A funeral song for the king of Egypt

1Twelve years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, the LORD spoke to me on the first day of the twelfth month.32.1 Twelve years…twelfth month: Probably February of 585 BC. He said:

2Ezekiel, son of man, condemn the king of Egypt and tell him I am saying:

You act like a lion

roaming the earth;

but you are nothing more than

a crocodile in a river,

churning up muddy water

with your feet.

3King of Egypt, listen to me. I, the LORD God, will catch you in my net and let a crowd of foreigners drag you to shore. 4I will throw you into an open field, where birds and animals will come to feed on your body. 5I will spread your rotting flesh32.5 rotting flesh: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. over the mountains and in the valleys, 6and your blood will flow throughout the land and fill up the streams. 7I will cover the whole sky and every star with thick clouds, so that the sun and moon will stop shining.32.7: Is 13.10; Mt 24.29; Mk 13.24,25; Lk 21.25; Rev 6.12,13; 8.12. 8The heavens will become black, leaving your country in total darkness. I, the LORD, have spoken.

9Foreign nations you have never heard of will be shocked when I tell them how I destroyed you.32.9 when I tell them how I destroyed you: Hebrew; one ancient translation “when I scatter you like prisoners among them.” 10They will be horrified, and when I flash my sword in victory on the day of your death, their kings will tremble in the fear of what could happen to them.

11The king of Babylonia is coming to attack you, king of Egypt! 12Your soldiers will be killed by the cruellest army in the world, and everything you take pride in will be crushed. 13I will slaughter your cattle that graze by the river,32.13 the river: This possibly refers to the River Nile. and no people or livestock will be left to muddy its water. 14The water will be clear, and streams will be calm. I, the LORD God, have spoken.

15Egypt will become a barren wasteland, and no living thing will ever survive there. Then you and your people will know that I am the LORD.

16This is your warning, and it will be used as a funeral song by foreign women to mourn the death of your people. I, the LORD God, have spoken.

A sad ending for Egypt

17On the fifteenth day of that same month,32.17 that same month: See verse 1. the LORD said:

18Ezekiel, son of man, mourn for the Egyptians and condemn them to the world of the dead, where they will be buried beside the people of other powerful nations.32.18 where they will be buried…powerful nations: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. 19Say to them:

You may be more beautiful

than the people

of other nations,

but you will also die

and join the godless

in the world below.

20You cannot escape! The enemy's sword is ready to slaughter every one of you.32.20 The enemy's sword…you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. 21Brave military leaders killed in battle will gladly welcome you and your allies into the world of the dead.

22-23The graves of soldiers from Assyria are there. They once terrified people, but they were killed in battle and now lie deep in the world of the dead.32.22,23 deep in the world of the dead: The place of greatest dishonour.

24-25The graves of soldiers from Elam are there. The very sight of those godless soldiers once terrified their enemies and made them panic. But now they are disgraced and ashamed as they lie in the world of the dead, beside others who were killed in battle.

26The graves of soldiers from Meshech and Tubal are there. These godless soldiers who terrified people were all killed in battle. 27They were not given a proper burial like the heroes of long ago,32.27 heroes of long ago: One ancient translation; Hebrew “godless heroes”. who were buried with their swords under their heads and with their shields32.27 shields: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. over their bodies. These were the heroes who made their enemies panic.

28You Egyptians will be cruelly defeated, and you will be buried beside these other godless soldiers who died in battle.

29The graves of kings and leaders from Edom are there. They were powerful at one time. Now they are buried in the world of the dead with other godless soldiers killed in battle.

30The graves of the rulers of the north32.30 the rulers of the north: Probably the Phoenicians. are there, as well as those of the Sidonians. Their powerful armies once terrified enemies. Now they lie buried in the world of the dead, where they are disgraced like other soldiers killed in battle.

31The LORD God says:

When your king of Egypt sees all these graves, he and his soldiers will be glad they are not the only ones suffering. 32I sent him to terrify people all over the earth. But he and his army will be killed and buried beside other godless soldiers in the world of the dead. I, the LORD God, have spoken.