Ezekiel 29

King James Version

Full text for Ezekiel Chapter 29

1¶ In the tenth year, in the tenth [month], in the twelfth [day] of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

2Son of man, set thy face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt:

3Speak, 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.

4But 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.

5And 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.

6And 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.

7When 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.

9And 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].

10Behold, 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.

11No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.

12And 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.

13Yet thus saith the Lord GOD; At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered:

14And 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.

15It 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.

16And 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,

18Son 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:

19Therefore 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.

20I have given him the land of Egypt [for] his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord GOD.

21In 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Ezekiel 29 delivers a prophecy against Pharaoh and Egypt, likening Pharaoh to a great dragon boasting of his power over the Nile. The Lord declares He will bring judgment upon Egypt, making it desolate for forty years and scattering its people, because they were an unreliable "staff of reed" to Israel. After this period, Egypt will be restored as a "base kingdom," never again to exalt itself. Furthermore, Egypt is promised as spoil to Nebuchadrezzar for his unrewarded service against Tyrus, and Israel's strength will be renewed.

Medium Summary

The chapter opens with a prophecy from the Lord against Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and the entire land. Pharaoh is depicted as a great dragon in the Nile, arrogantly claiming ownership and creation of the river. The Lord declares He will put hooks in Pharaoh's jaws, bringing him and his people out to be left as prey in the wilderness, thereby demonstrating His sovereignty. This judgment is partly due to Egypt's unreliability as a "staff of reed" for Israel, failing them in times of need. Consequently, Egypt will face desolation by the sword, becoming utterly waste for forty years, with its inhabitants scattered among nations. However, the Lord also promises to gather the Egyptians after forty years, returning them to their land, but establishing them as a "base kingdom," diminished and no longer a source of false confidence for Israel. A later prophecy reveals that Nebuchadrezzar, having received no wages for his arduous siege against Tyrus, will be given Egypt as spoil and prey for his army, a reward for his labor. This event will coincide with a resurgence of strength for the house of Israel and a renewed prophetic voice for Ezekiel.

Long Summary

In the tenth year, Ezekiel receives a divine command to prophesy against Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and the entire land. The Lord God identifies Pharaoh as a "great dragon" dwelling in his rivers, who presumptuously claims the Nile as his own creation and possession. In response to this arrogance, God declares His intention to put hooks in Pharaoh's jaws, dragging him and all the "fish" (representing his people and army) out of the rivers and casting them into the wilderness to become food for beasts and fowls. This judgment serves to make all Egyptians know that He is the Lord. A key reason for Egypt's downfall is their historical role as an unreliable "staff of reed" for the house of Israel, offering false support that ultimately broke and wounded those who leaned upon it. Therefore, the Lord will bring a devastating sword upon Egypt, cutting off both man and beast, rendering the land utterly waste and desolate from Syene to Ethiopia for forty years. During this period, no man or beast will pass through it, and its cities will lie waste, with the Egyptians themselves scattered among other nations. Yet, the prophecy includes a promise of future restoration: after forty years, the Lord will gather the scattered Egyptians and bring them back to their homeland, Pathros. However, their kingdom will be a "base kingdom," the "basest of the kingdoms," diminished in power and no longer able to exalt itself or rule over other nations. This diminished status will ensure that Egypt can no longer be a source of misplaced confidence for Israel. Later, in the twenty-seventh year, another word from the Lord reveals that Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, had served a great but unrewarded service against Tyrus, enduring significant hardship without receiving spoil. To compensate Nebuchadrezzar and his army for their labor, the Lord God declares He will give them the land of Egypt, with its multitude, spoil, and prey, as their rightful wages. This act is attributed to their service "for me," saith the Lord GOD. Concurrently with these events, God promises to cause the "horn of the house of Israel to bud forth," signifying renewed strength and prosperity, and to give Ezekiel an "opening of the mouth" among them, further confirming His sovereignty.

Core Concepts

  • Pharaoh as the Great DragonPharaoh is metaphorically described as a powerful, arrogant "great dragon" (or crocodile) in the Nile, boasting of his self-made power and control over the river.
  • Divine Judgment on EgyptThe Lord declares His intention to bring severe judgment upon Egypt, including desolation, scattering of its people, and the cutting off of man and beast, as a consequence of Pharaoh's pride and Egypt's unreliability.
  • Egypt as a Staff of ReedEgypt is condemned for being an untrustworthy ally to Israel, likened to a "staff of reed" that breaks and wounds those who lean upon it for support.
  • Forty Years of DesolationThe land of Egypt is prophesied to be utterly waste and uninhabited for a period of forty years, after which its people will be regathered.
  • Restoration as a Base KingdomFollowing the period of desolation, Egypt will be restored, but as a "base kingdom," diminished in power and influence, never again to rule over nations or be a source of false confidence for Israel.
  • Egypt as Nebuchadrezzar's WagesThe Lord God promises Egypt and its spoils to Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, as compensation for his army's arduous and unrewarded service against Tyrus.
  • Israel's Renewed HopeThe chapter concludes with a promise that in that day, the "horn of the house of Israel" will bud forth, signifying renewed strength and prosperity, and Ezekiel will be given a prophetic voice.