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Ezekiel 29

Ezekiel 29 contains a prophecy against Egypt and its ruler, Pharaoh. God speaks through Ezekiel, condemning Pharaoh for his pride and declaring Egypt's impending downfall at the hands of Babylon. The chapter emphasizes God’s sovereignty over nations and leaders, showing how He uses one nation to discipline another. The prophecy serves as a reminder that human pride and reliance on earthly power ultimately fail in the face of God’s authority.

Ezekiel 29:1-3 (NKJV)
1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2 “Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt.
3 Speak, and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster who lies in the midst of his rivers, who has said, ‘My River is my own; I have made it for myself.’”

God addresses Ezekiel directly, instructing him to confront Pharaoh and the entire nation of Egypt. Pharaoh is likened to a great monster in the Nile, representing Egypt’s pride and self-sufficiency. By claiming ownership over the Nile, Pharaoh exhibits a prideful heart, disregarding God as the true source of power. This claim of self-made power sets the stage for God’s judgment.

Ezekiel 29:4-6 (NKJV)
4 But I will put hooks in your jaws, and cause the fish of your rivers to stick to your scales; I will bring you up out of the midst of your rivers, and all the fish in your rivers will stick to your scales.
5 I will leave you in the wilderness, you and all the fish of your rivers; you shall fall on the open field; you shall not be picked up or gathered. I have given you as food to the beasts of the field and to the birds of the heavens.
6 Then all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.

God describes Egypt’s punishment using vivid imagery, envisioning Pharaoh as a fish pulled from the water, exposed and vulnerable. Egypt, like a useless reed, offered false support to Israel, which led to its downfall. Through this judgment, Egypt’s power will be broken, and its people will come to understand the sovereignty of the Lord, recognizing His authority over all nations.

Ezekiel 29:7-9 (NKJV)
7 When they took hold of you with the hand, you broke and tore all their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and made all their backs quiver.
8 Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Surely I will bring a sword upon you and cut off from you man and beast.
9 And the land of Egypt shall become desolate and waste; then they will know that I am the Lord, because he said, “The River is mine, and I have made it.”

God recounts how Egypt’s supposed support for Israel only resulted in harm. Egypt’s inability to provide reliable aid signifies the futility of alliances based on human pride. Now, as a consequence, Egypt will face devastation, suffering under the sword that brings destruction and emptiness to the land. Pharaoh’s claim of creating the Nile underscores his arrogance, which ultimately invites God’s wrath.

Ezekiel 29:10-12 (NKJV)
10 Indeed, therefore, I am against you and against your rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border of Ethiopia.
11 Neither foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast pass through it, and it shall be uninhabited forty years.
12 I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate; and among the cities that are laid waste, her cities shall be desolate forty years; and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries.”

God warns that Egypt will suffer an extended period of desolation. From Migdol to Syene, the entire land will experience a barren existence, devoid of life, for forty years. This judgment emphasizes the completeness of Egypt’s fall, illustrating a reversal of its former glory. The scattering of the Egyptian people across different lands signifies the dispersion of their influence and the dismantling of their unity as a nation.

Ezekiel 29:13-16 (NKJV)
13 ‘Yet, thus says the Lord God: “At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples among whom they were scattered.
14 I will bring back the captives of Egypt and cause them to return to the land of Pathros, to the land of their origin, and there they shall be a lowly kingdom.
15 It shall be the lowliest of kingdoms; it shall never again exalt itself above the nations, for I will diminish them so that they will not rule over the nations anymore.
16 No longer shall it be the confidence of the house of Israel, but will remind them of their iniquity when they turned to follow them. Then they shall know that I am the Lord God.”’”

After forty years, God promises to restore Egypt, but only as a humble and weakened kingdom. Egypt will no longer hold power or authority over other nations, a permanent reduction of its status. This diminished state will serve as a reminder to Israel of the dangers of trusting in human alliances instead of in God. Egypt’s future humility reinforces the theme of God’s sovereignty and His ability to lift or humble any nation.

Ezekiel 29:17-20 (NKJV)
17 And it came to pass in the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
18 “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to labor strenuously against Tyre; every head was made bald, and every shoulder rubbed raw; yet neither he nor his army received wages from Tyre for the labor which they expended on it.
19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Surely I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; he shall take away her wealth, carry off her spoil, and remove her pillage; and that will be the wages for his army.
20 I have given him the land of Egypt for his labor, because they worked for Me,’ says the Lord God.

God acknowledges the hardships Nebuchadnezzar endured in his conquest of Tyre, which yielded little gain. To reward his efforts, God grants him Egypt as compensation. This shift of Egypt into Babylon’s hands underlines how God uses rulers for His purposes, granting or taking lands according to His will. The passage underscores the theme of divine sovereignty, with God orchestrating history for His ends, using powerful nations as instruments of His judgment.

Ezekiel 29:21 (NKJV)
21 “In that day I will cause the horn of the house of Israel to spring forth, and I will open your mouth to speak in their midst. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.”

This concluding verse promises restoration for Israel, symbolized by the “horn” as a sign of strength and revival. God assures Ezekiel that He will restore Israel’s dignity and power, setting the nation apart once more. Through this, both Israel and the surrounding nations will recognize God’s sovereignty and His enduring faithfulness to His people.

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