Ezekiel Chapter 32

What is the meaning of Ezekiel 32?

Introduction to Ezekiel 32

Ezekiel 32 stands as one of the most vivid and poetic laments in prophetic literature, serving as the culmination of a series of oracles against Egypt. This chapter presents two distinct prophecies dated to the twelfth month of the twelfth year and the first day of the twelfth month of the twelfth year of King Jehoiachin’s exile. Through powerful imagery of a cosmic funeral dirge, Ezekiel portrays Egypt’s pharaoh as a thrashing sea monster dragged from the waters and left to rot, followed by an elaborate description of Egypt’s descent into Sheol to join other fallen nations.

Context of Ezekiel 32

This chapter concludes a larger section of prophecies against Egypt (chapters 29-32) within the broader collection of oracles against foreign nations (chapters 25-32). These messages were delivered during Jerusalem’s siege and fall, demonstrating God’s sovereignty over all nations and His justice in dealing with those who oppose His purposes.

The timing is significant as it corresponds to March 585 BC, approximately two years after Jerusalem’s fall. The Babylonian empire had already established its dominance, and Egypt’s influence was waning. This oracle serves multiple purposes: it warns Egypt of impending judgment, consoles the exiled Israelites by showing God’s control over their enemies, and demonstrates that earthly power, no matter how great, is temporary before יהוה’s supreme authority.

These prophecies against Egypt also connect to earlier themes in Ezekiel, particularly the imagery of the great tree in Ezekiel 31 and the recurring motif of divine sovereignty over chaos waters, which appears throughout the book.

Ancient Key Word Study

• תַּנִּים (tannim) – “monster/dragon”: This term carries mythological overtones, often used to describe fearsome creatures associated with chaos and evil. In Egyptian mythology, the pharaoh was associated with divine power over water creatures, making this imagery particularly pointed.
• קִינָה (qinah) – “lamentation”: A technical term for a funeral dirge, this word signals a specific poetic form characterized by a 3:2 beat meter. Its use here is ironic, as Egypt, once mighty, becomes the subject of a death song.
• חָלָל (chalal) – “slain”: This term appears repeatedly in the chapter, emphasizing violent death rather than natural passing. It carries the connotation of being “pierced through,” highlighting the military nature of the judgment.
• בּוֹר (bor) – “pit”: While literally meaning a hole or cistern, in this context it serves as a euphemism for Sheol, the place of the dead. The repeated use creates a powerful image of descent from heights of pride to depths of shame.
• מָשַׁךְ (mashak) – “draw out”: This verb, used in verse 20, carries the imagery of fishing with nets, connecting to the initial monster metaphor and emphasizing God’s complete control over Egypt’s fate.
• עֲרֵלִים (arelim) – “uncircumcised”: A term of profound religious significance, indicating those outside God’s covenant. Its repeated use emphasizes Egypt’s spiritual state despite their claims to divine status.
• קָהָל (qahal) – “company/assembly”: Originally referring to Israel’s congregation, its use here for gathered armies and fallen nations creates a dark parallel to the assembly of God’s people.
• גְּבוּרָה (gevurah) – “might”: This term for strength and power appears in ironic contexts throughout the chapter, highlighting how earthly might fails before divine judgment.
• שָׁכַב (shakav) – “lie down”: While normally a peaceful term for rest, in this context it becomes a euphemism for death, emphasizing the final humiliation of the proud.

Compare & Contrast

• Verse 2’s comparison of Pharaoh to both a “young lion” and a “monster in the seas” creates a deliberate tension. The Hebrew could have used תַּנִּין (tannin) alone, but the dual metaphor emphasizes both Egypt’s self-perception (noble lion) and God’s view (chaos monster).
• In verse 4, the phrase “cast you out on the open field” uses the Hebrew שָׁלַךְ (shalak) rather than the more common נָפַל (nafal). This choice emphasizes violent rejection rather than mere falling, highlighting God’s active role in judgment.
• Verse 7’s cosmic imagery employs כָּבָה (kavah) for “extinguish” rather than חָשַׁךְ (chashak), emphasizing complete removal of light rather than mere darkening, suggesting final and complete judgment.
• The repeated use of חָלָל (chalal) in verses 20-32 instead of מוּת (mut) emphasizes violent death rather than natural passing, underscoring the judgment’s severity.
• Verse 24’s description of Elam uses נָשָׂא (nasa) for “bore” shame rather than the more common סָבַל (sabal), emphasizing the public nature of their humiliation.
• The placement of Egypt “in the midst” (בְּתוֹךְ) of other fallen nations in verse 28 uses spatial language to emphasize Egypt’s complete identification with the judged powers.

Ezekiel 32 Unique Insights

The chapter’s structure reveals a sophisticated literary design that would have resonated deeply with ancient Near Eastern funeral practices. The two-part oracle (verses 1-16 and 17-32) mirrors the Egyptian custom of two-stage burial rites, where the initial death was followed by a period of mourning before final interment. This parallel serves to mock Egyptian burial customs while demonstrating God’s sovereignty over death itself.

The cosmic imagery in verses 7-8 draws on ancient Near Eastern concepts of divine warfare, where celestial disruption signaled divine judgment. However, unlike pagan mythology where such battles had uncertain outcomes, Ezekiel presents יהוה’s victory as absolute and predetermined. The Talmud (Avodah Zarah 3b) notes that this celestial darkness serves as a reversal of Egypt’s claim to divine solar power through Ra worship.

Particularly fascinating is the geographical and political ordering of nations in the Sheol scene (verses 22-32). The arrangement follows a specific pattern that scholars have noted corresponds to the actual historical falls of these empires, creating a kind of “reverse chronology” of God’s judgments. Rabbi David Kimchi (Radak) observes that this ordering serves to emphasize how God’s judgment follows a deliberate plan rather than random chance.

The chapter also contains subtle allusions to the Exodus narrative, particularly in its water imagery. Just as God once demonstrated His power over Egypt through the waters of the Nile and Red Sea, He now shows His continuing sovereignty through the waters of chaos. This connection would have been especially powerful for the exilic audience, reassuring them that the God who once delivered them from Egypt remained in control.

Ezekiel 32 Connections to Yeshua

The imagery of cosmic darkness in verses 7-8 finds its ultimate fulfillment in the darkness that covered the earth during the Messiah’s crucifixion (Matthew 27:45). Just as Egypt’s judgment was marked by darkness, the judgment for sin that Yeshua bore was similarly marked by cosmic signs.

The chapter’s emphasis on the finality of death and the gathering of nations in Sheol takes on new significance in light of Messiah’s victory over death. The powers that Ezekiel describes as permanently confined to the pit contrast sharply with Yeshua’s declaration in Revelation 1:18: “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”

Ezekiel 32 Scriptural Echoes

The monster imagery recalls God’s victory over Leviathan in Psalm 74:13-14 and the similar judgment oracle against Pharaoh in Ezekiel 29:3-5. This connects to the broader biblical theme of God’s victory over chaos forces, ultimately pointing to His final victory over the dragon in Revelation 20:2.

The cosmic signs in verses 7-8 echo Joel 2:31 and find their ultimate expression in Revelation 6:12-14. The description of nations in Sheol parallels Isaiah 14‘s taunt against Babylon, emphasizing the unified biblical message of God’s judgment on proud nations.

Ezekiel 32 Devotional

This chapter powerfully reminds us that all earthly power and pride will ultimately bow before God’s sovereignty. Just as Egypt’s might couldn’t save it from judgment, we must examine where we place our trust and security. Are we relying on our own strength, resources, or status, or are we humbly submitting to God’s authority?

The detailed description of nations in Sheol serves as a sobering reminder of human mortality and the futility of earthly glory. Yet for believers in Yeshua, this reality is transformed by the hope of resurrection. While Ezekiel’s hearers saw only the finality of death, we can face mortality with confidence, knowing that our Messiah has conquered death.

Did You Know

• The dating formula in verse 1 corresponds to March 3, 585 BCE, making this one of the most precisely dated prophecies in the Bible.
• The description of Egypt as a crocodile (sea monster) may reference the Egyptian god Sobek, who was represented as a crocodile deity.
• The arrangement of nations in the Sheol passage follows a specific geographical pattern, moving from north to south.
• The Hebrew word for “pit” (bor) appears seven times in this chapter, a number associated with divine completeness in biblical numerology.
• Ancient Egyptian funeral texts like the Book of the Dead often described similar scenes of the afterlife, making this prophecy particularly poignant for its original audience.
• The phrase “uncircumcised” appears more times in this chapter than in any other chapter of the Bible, emphasizing spiritual alienation from God.
• The cosmic signs described in verses 7-8 parallel historical records of actual solar eclipses that occurred during this period.
• Archaeological discoveries have confirmed the historical accuracy of the list of nations mentioned in the chapter.
• The chapter’s structure follows the pattern of ancient Near Eastern laments, including the characteristic shift from third person to second person address.