Ezequiel 32
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Ezequiel 32:1-2
32:1 See note at Ezek. 29:1. This date would be about one year after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. 32:2 The four-chapter litany of judgment against Egypt continues (i.e. chapters 29-32). ▣ "take up a lamentation" A lamentation denoted a well known form of poetic meter ( BDB 884, cf. Ezek. 2:10; 19:1,14 [twice]; 26:17; 27:2,32; 28:12; 32:16; Jer. 9:10,20). This chapter, like 19:1; 27:2; 28:12, starts with a command for a funeral dirge ("take up," BDB 669, KB 724, Qal IMPERATIVE, cf. Jer. 7:29). Isaiah 14:4 has the same VERB in Qal PERFECT, but with "taunt" or "proverb" (BDB 605). ▣ "You compared yourself to a young lion of the nations" Again this is a reference to Pharaoh's pride and arrogance (cf. Ezek. 29:3; 30:6; 31:2-9,10; 32:12). He was not a lion, but a water creature. Special Topic: Lions in the OT NASB, NKJV, REB, Peshitta "like the monster" NRSV, JPSOA "like a dragon" TEV, NJB "like a crocodile" "like a serpent" See full note at Ezek. 29:3. This may be an allusion to Canaanite mythology where Ba'al defeats Yam, or Babylonian mythology where Marduk defeats Tiamat. The OT alluded to these myths without acknowledging their reality (e.g. Isa. 27:1). The UBS Text Project, p. 105, gives "crocodile" an "A" rating Special Topic: The Serpent Special Topic: Leviathan Special Topic: The Great Red Dragon Special Topic: ANE Creation and Flood Myths
Ezequiel 32:3-10
32:3-7 The language of ANE cursing is dramatic hyperbole. It is difficult for literalistic westerners to understand this genre. A good brief chapter, "How does the language of destruction and blessing work?" in D. Brent Sandy, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy and Apocalyptic, pp. 75-102, has been helpful to me. I hope you will read it. Two other books in this same area of a genre-related approach to biblical interpretation arre G. B. Caird, The Language and Imagery of the Bible Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, How To Read the Bible For All Its Worth 32:3 In Ezek. 29:4 YHWH uses a hook, here a net (cf. Ezek. 12:13; 17:20). This is also described in mythological terms in Ps. 74:13-14. For the different types of mythology, see book #1 above, pp.219-242. 32:4 This same ignominious fate (i.e. unburied and eaten by animals) is described in Ezek. 29:5; 39:4. It reflects the curse of Deut. 28:26. 32:5 "refuse" "carcass" "dust" TEV, JPSOA "rotting corpse" "corruption" "worms that fed on it" The REB assumes that the MT's "with your height," רמות (BDB 928, KB 1242) should be רממ (BDB 942, KB 1244 I, "be wormy," cf. Exod. 16:20). Some see a parallel to Isa. 14:11 to "maggots" רמה (BDB 942, KB 1241, see NET Bible). 32:6 NASB, NKJV, NRSV "flowing blood" "dung" "discharge" "oozing blood" TEV, NJB, REB, Peshitta "blood" The MT has two NOUNS. with your out flow ‒ BDB 847 (see NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 833) blood ‒ BDB 196 The first NOUN is found only here in all the OT. Special Topic: Blood 32:7-8 As the Genesis creation account (Genesis 1) depreciates the astral deities of Babylon, these verses depreciate the astral deities of Egypt. The darkness shows YHWH's power over Ra, the sun god. "make dark," BDB 871, KB 1072 (Hiphil found only in Ezekiel, 3 times, cf. Ezek. 31:15) Hiphil PERFECT with waw, Ezek. 32:7 Hiphil IMPERFECT, Ezek. 32:8 "darkness," BDB 365 (cf. Gen. 1:2; Exod. 10:22; Amos 5:18,20) Special Topic: Darkness, I. 32:9-10 This is a common theme in these chapters (cf. Ezek. 32:16,19; 27:29-36; 28:19). YHWH's judgment on prideful Tyre and Egypt was meant to send a message to the nations (i.e. they will know that I am the Lord, e.g. Ezek. 32:15; 29:9; 33:29; 35:3,4,9,14). 32:9 NASB, NKJV, TEB, NJB, NET "bring your destruction" NRSV, LXX "carry you captive" "bring your broken army" "bring your shattered remnants" "bring the news of your destruction" The UBS Text Project, p. 106, gives the MT's "destruction" a "C" rating (considerable doubt). MT ‒ שׁבר, BDB 991 I, #4, KB 1402-1406 (i.e. break, fracture, crush) LXX ‒ שׁבי, BDB 985, #3 (i.e. captives) 32:10 "shall be horribly afraid" This is the NOUN and VERB (Qal IMPERFECT) of the same root (BDB 972, KB 1343, cf. Ezek. 27:35; Jer. 2:12), which denotes the hair standing up in fear. ▣ "they shall tremble" This term (BDB 353, KB 350, Qal PERFECT with waw) denotes fear in YHWH"s coming and present judgment (cf. Ezek. 26:16,18; 30:9; note Heb. 10:31).
Ezequiel 32:11-16
32:11 Nebuchadnezzar II was YHWH's instrument of judgment (cf. Ezek. 21:19), as Assyria had been (cf. Isa. 10:5) and Cyrus II will be (cf. Isa. 44:28; 45:7). 32:13 This could be another way of depreciating the gods of Egypt, as did the ten plagues in the Exodus. 32:14 The waters of Egypt will be undisturbed (clear and settled) by any animal or human. No one will be left alive. This imagery for total destruction is found only here. 32:16 The professional wailers and mourners (BDB 884, 1096 three times) would be from all the nations. those who were helped and protected by Egypt (Ezek. 32:18) those who were trading partners with Egypt ▣ "daughters of. . ." See full notes at Jer. 46:11 and Amos 5:2.
Ezequiel 32:17-21
32:17 Same year as v. 1 but different month. 32:18-19 These verses contain four commands, two to Ezekiel, two to Egypt. wail, BDB 624, KB 675, Qal IMPERATIVE, Ezek. 32:18 bring it down, BDB 432, KB 434, Hiphil IMPERATIVE, Ezek. 32:18 go down, BDB 432, KB 434, Qal IMPERATIVE, Ezek. 32:19 make your bed, BDB 1011, KB 1486, Hophal IMPERATIVE, Ezek. 32:19 32:19 "with the uncircumcised" See full note at Ezek. 28:10. This is a recurrent curse (cf. Ezek. 28:10; 31:18; 32:19, 21,24,29,30; Jer. 9:25-26). It is possible that this is imagery for the lowest part of sheol (cf. vv. 21,24,29,30; 31:18). Special Topic: Sheol
Ezequiel 32:22-23
32:22-30 This is a series of related paragraphs/strophes that list the dead in Sheol who greet new arrivals. Assyria ‒ Ezek. 32:22-23 Elam ‒ Ezek. 32:24-25 Anatolia ‒ Ezek. 32:26-28 Edom ‒ Ezek. 32:29 Syrians and Aramenians ‒ Ezek. 32:30 Egypt ‒ Ezek. 32:31-32 In many ways this is similar to the imagery of Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. The dead rejoice when the powerful join them in Sheol and become their equals! 32:23 "whose graves are set in the remotest parts of the pit" This is an idiom for the worst (cf. Isa. 14:15) or lowest places in the netherworld. They were violently slain in this world and humiliated in the next (cf. Ezek. 32:27, 32)! Note the list of humiliated nations. Egypt, Ezek. 32:17-21,31 Assyria, Ezek. 32:22-23 Elam, Ezek. 32:24-25 Meshech, Tubal (Anatolia), Ezek. 32:26-28 Edom, Ezek. 32:29 Princes of the north (i.e. Syrians or Armenians) and Sidon, Ezek. 32:30 Special Topic: Where Are the Dead?
Ezequiel 32:26-28
32:26 "Meshech, Tubal" These two nations/regions were located north of Israel/Judah (cf. Ezek. 39:2). Meshech (BDB 604, KB 646 II) north of the Black Sea central Anatolia see full note at Ezek. 38:2 Tubal (BDB 1063, KB 1683) was a nation/region in eastern Anatolia (Asia Minor) in Cappadocia (Josephus) see fuller note at Ezek. 38:2 32:27 NASB, NKJV, Peshitta, REB, JPSOA "uncircumcised" LXX, NRSV, TEV, NJB "long ago" The phrases are spelled similarly in Hebrew MT, "from among the uncircumcised" מערלים LXX, "of old" םעולם The second fits the context best (NET, p. 1514) because these people were part of the uncircumcised and the term is repeated in Ezek. 32:28. The UBS Text Project, p. 112, gives the LXX version a "C" rating (considerable doubt). NASB, NKJV, JPSOA, LXX, Peshitta "their iniquity rested on their bones" NRSV, TEV "whose shields are upon their bones" "their shields put under their bones" "their shields over their bones" These men of Meshech, Tubal are honored even in death, but not so for the Egyptians! The UBS Text Project, p. 113, gives "their iniquity" (BDB 730, KB 800) an "A" rating. However, many translations emend it to "shields" (BDB 857 III, KB 1037 II) better parallel to "weapons of war" and "swords" under their heads similar spelling of "iniquity" "their iniquity" עונתם "their shields" צנותם