Not quite two years after the previous section addressed to Pharaoh, the Lord called Ezekiel to write a lament for Pharaoh. The lament he wrote served as a song to mourn the death of Egypt and its people.1 Again, Ezekiel used several words to describe Egypt’s destruction to convey there would be
- cursed or devoted things that should be utterly destroyed
- ruin
- affliction
- God’s destruction which would cause evil to perish
- waste and desolation caused by God’s judgment on a land and its people
- destitution
This complete word picture indirectly showed readers how to avoid such calamity by portraying Egypt’s demise and its causes.
Read Ezekiel 32:1-10.
- Pharaoh had been great but possibly now experienced turmoil.
- God’s net would ensnare Pharaoh, he would be captured by a great multitude of people, and bound up in the Lord’s destruction.2
- God would cast out, forsake, and leave Egypt’s ruler alone in an open field where creatures would rest and feed on Pharaoh.3
- The Lord would scatter the remains of their rotting corpses4 on the mountains and among the nations.
- Pharaoh’s blood would drench the land—this probably refers to a literal and figurative loss of blood due to calamity.5
- The day the Lord did away with Pharaoh, the sun and sky would darken.
- A cloud, symbolic of God’s divine presence, would cover the sun, which Egypt worshiped as their greatest deity.
- All the heavenly lights would darken and Egypt would be cast into darkness as a fire is quenched.6
- Many peoples would be troubled at Egypt’s demise and destruction.
- They would be appalled, astonished, devastated, and their kings would shudder in horror.
- God’s punishing sword would sweep them away, as in a storm.7
- “When people [saw] the destruction wrought on them, they [were] filled with horror at their fate.”7
- At the sight of the Lord’s mighty sword, rulers would tremble in fear for their lives.
What symbolizes what people worship today?
How might the Lord bring down our greatest idols?
Read Ezekiel 32:11-16.
- Babylon’s sword would come against Egypt.
- Ruthless nations would shatter Egypt’s multitude.
- They would cut down the pride, majesty, and arrogance of Egypt.
- Cattle destroyed. Waters settled. Streams would flow like oil.
- The Lord would complete his desolation and destruction of evil in the land.
- He would strike down all Egypt in judgment and leave it a desolate wasteland.
- Then they will know I AM the Lord.
- Other nations will also wail in sorrow for the nation’s fall.8
How would such utter destruction show the nations that I AM is the Lord?
Why do people often not acknowledge the Lord until calamity strikes?
Read Ezekiel 32:17-21.
- Two weeks later, the Lord gave Ezekiel more words of lament toward Egypt.
- Mourn for Egypt and cast down to the pit both Egyptians and daughters of mighty nations.
- In God’s sight, Egypt wasn’t any better than other heathen nations.
- Mighty leaders and warriors would associate Egypt and her allies with the uncircumcised wicked who were cut down by the sword.
- If circumcision is a physical and spiritual setting apart for God, when Ezekiel used the term uncircumcised to refer to the wicked, perhaps he emphasized they were NOT set apart for God.
How might God give wisdom to heathen nations to understand his hand at work?
In this context, how might the concept of circumcised and uncircumcised apply today?
Read Ezekiel 32:22-28.
- Assyria, her army, and all who were slain were already in the grave.
- They had caused dread among the nations and now they too fell by the sword and could no longer cause terror for Israel.9
- Ezekiel mentioned specific places within the Assyrian Empire, with sentencing for each.
- Elam went to the grave in shame and disgrace and joined those in the pit who were slain.
- The people from Meshech and Tubal did not lie with heroes of the wicked. The punishment for their evil iniquities rested on their bones.
- They would be broken into pieces and shattered.
- At this time, Edom possibly was a vassal state of Assyria.
- Edom’s kings held power, but they were still among those killed.
- Sidon was either a vassal state of Assyria or fully under the empire’s control.
- They also fell in shame and disgrace.
What do we learn about how God punishes the wicked from the sentencing of these nations?
Read Ezekiel 32:31-32.
- Somehow the nations’ judgment would console Pharaoh regarding his slain people.
- He was comforted concerning the evil.10
- Even though God used Pharaoh to spread terror in the land, he also would lie among the uncircumcised wicked, declared the Lord.
- Lest there be any doubt or question, God repeated his sentence on Pharaoh.
Why do you think God allowed the nations’ destruction to comfort Pharaoh in his own demise?
Why did God give Pharaoh the same punishment as the other nations, even though he used Pharaoh to spread terror?
This chapter was (not) cheery reading!
What can we glean and take away to nourish our souls? 
The word “nourish” brings to mind the truth that nourishing food’s taste isn’t always to our liking. But we can be sure all of God’s Word is helpful and profitable.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Which Scripture do you want to learn from and apply to equip you in the work God has called you to do this week?
- Warren Baker, D.R.E., Eugene Carpenter, Ph.D. The Complete Word Study Dictionary: Old Testament. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003), 994
- Bible Hub. Hebrew Interlinear Bible. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/2764.htm
- Bible Hub. Hebrew Interlinear Bible. https://biblehub.com/interlinear/ezekiel/32-4.htm
- Baker, 1058
- Ibid., 962
- Ibid., 493
- Ibid., 1183
- Ibid., 712
- Ibid., 392
- Bible Hub. Hebrew Interlinear Bible. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5162.htm