch, who are called Cappadocians, and Thubal, whom some understand to be Iberians, others Italians: also the Edomites, and the rulers of the North, and the Sidonians with all their armies, who by their aid have struck horror into all nations, are dead, and have been slain by the sword, and have placed their swords under their heads, which expression must be understood emphatically, will you alone be able to endure the same? But rather, when you see such a great multitude of sleeping souls with you in the underworld, and your tomb surrounded by the memories of once mighty princes, you will find comfort, considering the lighter torments to be of less consequence in the company of many. For now, let it suffice to have expressed these things briefly according to the simple meaning. Now, let us, with the same brevity as the difficulty of explanation allows, delve into spiritual understanding and the highest wisdom. Above, on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to the Prophet. But in the first of these [months], that is, on the Kalends, the beginning of the month is: on the fifteenth, when the whole orb of the moon is filled, and if it is the first month, it is the first day of unleavened bread; but if it is the seventh, it is the day of setting up the booths (which are the greatest of the solemnities among the Hebrews). Indeed, there is mourning over the strength of Egypt, so that it ceases to be strong in evil: and it receives weakness, and when it is weaker, then it becomes stronger. For the fortitude of Egypt, in Hebrew it has multitude. For wide and spacious is the road that leads to death, and many enter through it (Matthew VII, 13): as it is said to Israel on the contrary: But you are few among all nations (Deuteronomy XXVIII): for virtue is always rare, and the path that leads to life is narrow and confined, and few are those who enter through it. But what is mourned for Egypt, and her dead daughters, according to the Septuagint, or strong nations are led to the farthest land in the lake, or in the deepest pit, the souls dwelling in Egypt of this age are signified, who have lost him who says: I am the life (John XIV, 6): and dead from sins, they are dragged down to the underworld by the weight of their sins, as the sinner says: For my iniquities have gone over my head, and like a heavy burden they have pressed heavily upon me (Psalm XXXVII, 5). These are the things about which it is written in another place: They will go down into the depths of the earth, they will be handed over into the hands of the sword, they will become the prey of foxes (Ps. LXII, 10). For he who digs a pit will fall into it (Eccli. XXVII, 29; Ps. VII, 16). And so we also read: He opened a pit and dug it, and fell into the hole he made. And what follows: How beautiful you are, descend and sleep with the uncircumcised, is properly addressed to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, or as it is added in the Septuagint from Theodotion, to Egypt itself: Descend from the most beautiful water, and sleep with the uncircumcised. What specifically pertains to him, who is reborn in the baptism of Christ, and hearing with the Church: Who is this that ascends, leaning upon her brother (Song of Solomon, 8:5)? Afterwards, either through fornication or other filthy sins, he is cast out of the Church, and it is said to him: Come down from the most beautiful water, and sleep with the uncircumcised, that is, with the unclean, according to that sense which the Apostle establishes: We are the circumcision (Philippians 3:3), who serve in the spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Hi all in the midst of the wounded, or slain, shall fall with Pharaoh, by that sword which the Lord is coming to send upon the earth. For as the sword of Christ separates the good from the evil, saying: I came not to send peace upon earth, but the sword (Matth. X, 34): so the sword of heretics cuts off ((Al. slaughters)) all peoples, and leads the wounded down to hell. These are very powerful and rebellious giants, who raise their mouth high and the more they exalt themselves in pride, the more they are brought down to the depths of the pit and to the very last part of the inferno, all of whom have been killed by the sword. And so that Pharao or all the strength of Egypt might know, which was dragged down to the infernal, which allies he had in punishments, the following speech demonstrates: There Assyria, and all his multitude, or his assembly. For the prince of heretics is the devil, whose true assembly is a synagoga, of which it is said in the Apocalypse: But Synagogas of Satan (Apoc. II, 9). But I think the following verses, which are marked with an obelus, should be passed over, and it should be said what is contained in the Hebrew: In their circuit, their tombs, namely of those deceived by him. All who were wounded or killed by the sword, and therefore fell, their tombs are given in the depths of the lake. But that the lake is called Infernus is clearly shown by that Psalm in which the penitent speaks: I am likened to those who descend into the lake (Psalm 27:1). We should by no means understand it as the Latin word for lake, which in Greek is called λίμνη, as in the Lake of Tiberias, Lake Como, and Lake Benacus, and many others, but those which we do not usually call cisterns. The Scripture testifies that sinners and all heretics dig up the lakes, because they cool the waters and take away all heat, and as far as my memory serves me, no saint has dug up a lake, that is, a cistern. But all sinners, including King Uzziah who had leprosy and fell by his own pride, about whom it is written that he was a man lying in the works of the earth, and built many towers of pride in the corners, and dug up lakes (2 Chronicles 26). On the contrary, it is said: Drink water from your own vessels, and from your own fountains (Prov. V, 15). And again: Let your fountain be your own. Therefore the Lord speaks: They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug up cisterns, which can hold no water (Jer. III, 13). It follows: And her multitude has become all around her grave. All these surround Assyria, and there is a great multitude of them, who are all wounded and slain, and falling by the sword. For none of them can withstand Moses, nor can they hear: You who stand in the house of the Lord (Psalm 134:2); but all were wounded and killed, and those who once struck fear into the hearts of the living, now fear those who were entrusted with the Churches, lest they make the people of the living into the people of the dead, and deceive even the innocent. Hence Paul also said: But I fear that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3). But here this fear is mitigated by the hope of the Lord, as Ecclesiasticus says: The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life, from whom shall I tremble? (Psalm 26:1-2). After this it is said: There is Aelam (or Assyria) and all its multitude around his tomb, undoubtedly the Assyrians. Aelam is translated into our language as their ascent. For all those who, despising the humility of Christ, have embraced the pride of the devil and consider themselves to be something in the knowledge of a false name, are to be called Aelamites, who surround the king's tomb of the Assyrians and are killed and wounded with the sword. And although they may set their mouth on high, yet they descended unclean and uncircumcised to the uttermost parts of the earth, so that the higher they were exalted, the more forcibly they fell. These have set their terror not once, but a second time in the land of the living. For who among the Church is secure from the terror of these Alemites, and has not lost someone from his flock? And indeed the Church of Christ is aptly called the land of the living, so that the assemblies of heretics may be thought of as the land of the dead in contrast. And they carried, he says, the disgrace and torment with them into the lake, and into the depths of hell: their resting place is in the midst of the slain, namely those whom they have cut down with their sword, and they are surrounded by such peoples. These peoples are the peoples of the Assyrian king, and although they boast of being circumcised: nevertheless they were uncircumcised and were killed by the sword, and for the third time they have given terror and fear to the land of the living. Where they brought their torment and punishment in their midst, those whom they deceived with their frauds. There also, that is, near Assyria, are Mosoch and Thubal, and all his multitude around his tomb: all uncircumcised and slain, falling by the sword, who had put their fear in the land of the living. For Mosoch and Thubal, Symmachus and Theodotius interpreted their abode, so as to show the dwelling places of heretics, rather eternal pits, to be the punishments of the Assyrian king. Masochism is interpreted as madness: Thubal, conversion, not from evil to good, but from good to evil; or it can be understood as a universal madness that causes all heretics to go insane and intentionally turn towards worse things. (Romans 12). It is not surprising that they are insane and prone to evil, as they are allies of the Egyptian king who rejoices in numbers. All of these have been killed by the sword, those who had instilled fear, not once, not twice, but three times among the living, as we have mentioned before. It follows: And they do not sleep with the strong, or with the fallen giants, and not with the uncircumcised, who descended to the underworld with their weapons; and they placed their swords under their heads; and their wickedness was in their bones; for the terror of the strong was made in the land of the living. These, he says, who had been the leaders of the heretics, have reached such a pinnacle of evil and torment that they do not deserve to suffer similar punishments even with the strong and giants, who fell from the beginning. Who, in no way repenting of their own error, descended into the underworld with their weapons, rebelling against God and His Church; carrying weapons with them, of which it is written: The teeth of the sons of men are their weapons and arrows (Psalms 56:5); and they placed, it is said, their swords under their heads, resting in their minds to destroy; and embracing the darts of their judgments as the highest victory; to the extent that their iniquities were in their bones, that is, possessing the strongest inventions and doctrines of their own error. Because the strong became terrified in their lives, both in the land of the living. This is said in the fourth (section), that the strongest, those who had knowledge of the Scriptures, and those who were from the region of the living, would be terrified by their wickedness, as they descend to hell with their weapons, and they place their swords under their heads, and their iniquities reach even to their bones. After this, it is written: And so you will crush (them) in the midst of the uncircumcised ones (Rom. XVI, 20), which is said either to Pharaoh, or to the strength, or to the multitude of Egypt, and that she herself may be crushed, according to what is written: But may God quickly crush Satan under your feet. And you shall sleep, he says, with those killed by the sword, in eternal sleep. There, with the Assyrian and with the Egyptian multitude, there will be Idumea and its kings, all who served earthly works or delighted in bloodshed. For indeed Idumea sounds earthy and bloody. All the kings and all the rulers of whom the Apostle often speaks (Phil. III), who were devoted to earthly works and daily shed the blood of those whom they deceived with their deceit, slept with the uncircumcised and unclean, and with those who descended into the pit, of whom we have spoken above. In that very county they will be, and the princes of the North, from whom evil is kindled upon the earth. And by whom, either in Jeremiah (Jer. 1) or in this same prophet (Above XXII), that pot full of flesh and bones is kindled. And not only the princes of the North, but all the rulers of Assyria, for which in Hebrew it is more accurately stated, all the Sidonians, whom we translate as hunters, according to what is written: Our soul is like a bird escaped from the snare of the hunters (Ps. 123:7), for which in Hebrew it is stated, the Sidonians. Those from Sidon, or hunters, who will be led trembling to the underworld, once relying on their own strength, will sleep impure, and will carry their own confusion or torment, having the everlasting remorse of a guilty conscience, so that their fire may not be extinguished (Isaiah 66), and their worm may not die (Mark 9). When Pharaoh sees all of them, he will be comforted, either still possessing his former malice and seeing many partners in his punishment, or certainly he was comforted, seeing them also being confounded in their torments and terrors over his entire multitude that was killed by the sword, namely of Pharaoh, or of all his allies, especially the king of Assyria, and Meeshech and Tubal and the Edomites, and the princes of the north, and the Sidonians. For they had instilled their terror in the land of the living. And it is said in the fifth place, that we should beware and flee from all nations of this kind, which have deceived us in all senses and are known to be dreadful, and can only be avoided if we guard our hearts with all diligence. He slept, it is said, and Pharaoh himself along with his allies were slain by the sword. His allies, a multitude, went along a wide and spacious path to eternal punishments.
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Summary
Ezekiel 32:21 powerfully depicts the ignominious descent of the once-formidable Egyptian host into Sheol, the common realm of the dead, where they are met by other fallen, powerful nations. This verse, embedded within a prophetic lament, starkly underscores the ultimate futility of earthly strength and pride in the face of divine judgment, portraying Egypt's once-feared warriors as "uncircumcised" and "slain by the sword," stripped of their glory and relegated to the same dishonorable fate as other defeated foes who defied God.
Context
Literary Context
Ezekiel 32:21 is situated within the second of two laments against Pharaoh and Egypt in chapter 32, specifically from verses 17-32. The preceding lament (verses 1-16) metaphorically portrays Pharaoh as a great sea monster, a "dragon in the seas" Ezekiel 32:2, whom God captures and casts out, symbolizing Egypt's catastrophic downfall and the scattering of its people. The second lament, beginning in verse 17, shifts the imagery to a vivid descent into the underworld, Sheol. Here, Egypt is not merely defeated but consigned to the "pit" Ezekiel 32:18, joining a grim assembly of other ungodly, fallen nations like Assyria, Elam, Meshech, Tubal, Edom, and Sidon. This particular verse focuses on the chilling reception Egypt receives from these already-damned powers, emphasizing their shared fate as those "slain by the sword" Ezekiel 32:20. The cumulative effect of these laments is to dismantle any lingering hope in Egypt's power and to magnify God's absolute sovereignty over all earthly kingdoms.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecies of Ezekiel against Egypt were delivered during the tumultuous period of Judah's exile in Babylon, specifically around 585 BC, in the twelfth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity. At this time, Egypt, though a declining empire, still held significant regional influence and was often viewed by the remaining Judeans as a potential military ally against the dominant Babylonian power. Ezekiel's prophecies aimed to disabuse the exiles of any false hope in Egyptian strength, asserting Yahweh's supreme authority over all nations and their destinies. Culturally, the concept of Sheol as the common abode of the dead was prevalent in ancient Near Eastern thought, though its precise nature varied across cultures. For the Israelites, Sheol was a shadowy realm from which there was no return (apart from divine intervention), a place where the dead existed in a state of diminished consciousness. The profound shame associated with being "uncircumcised" in the Israelite worldview was deeply rooted in the Abrahamic covenant, where circumcision was the physical sign of belonging to God's chosen people Genesis 17:11. To be uncircumcised implied being outside this covenant, often signifying spiritual impurity, alienation from God, and a dishonorable status, especially in death.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Ezekiel and the broader prophetic literature. Foremost is the theme of Divine Judgment and Sovereignty, demonstrating unequivocally that no earthly power, no matter how formidable or proud, can escape God's ultimate decree and judgment. Egypt's catastrophic fall serves as a stark warning, reinforcing the biblical truth that "the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes" Daniel 4:17. Another crucial theme is the Futility of Earthly Power and Pride. The once-mighty Egyptian warriors, renowned for their military prowess, are reduced to the same ignominious state as other defeated nations in death, stripped of their glory and power. This highlights the ephemeral nature of human strength and the ultimate vanity of reliance on worldly might. Finally, the imagery of the "uncircumcised" powerfully underscores the theme of Covenant and Distinction. It emphasizes the spiritual separation and disgrace of those outside God's covenant, contrasting sharply with the spiritual identity and hope of God's chosen people. This distinction, while physical in the Old Testament, finds its profound reinterpretation in the New Testament as a spiritual "circumcision of the heart" Romans 2:29, signifying true belonging to God's people through faith.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word, often translated as "God" or "god," here signifies inherent power, might, or strength. In this context, it refers to the powerful leaders or deities of other nations already in Sheol, indicating their former earthly might, now rendered utterly impotent in death. It emphasizes the paradox of their former strength contrasted with their current state of powerlessness.
This term refers to Sheol, the underworld or realm of the dead. It is depicted as a subterranean retreat, the common grave for all humanity, where the departed reside in a shadowy existence. The KJV's translation as "hell" should be understood in its older sense of the grave or underworld, the destination of all the dead, rather than necessarily a place of eternal conscious torment as understood in later theological developments. Here, it signifies the finality of physical death and the cessation of earthly power and glory.
This term literally means "uncircumcised," referring to those who have not undergone the ritual of circumcision. In the Israelite worldview, it signifies being outside the covenant of Abraham, a gentile, and in a broader sense, spiritually alienated from God and His promises. In this context, it marks the Egyptians as ritually impure and outside God's favor, destined for an ignominious end alongside other pagan nations who opposed God.
This word specifically means "pierced" or "wounded unto death," often implying a violent, ignoble death, particularly in battle. It emphasizes that the end of the Egyptians was not peaceful or honorable but a direct result of military defeat and divine judgment, a consequence of their pride and opposition to God's purposes.
Verse Breakdown
"The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him:"
This clause sets a chilling scene in Sheol, the underworld. It describes the grim reception of the newly arrived Egyptian dead by those who are already there – the leaders and warriors of other powerful, fallen nations and their allies. The "strong among the mighty" refers to these previously defeated powers, who now, from their diminished state, acknowledge the arrival of Egypt's once-feared host. The act of "speaking" implies a grim welcome, a recognition of shared fate, or perhaps even a taunt from those who once held earthly power but are now equally diminished and consigned to the same fate. It underscores the universal leveling effect of death and divine judgment.
"they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword."
This second clause describes the state and fate of the Egyptian dead. "They are gone down" explicitly refers to their descent into Sheol, emphasizing the finality and inescapability of their demise. "They lie uncircumcised" highlights their status as gentiles, outside God's covenant, and thus subject to a dishonorable end. This contrasts sharply with the hope of resurrection and honorable burial sometimes associated with covenant people. The phrase "slain by the sword" specifies the violent and ignoble manner of their death, emphasizing that their end was not peaceful but a direct consequence of military defeat and divine judgment, a just retribution for their pride and opposition to God.
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 32:21 is rich in evocative Imagery, painting a vivid and chilling picture of the underworld. The phrase "midst of hell" (Sheol) conjures an immediate sense of a dark, subterranean realm, a collective grave, while "strong among the mighty" evokes the image of powerful, yet now utterly powerless, fallen rulers and warriors. The Personification of the dead "speaking" to the newly arrived Egyptians gives the underworld a dynamic, almost sentient quality, implying a grim recognition or even a mocking welcome from the condemned. The repeated emphasis on being "slain by the sword" serves as a stark Metonymy for violent death, military defeat, and divine retribution, while "uncircumcised" functions as a powerful Symbol of spiritual alienation, ritual impurity, and dishonor in the Israelite worldview. The entire passage, being part of a larger funeral dirge, employs the literary form of a Lament, but here it is used ironically to mourn and simultaneously mock the fallen pride and ultimate demise of Egypt.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Ezekiel 32:21 profoundly illustrates the biblical truth of God's absolute sovereignty over all nations and the ultimate futility of human pride and strength apart from Him. It serves as a stark reminder that earthly power, military might, and national glory are fleeting and subject to divine judgment. The ignominious descent into Sheol, particularly for the "uncircumcised," underscores the spiritual consequences of being outside God's covenant, highlighting a state of disgrace and separation even in death. This passage reinforces the prophetic message that true security and lasting hope are found not in worldly alliances or self-reliance, but in humble submission to the Lord, who alone "brings princes to naught and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing" Isaiah 40:23. It is a powerful testament to the fact that all earthly glory is but dust before the eternal King.
Reflection and Application
Ezekiel 32:21 challenges us to critically examine where we place our trust and derive our sense of security and significance. In a world that often glorifies power, wealth, and worldly achievements, this verse serves as a sobering counter-narrative, reminding us that all human endeavors and earthly might are ultimately temporary and subject to God's sovereign will. It compels us to consider our spiritual standing before God, recognizing that true honor and lasting destiny are not determined by our worldly status or accomplishments, but by our relationship with the Creator. This passage calls us to cultivate humility, to seek righteousness, and to place our ultimate hope in the eternal rather than the temporal, understanding that "it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment" Hebrews 9:27. It is a profound call to re-evaluate our priorities, ensuring that our lives are built on the unshakeable foundation of God's covenant grace rather than the shifting sands of human strength and pride.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is "hell" in Ezekiel 32:21, and how does it relate to modern understandings?
In Ezekiel 32:21, the King James Version translates the Hebrew word shᵉʼôwl (H7585) as "hell." However, in this context, shᵉʼôwl refers to Sheol, which is the common grave or the underworld, the realm of the dead. It is depicted as a shadowy, subterranean place where all the deceased, regardless of their righteousness, go. It is not necessarily a place of eternal conscious torment as "hell" is often understood in later theological developments (e.g., Gehenna in the New Testament). Here, it primarily signifies the finality of physical death and the cessation of earthly power and glory, where even the mightiest are stripped of their status and lie alongside other fallen nations. This concept is consistent with Old Testament portrayals of the dead, such as the gathering of kings in Isaiah 14:9-11.
Why is it significant that the Egyptians are described as "uncircumcised"?
The description of the Egyptians as "uncircumcised" (ʻârêl, H6189) is highly significant from an Israelite perspective. Circumcision was the physical sign of the covenant God made with Abraham and his descendants Genesis 17:10-14. To be uncircumcised meant to be outside this covenant, a gentile, and often implied a state of spiritual impurity, alienation from God, and disgrace. In Ezekiel 32:21, this status emphasizes that despite their earthly might, the Egyptians were not God's covenant people and thus shared the ignominious fate of other pagan nations who opposed God, dying a violent death and descending to Sheol without the honor or hope associated with God's chosen. This distinction highlights the spiritual separation between those in covenant with God and those outside of it, underscoring the spiritual consequences of rejecting or being outside of God's covenant relationship.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Ezekiel 32:21 vividly portrays the grim reality of death and judgment for the uncircumcised and ungodly nations, its ultimate fulfillment and profound reversal are found in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The "hell" (Sheol) that swallowed up the mighty of Egypt and other proud nations is ultimately conquered by Christ, who "descended into the lower parts of the earth" Ephesians 4:9 and emerged victorious from the grave, holding "the keys of Death and Hades" Revelation 1:18. The shame of being "uncircumcised" in the Old Testament, signifying alienation from God's covenant and a dishonorable end, is spiritually transformed in the New Covenant. Through faith in Christ, believers undergo a "circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ" Colossians 2:11. This spiritual circumcision means that through Christ's atoning death and glorious resurrection, those who were once "alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world" Ephesians 2:12 are now "brought near by the blood of Christ" Ephesians 2:13. Thus, the ignominious end of the uncircumcised in Sheol is dramatically contrasted with the glorious hope of resurrection and eternal life offered to all who are spiritually circumcised in Christ, who has triumphed over death and the grave, offering a new covenant of grace and a destiny far beyond the reach of Sheol's power.