Ezekiel 29:1

THE MESSAGE

In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day, God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, confront Pharaoh king of Egypt. Preach against him and all the Egyptians. Tell him, ‘ God , the Master, says: "‘Watch yourself, Pharaoh, king of Egypt. I'm dead set against you, You lumbering old dragon, lolling and flaccid in the Nile, Saying, "It's my Nile. I made it. It's mine." I'll set hooks in your jaw; I'll make the fish of the Nile stick to your scales. I'll pull you out of the Nile, with all the fish stuck to your scales. Then I'll drag you out into the desert, you and all the Nile fish sticking to your scales. You'll lie there in the open, rotting in the sun, meat to the wild animals and carrion birds. Everybody living in Egypt will realize that I am God . "‘Because you've been a flimsy reed crutch to Israel so that when they gripped you, you splintered and cut their hand, and when they leaned on you, you broke and sent them sprawling—Message of God , the Master—I'll bring war against you, do away with people and animals alike, and turn the country into an empty desert so they'll realize that I am God . "‘Because you said, "It's my Nile. I made it. It's all mine," therefore I am against you and your rivers. I'll reduce Egypt to an empty, desolate wasteland all the way from Migdol in the north to Syene and the border of Ethiopia in the south. Not a human will be seen in it, nor will an animal move through it. It'll be just empty desert, empty for forty years. "‘I'll make Egypt the most desolate of all desolations. For forty years I'll make her cities the most wasted of all wasted cities. I'll scatter Egyptians to the four winds, send them off every which way into exile. "‘But,' says God , the Master, ‘that's not the end of it. After the forty years, I'll gather up the Egyptians from all the places where they've been scattered. I'll put things back together again for Egypt. I'll bring her back to Pathros where she got her start long ago. There she'll start over again from scratch. She'll take her place at the bottom of the ladder and there she'll stay, never to climb that ladder again, never to be a world power again. Never again will Israel be tempted to rely on Egypt. All she'll be to Israel is a reminder of old sin. Then Egypt will realize that I am God , the Master.'" In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, has worn out his army against Tyre. They've worked their fingers to the bone and have nothing to show for it. "Therefore, God , the Master, says, ‘I'm giving Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He'll haul away its wealth, pick the place clean. He'll pay his army with Egyptian plunder. He's been working for me all these years without pay. This is his pay: Egypt. Decree of God , the Master. "‘And then I'll stir up fresh hope in Israel—the dawn of deliverance!—and I'll give you, Ezekiel, bold and confident words to speak. And they'll realize that I am God .'"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:

Hebrew Names Version
In the tenth year, in the tenth [month], in the twelfth [day] of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

King James Version
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

English Standard Version
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:

New American Standard Bible
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

New Century Version
It was the tenth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month. The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:

Amplified Bible
In the tenth year [of the captivity of King Jehoiachin by the king of Babylon], in the tenth month, on the twelfth of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

World English Bible
In the tenth year, in the tenth [month], in the twelfth [day] of the month, the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

Geneva Bible (1587)
In the tenth yeere, and in the tenth moneth in the twelfth day of the moneth, the word of the Lord came vnto me, saying,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying,

Legacy Standard Bible
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth of the month, the word of Yahweh came to me saying,

Berean Standard Bible
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Contemporary English Version
Ten years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, the Lord spoke to me on the twelfth day of the tenth month. He said:

Complete Jewish Bible
On the twelfth day of the tenth month of the tenth year, the word of Adonai came to me:

Darby Translation
In the tenth year, in the tenth [month], on the twelfth of the month, the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

Easy-to-Read Version
On the twelfth day of the tenth month of the tenth year of exile, the word of the Lord came to me. He said,

George Lamsa Translation
IN the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Good News Translation
On the twelfth day of the tenth month of the tenth year of our exile, the Lord spoke to me.

Lexham English Bible
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

Literal Translation
In the tenth year, in the tenth month , in the twelfth of the month, the Word of Jehovah was to me, saying,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
In the x. yeare, vpon the xij. daye off the x. Moneth, the worde of the LORDE came vnto me, sayege:

American Standard Version
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

Bible in Basic English
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

JPS Old Testament (1917)
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

King James Version (1611)
In the tenth yeere, in the tenth moneth, in the twelft day of the moneth, the word of the Lord came vnto me, saying,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
In the tenth yere, vpon the twelft day of the tenth moneth, the worde of the Lorde came vnto me, saying:

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
In the twelfth year, in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

English Revised Version
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
In the tenthe yeer, in the tweluethe monethe, in the firste dai of the monethe, the word of the Lord was maad to me, and he seide,

Update Bible Version
In the tenth year, in the tenth [month], in the twelfth [day] of the month, the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

Webster's Bible Translation
In the tenth year, in the tenth [month], in the twelfth [day] of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

New English Translation
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:

New King James Version
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

New Living Translation
On January 7, during the tenth year of King Jehoiachin's captivity, this message came to me from the Lord :

New Life Bible
On the twelfth day of the tenth month in the tenth year, the Word of the Lord came to me saying,

New Revised Standard
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth of the month, came the word of Yahweh unto me, saying:

Douay-Rheims Bible
In the tenth year, the tenth month, the eleventh day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

Revised Standard Version
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:

Young's Literal Translation
In the tenth year, in the tenth [month], in the twelfth of the month, hath a word of Jehovah been unto me, saying,

Contextual Overview

¹In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day, God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, confront Pharaoh king of Egypt. Preach against him and all the Egyptians. Tell him, ‘ God , the Master, says: "‘Watch yourself, Pharaoh, king of Egypt. I'm dead set against you, You lumbering old dragon, lolling and flaccid in the Nile, Saying, "It's my Nile. I made it. It's mine." I'll set hooks in your jaw; I'll make the fish of the Nile stick to your scales. I'll pull you out of the Nile, with all the fish stuck to your scales. Then I'll drag you out into the desert, you and all the Nile fish sticking to your scales. You'll lie there in the open, rotting in the sun, meat to the wild animals and carrion birds. Everybody living in Egypt will realize that I am God . "‘Because you've been a flimsy reed crutch to Israel so that when they gripped you, you splintered and cut their hand, and when they leaned on you, you broke and sent them sprawling—Message of God , the Master—I'll bring war against you, do away with people and animals alike, and turn the country into an empty desert so they'll realize that I am God . "‘Because you said, "It's my Nile. I made it. It's all mine," therefore I am against you and your rivers. I'll reduce Egypt to an empty, desolate wasteland all the way from Migdol in the north to Syene and the border of Ethiopia in the south. Not a human will be seen in it, nor will an animal move through it. It'll be just empty desert, empty for forty years. "‘I'll make Egypt the most desolate of all desolations. For forty years I'll make her cities the most wasted of all wasted cities. I'll scatter Egyptians to the four winds, send them off every which way into exile. "‘But,' says God , the Master, ‘that's not the end of it. After the forty years, I'll gather up the Egyptians from all the places where they've been scattered. I'll put things back together again for Egypt. I'll bring her back to Pathros where she got her start long ago. There she'll start over again from scratch. She'll take her place at the bottom of the ladder and there she'll stay, never to climb that ladder again, never to be a world power again. Never again will Israel be tempted to rely on Egypt. All she'll be to Israel is a reminder of old sin. Then Egypt will realize that I am God , the Master.'" In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, has worn out his army against Tyre. They've worked their fingers to the bone and have nothing to show for it. "Therefore, God , the Master, says, ‘I'm giving Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He'll haul away its wealth, pick the place clean. He'll pay his army with Egyptian plunder. He's been working for me all these years without pay. This is his pay: Egypt. Decree of God , the Master. "‘And then I'll stir up fresh hope in Israel—the dawn of deliverance!—and I'll give you, Ezekiel, bold and confident words to speak. And they'll realize that I am God .'" ⁷Never a World Power Again In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day, God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, confront Pharaoh king of Egypt. Preach against him and all the Egyptians. Tell him, ‘ God , the Master, says: "‘Watch yourself, Pharaoh, king of Egypt. I'm dead set against you, You lumbering old dragon, lolling and flaccid in the Nile, Saying, "It's my Nile. I made it. It's mine." I'll set hooks in your jaw; I'll make the fish of the Nile stick to your scales. I'll pull you out of the Nile, with all the fish stuck to your scales. Then I'll drag you out into the desert, you and all the Nile fish sticking to your scales. You'll lie there in the open, rotting in the sun, meat to the wild animals and carrion birds. Everybody living in Egypt will realize that I am God . "‘Because you've been a flimsy reed crutch to Israel so that when they gripped you, you splintered and cut their hand, and when they leaned on you, you broke and sent them sprawling—Message of God , the Master—I'll bring war against you, do away with people and animals alike, and turn the country into an empty desert so they'll realize that I am God . "‘Because you said, "It's my Nile. I made it. It's all mine," therefore I am against you and your rivers. I'll reduce Egypt to an empty, desolate wasteland all the way from Migdol in the north to Syene and the border of Ethiopia in the south. Not a human will be seen in it, nor will an animal move through it. It'll be just empty desert, empty for forty years. "‘I'll make Egypt the most desolate of all desolations. For forty years I'll make her cities the most wasted of all wasted cities. I'll scatter Egyptians to the four winds, send them off every which way into exile. "‘But,' says God , the Master, ‘that's not the end of it. After the forty years, I'll gather up the Egyptians from all the places where they've been scattered. I'll put things back together again for Egypt. I'll bring her back to Pathros where she got her start long ago. There she'll start over again from scratch. She'll take her place at the bottom of the ladder and there she'll stay, never to climb that ladder again, never to be a world power again. Never again will Israel be tempted to rely on Egypt. All she'll be to Israel is a reminder of old sin. Then Egypt will realize that I am God , the Master.'" In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, God 's Message came to me: "Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, has worn out his army against Tyre. They've worked their fingers to the bone and have nothing to show for it. "Therefore, God , the Master, says, ‘I'm giving Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He'll haul away its wealth, pick the place clean. He'll pay his army with Egyptian plunder. He's been working for me all these years without pay. This is his pay: Egypt. Decree of God , the Master. "‘And then I'll stir up fresh hope in Israel—the dawn of deliverance!—and I'll give you, Ezekiel, bold and confident words to speak. And they'll realize that I am God .'"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 3415, bc 589, Ezekiel 29:17, Ezekiel 1:2, Ezekiel 8:1, Ezekiel 20:1, Ezekiel 26:1, Ezekiel 40:1

Reciprocal: Isaiah 19:1 - Egypt Jeremiah 25:19 - Pharaoh Jeremiah 44:30 - I will Jeremiah 46:2 - Against Egypt Jeremiah 46:24 - she shall Ezekiel 24:1 - the ninth year Ezekiel 30:20 - General Ezekiel 32:1 - in the twelfth

Cross-References

Genesis 24:10
The servant took ten of his master's camels and, loaded with gifts from his master, traveled to Aram Naharaim and the city of Nahor. Outside the city, he made the camels kneel at a well. It was evening, the time when the women came to draw water. He prayed, "O God , God of my master Abraham, make things go smoothly this day; treat my master Abraham well! As I stand here by the spring while the young women of the town come out to get water, let the girl to whom I say, ‘Lower your jug and give me a drink,' and who answers, ‘Drink, and let me also water your camels'—let her be the woman you have picked out for your servant Isaac. Then I'll know that you're working graciously behind the scenes for my master."

Genesis 29:5
Jacob asked, "Do you know Laban son of Nahor?" "We do."

Genesis 29:7
Jacob said, "There's a lot of daylight still left; it isn't time to round up the sheep yet, is it? So why not water the flocks and go back to grazing?"

Genesis 29:20
So Jacob worked seven years for Rachel. But it only seemed like a few days, he loved her so much.

Judges 6:33
All the Midianites and Amalekites (the easterners) got together, crossed the river, and made camp in the Valley of Jezreel. God 's Spirit came over Gideon. He blew his ram's horn trumpet and the Abiezrites came out, ready to follow him. He dispatched messengers all through Manasseh, calling them to the battle; also to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali. They all came.

Judges 8:10
Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with an army of about fifteen companies, all that was left of the fighting force of the easterners—they had lost 120 companies of soldiers.

Ecclesiastes 9:7
Seize life! Eat bread with gusto, Drink wine with a robust heart. Oh yes—God takes pleasure in your pleasure! Dress festively every morning. Don't skimp on colors and scarves. Relish life with the spouse you love Each and every day of your precarious life. Each day is God's gift. It's all you get in exchange For the hard work of staying alive. Make the most of each one! Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily! This is your last and only chance at it, For there's neither work to do nor thoughts to think In the company of the dead, where you're most certainly headed.

Hosea 12:12
Are you going to repeat the life of your ancestor Jacob? He ran off guilty to Aram, Then sold his soul to get ahead, and made it big through treachery and deceit. Your real identity is formed through God-sent prophets, who led you out of Egypt and served as faithful pastors. As it is, Ephraim has continually and inexcusably insulted God. Now he has to pay for his life-destroying ways. His Master will do to him what he has done.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month,.... In the tenth year Jeconiah's captivity, and Zedekiah's reign. The Septuagint version has it, the twelfth year; and the Arabic version, the twelfth month; and the Septuagint version again, the first day of the month; and the Vulgate Latin, the eleventh day of it. This month was the month Tebet, and answers to part of December, and part of January. This prophecy was delivered before that concerning Tyre, though placed after it, because fulfilled after it, which gave Nebuchadnezzar Egypt as a reward for besieging and taking Tyre:

the word of the Lord came unto me, saying; as follows.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The tenth year - Jerusalem had been besieged, but not taken. Jeremiah delivered his prophecy against Egypt, about the time when the approach of Pharaoh Hophra’s army caused the Chaldaeans for the time to raise the siege Jeremiah 37:5. This was the solitary instance of Egypt meddling with the affairs of Palestine or Syria after the battle of Carchemish (compare 2 Kings 24:7); it met with speedy punishment.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XXIX

This and the three following chapters foretell the conquest of

Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, which he accomplished in the

twenty-seventh year of Jehoiachin's captivity. The same event

is foretold by Jeremiah, Jeremiah 46:13, c.

The prophecy opens with God's charging the king of Egypt

(Pharaoh-hophra) with the same extravagant pride and profanity

which were in the preceding chapter laid to the charge of the

prince of Tyre. He appears, like him, to have affected Divine

honours and boasted so much of the strength of his kingdom,

that, as an ancient historian (Herodotus) tells us, he

impiously declared that God himself could not dispossess him.

Wherefore the prophet, with great majesty, addresses him under

the image of one of those crocodiles or monsters which

inhabited that river, of whose riches and revenue he vaunted;

and assures him that, with as much ease as a fisherman drags

the fish he has hooked, God would drag him and his people into

captivity, and that their carcasses should fall a prey to the

beasts of the field and to the fowls of heaven, 1-7.

The figure is then dropped; and God is introduced denouncing,

in plain terns, the most awful judgments against him and his

nation, and declaring that the Egyptians should be subjected to

the Babylonians till the fall of the Chaldean empire, 8-12.

The prophet then foretells that Egypt, which was about to be

devastated by the Babylonians, and many of the people carried

into captivity, should again become a kingdom; but that it

should never regain its ancient political importance; for, in

the lapse of time, it should be even the BASEST of the

kingdoms, a circumstance in the prophecy most literally

fulfilled, especially under the Christian dispensation, in its

government by the Mameluke slaves, 13-16.

The prophecy, beginning at the seventeenth verse, is connected

with the foregoing, as it relates to the same subject, though

delivered about seventeen years later. Nebuchadnezzar and his

army, after the long siege of Tyre, which made every head bald

by constantly wearing their helmets, and wore the skin of off

every shoulder by carrying burdens to raise the fortifications,

were disappointed of the spoil which they expected, by the

retiring of the inhabitants to Carthage. God, therefore,

promises him Egypt for his reward, 17-20.

The chapter concludes with a prediction of the return of the

Jews from the Babylonish captivity, 21.

NOTES ON CHAP. XXIX

Verse Ezekiel 29:1. In the tenth year — Of Zedekiah; and tenth of the captivity of Jeconiah.

The tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month — Answering to Monday, the first of February, A.M. 3415.