Ezekiel 29
Expanded Bible
Prophecy Against Egypt
29 It was the tenth year [C since King Jehoiachin’s exile (1:2)], in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month [C January 7, 587 bc]. The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 2 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], ·look [L set your face] toward the king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and all Egypt. 3 Say: ‘This is what the Lord God says:
[L Look; T Behold] I am against you, Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
You are like a great ·crocodile [or monster; or dragon] that lies in the Nile River.
You say, “The Nile is mine;
I made it for myself.”
4 But I will put hooks in your jaws,
and I will make the fish of the Nile stick to your ·sides [scales].
I will pull you up out of your ·rivers [streams],
with all the fish of your streams sticking to your ·sides [scales].
5 I will leave you in the ·desert [wilderness] ,
you and all the fish from your ·rivers [streams].
You will fall onto the ·ground [open field];
you will not be picked up or ·buried [L gathered].
I have given you to the ·wild animals [L beasts of the earth]
and to the birds of the sky for food.
6 Then all the people who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.
“‘·Israel tried to lean on you for help, but you were like a crutch made out of a weak stalk of grass [L Because you were a reed staff for the house of Israel…; Is. 36:6]. 7 When their hands grabbed you, you ·splintered [broke] and tore open their shoulders. When they leaned on you, you ·broke [splintered] and made all their ·backs twist [or legs go wobbly; or loins shake].
8 “‘So this is what the Lord God says: I will ·cause an enemy to attack [L bring a sword against] you and kill your people and animals. 9 Egypt will become an ·empty desert [desolate wasteland]. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
“‘Because you said, “The Nile River is mine, and I have made it,” 10 I am against you and your ·rivers [streams]. I will destroy the land of Egypt and make it an ·empty desert [desolate wasteland] from Migdol [C in the north] to Aswan [C in the south], all the way to the border of Cush [C Ethiopia]. 11 No ·person or animal will walk [L foot of man shall pass through it and no foot of beast will pass] through it, and no one will live in Egypt for forty years. 12 I will make the land of Egypt ·the most deserted country of all [L a desolation among desolate lands]. Her cities will be ·the most deserted of all [a desolation among] ruined cities for forty years. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, spreading them among the countries.
13 “‘This is what the Lord God says: After forty years I will gather Egypt from the nations where they have been scattered. 14 I will ·bring back the Egyptian captives [restore the fortunes of Egypt] and make them return to ·southern Egypt [L the land of Pathros], to the land ·they came from [of their ancestry/origin]. They will become a ·weak [lowly; insignificant] kingdom there. 15 It will be the ·weakest [most lowly/insignificant] kingdom, and it will never again ·rule [L exalt itself over] other nations. I will make it so ·weak [small] it will never again rule over the nations. 16 The Israelites will never again ·depend on [rely on; have confidence in] Egypt. Instead, ·Egypt’s punishment [L it] will remind the Israelites of their sin in turning to Egypt for help. Then they will know that I am the Lord God.’”
Egypt Is Given to Babylon
17 It was the twenty-seventh year [C since King Jehoiachin’s exile (1:2)], in the first month, on the first day of the month [C April 26, 571 bc]. The ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to me, saying: 18 “·Human [T Son of man; 2:1], Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army ·fight [L labor] hard against Tyre. Every soldier’s head was rubbed bare, and every shoulder was rubbed raw. But Nebuchadnezzar and his army gained ·nothing [or no wages] from ·fighting Tyre [L the labor he performed against her]. 19 So this is what the Lord God says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He will ·take away Egypt’s people and its wealth and its treasures [L carry off its wealth and loot and plunder it] as pay for his army. 20 I am giving Nebuchadnezzar the land of Egypt as ·a reward [compensation] for working hard for me, says the Lord God.
21 “·At that time [L On that day] I will ·make Israel grow strong again [L cause a horn to sprout for the house of Israel; Ps. 132:17], and I will ·let you, Ezekiel, speak to them [L give you an open mouth among them]. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Ezekiel 29
King James Version
29 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
2 Son of man, set thy face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt:
3 Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself.
4 But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto thy scales.
5 And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given thee for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven.
6 And 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.
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.
8 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast out of thee.
9 And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall know that I am the Lord: because he hath said, The river is mine, and I have made it.
10 Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia.
11 No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.
12 And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.
13 Yet thus saith the Lord God; At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered:
14 And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom.
15 It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.
16 And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord God.
17 And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
18 Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it:
19 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.
20 I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord God.
21 In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the Lord.
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