[1] And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, [2] Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers. [3] Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will therefore spread out my net over thee with a company of many people; and they shall bring thee up in my net. [4] Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee. [5] And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with thy height. [6] I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee. [7] And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. [8] All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD. [9] I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known. [10] Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall.
Verses 1-2 Expanded Bible Comments
| And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, [2] Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| We are told that this vision comes "in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month." What does this tell us? | Why that particular date? This brother can only guess. What it does tell us is that God must have had some reason for giving us this date in such a specific manner. |
| What happened on that date? | "The word of the LORD came unto me" [Ezekiel]. |
| How does the LORD refer to Ezekiel and what does that mean? | "Son of man," Pastor Russell. Please see topical study Son of Man. |
| What is he told to do and what does that mean? | "Take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt." It means to declare a lamentation (mourning, sorrowful cry, death song) for Pharaoh (Satan) king (ruler, god, mighty one) of Egypt (the world.)We believe the symbolism here is identical to that found in chapter 31. Our suggested answer for who is pictured by him (in verse 4) was: "At times it looks like Satan but may be more applicable to Satan's worldly organization, (so-called) Christendom." |
| The message given by the LORD to "Son of man" may be broken down into 5 parts, each with its own symbols. We will take them one at at a time. | |
| What is meant by "Thou art like a young lion of the nations?" | Young lion, "the King of beasts," full of vitality. Pro. 30:30; Micah 5:8 |
| What is meant by "Thou art as a whale in the seas?" | Whale - Strong's H8577 Strong's H8577 In looking up this word, discovered that it is normally translated by the word "dragon." So this verse is basically saying that this is "a dragon of the seas." Dragon symbolizes civil power, or more accurately, civil power under the influence of Satan, the dragon. The word "whale" is used here because this dragon is found in the seas, in the unsettled restless masses of mankind.תַּנִּים תַּנִּין tannı̂yn tannı̂ym tan-neen', tan-neem' (The second form used in Eze_29:3); intensive from the same as H8565; a marine or land monster, that is, sea serpent or jackal: - dragon, sea-monster, serpent, whale. Total KJV occurrences: 23 |
| What is meant by "thou camest forth with thy rivers?" | We refer back to our study of chapter 29 vs. 4. Just as our Lord told Peter and Andrew: "I will make you fishers of men," (Matt. 4:19) so here the fish would indicate people. "Thy rivers" would seem to be the Euphrates and those rivers that flow as tributaries into it. Rev. 16:12. Remember, it is "thy rivers."We remember in 29:3 it says "Pharaoh king of Egypt...which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself." This serves as yet another confirmation that Pharaoh pictures Satan and his masterpiece. |
| ".. and troubledst the waters with thy feet?" | The waters may refer to the doctrines and/or to peoples (Rev. 17:15.) Both of these symbolic pictures may well be applied here. So-called Christendom troubled the people, nations, etc. and also the doctrines of Scripture they presented to the people. – "Doctrines of devils." 1 Tim. 4:1 |
| ".. and fouledst their rivers?" | Strong's H7511 While most translators use "foul" or "muddy," ISV says "relieve yourself in the rivers." Whichever is the correct meaning of the word, it is clear that these rivers (sources of water) have been polluted.רָפַס râphas raw-fas' A primitive root; to trample, that is, prostrate: - humble self, submit self. Total KJV occurrences: 3 |
Verse 3 Expanded Bible Comments
| Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will therefore spread out my net over thee with a company of many people; and they shall bring thee up in my net. | |
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| Please note that in verses 3-10 the LORD uses the phrase "I will" (or "I shall" or "will I") 14 times! | |
| Question | Suggested Answer |
| Quick reminder: Who is speaking? | "Thus saith the Lord GOD." |
| Why does the LORD here use the word "therefore?" | The same as always, i.e., cause and effect. The cause is what He just described in verse 2, how Pharaoh (Satan and his masterpiece) greatly mis-treated the nations. |
| How do we understand: "I will... spread out my net over thee?" | A net is normally used as a way to trap and contain animals, especially fish. |
| Whose net is it? | The LORD's net. "I will therefore spread out my net over thee." |
| How does the LORD do this? | "With a company of many people." Clearly the LORD uses human agents to accomplish this. |
| How to "they" use this net? | "They shall bring thee up in my net." |
Verse 4 Expanded Bible Comments
| Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| Now that the LORD has used "a company of many people" to bring Pharaoh (Satan and his counterfeit kingdom) "up in my net," what does He do next, and what does that mean? | "Then will I leave thee upon the land." He leaves him upon the land (H776, eh'-rets, ground or earth,) symbolic of organized society. Prior to that time he had been ruling in the symbolic heavens. This "land" likely refers to the territory held by the so-called "Holy Roman Empire." |
| How does the above differ from him being "cast... forth upon the open field?" | It had been "a whale [dragon] in the seas," [the irreligious restless masses of mankind] whereas now it is "upon the open field." Matt. 13:38 "The field is the world." |
| Is there anything unusual about the LORD causing "all the fowls of heaven to remain upon thee?" | Yes! This is not a tree but a sea-dragon (whale, crocodile) type of creature. Why would any birds be on it? Yet, symbolically they have been upon so-called Christendom. Rev. 18:2,4. Now that it has been dragged from the river onto the land, these symbolic fowls of heaven have not left. The true birds [eagles, vultures, the true saints] have obeyed the command to "come out of her my people" so they they have left and do not "remain upon thee."" |
| What is meant by "I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee?" | Please compare Eze. 39:17-20 and Rev. 19:17-18 also Zeph. 1:7-9. |
Verse 5 Expanded Bible Comments
| And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with thy height. | |
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| Question | Suggested Answer |
| What is symbolized by: | |
| "thy flesh?" | |
| "the mountains?" | |
| "the valleys?" | |
| "thy height?" | |
Verse 6 Expanded Bible Comments
| I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee. | |
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| What does the LORD use to water "the land" with? | "With thy blood." |
Verse 7 Expanded Bible Comments
| And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. | |
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Verse 8 Expanded Bible Comments
| All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD. | |
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Verse 9 Expanded Bible Comments
| I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known. | |
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Verse 10 Expanded Bible Comments
| Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall. | |
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[11] For thus saith the Lord GOD; The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee. [12] By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall spoil the pomp of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed. [13] I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from beside the great waters; neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them. [14] Then will I make their waters deep, and cause their rivers to run like oil, saith the Lord GOD. [15] When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate, and the country shall be destitute of that whereof it was full, when I shall smite all them that dwell therein, then shall they know that I am the LORD. [16] This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her: the daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall lament for her, even for Egypt, and for all her multitude, saith the Lord GOD.
Verse 11 Expanded Bible Comments
| For thus saith the Lord GOD; The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee. | |
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Verse 12 Expanded Bible Comments
| By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall spoil the pomp of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed. | |
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Verse 13 Expanded Bible Comments
| I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from beside the great waters; neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them. | |
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Verse 14 Expanded Bible Comments
| Then will I make their waters deep, and cause their rivers to run like oil, saith the Lord GOD. | |
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Verse 15 Expanded Bible Comments
| When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate, and the country shall be destitute of that whereof it was full, when I shall smite all them that dwell therein, then shall they know that I am the LORD. | |
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Verse 16 Expanded Bible Comments
| This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her: the daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall lament for her, even for Egypt, and for all her multitude, saith the Lord GOD. | |
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[17] It came to pass also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, [18] Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, and the daughters of the famous nations, unto the nether parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit. [19] Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised. [20] They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword: she is delivered to the sword: draw her and all her multitudes. [21] The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of Sheol with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.
Verse 17 Expanded Bible Comments
| It came to pass also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, | |
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Verse 18 Expanded Bible Comments
| Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, and the daughters of the famous nations, unto the nether parts of the earth, with them that go down into the pit. | |
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Verse 19 Expanded Bible Comments
| Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised. | |
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Verse 20 Expanded Bible Comments
| They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword: she is delivered to the sword: draw her and all her multitudes. | |
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Verse 21 Expanded Bible Comments
| The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of Sheol with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword. | |
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[22] Asshur is there and all her company: his graves are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword: [23] Whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her grave: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land of the living.
Verse 22 Expanded Bible Comments
| Asshur is there and all her company: his graves are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword: | |
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Verse 23 Expanded Bible Comments
| Whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her grave: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land of the living. | |
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[24] There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit. [25] They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword: though their terror was caused in the land of the living, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit: he is put in the midst of them that be slain.
Verse 24 Expanded Bible Comments
| There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit. | |
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Verse 25 Expanded Bible Comments
| They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword: though their terror was caused in the land of the living, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit: he is put in the midst of them that be slain. | |
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[26] There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land of the living. [27] And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to Sheol with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living. [28] Yea, thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, and shalt lie with them that are slain with the sword.
Verse 26 Expanded Bible Comments
| There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land of the living. | |
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Verse 27 Expanded Bible Comments
| And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to Sheol with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living. | |
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Verse 28 Expanded Bible Comments
| Yea, thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, and shalt lie with them that are slain with the sword. | |
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[29] There is Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with their might are laid by them that were slain by the sword: they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with them that go down to the pit. [30] There be the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain; with their terror they are ashamed of their might; and they lie uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit.
Verse 29 Expanded Bible Comments
| There is Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with their might are laid by them that were slain by the sword: they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with them that go down to the pit. | |
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Verse 30 Expanded Bible Comments
| There be the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain; with their terror they are ashamed of their might; and they lie uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit. | |
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[31] Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army slain by the sword, saith the Lord GOD. [32] For I have caused my terror in the land of the living: and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD.
Verse 31 Expanded Bible Comments
| Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army slain by the sword, saith the Lord GOD. | |
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Verse 32 Expanded Bible Comments
| For I have caused my terror in the land of the living: and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are slain with the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD. | |
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