# Overview Ezekiel Chapter 29 is a prophetic announcement against #Egypt, delivered during the tenth year of the prophet #Ezekiel's exile. The word of the #Lord comes to Ezekiel, directing him to set his face against #Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and to prophesy against him and all of Egypt. The chapter depicts Pharaoh as a great monster lying in the midst of the rivers, a symbol of his pride and arrogance. The #Lord declares that He is against Pharaoh, who has claimed the #Nile for himself, and promises to bring a sword against Egypt, laying it waste and making it desolate from the tower of #Syene to the border of #Cush. This judgment is meant to demonstrate the sovereignty of the Lord and to reveal that He is the true God, and Pharaoh is merely a human ruler. The chapter further includes a prophecy of the future restoration of Egypt after a period of forty years of desolation. The people of Egypt would be scattered among the nations but eventually gathered back to their land. However, Egypt will never again be a major power; it will be the lowliest of kingdoms, serving as a reminder to #Israel of the futility of relying on foreign powers instead of the #Lord. In the closing verses, the prophecy shifts to the twenty-seventh year, where the Lord declares that He will give the land of Egypt to #Nebuchadnezzar, king of #Babylon, as a reward for his labor in defeating #Tyre. This illustrates the unfolding of God's plan and His control over the nations, underscoring His faithfulness to His word and His ultimate power over human affairs. ## Theological Insights Ezekiel 29 presents a prophetic message against #Egypt, delivered by the prophet #Ezekiel. Here, the text underscores God's sovereignty over nations and His ability to judge them according to their deeds. This chapter is part of a broader section where #Ezekiel prophesies against foreign nations, illustrating that the God of #Israel is not only a national deity but the supreme ruler of all the earth. 1. **God’s Sovereignty and Judgment**: The chapter begins with a prophecy against #Pharaoh, king of #Egypt, likening him to a great monster in the Nile (Ezekiel 29:3). This imagery symbolizes #Egypt's pride and self-reliance. God's judgment on Egypt reveals His power to humble nations that exalt themselves. This theme echoes throughout the Bible, as seen in the judgment against #Babylon (see [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 13]]) and other nations. 2. **Divine Retribution**: Verses 4-5 describe the fate of #Pharaoh and #Egypt, portraying them being drawn from their river and left to the beasts of the earth. This prophetic imagery illustrates the principle of divine retribution, showing that those who oppose God's people and purposes will face His judgment. This is consistent with God's justice as seen in other scriptures, such as the plagues against #Egypt in [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 7|Exodus]]. 3. **Fulfillment of Prophetic Word**: Verses 8-12 predict the desolation of #Egypt for forty years, emphasizing that God's word spoken through His prophets will come to pass. This assurance of prophetic fulfillment reassures the faithful of God's ultimate control over history and His promises, much like the prophetic assurances given to #Israel in [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 29]]. 4. **Restoration and Mercy**: Despite the severe judgment pronounced, verses 13-16 promise a future restoration for #Egypt after forty years. This demonstrates a theme of divine mercy and restoration that is present throughout the Bible, where God remains faithful to His creation despite their rebellion. It parallels the restoration promises made to #Israel in [[Ezekiel/Ezekiel Chapter 36]] and [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 40]]. 5. **Theological Implications for Israel**: The chapter concludes by highlighting that #Israel will no longer rely on #Egypt as a crutch (Ezekiel 29:16). This serves as a reminder to God’s people to place their trust solely in Him rather than in worldly powers. This message is consistent with the warnings given in [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 31]] and [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 2]] against reliance on foreign alliances. Ezekiel 29, therefore, not only pronounces judgment upon #Egypt but also serves as a theological lesson for #Israel and all nations, emphasizing God’s sovereignty, the certainty of His word, and the need for His people to trust in Him alone. ## Thematic Connections ### Divine Judgment on Nations Ezekiel 29 emphasizes God’s sovereignty over nations and His power to execute judgment upon them. The prophecy against #Egypt highlights the theme of divine judgment that is prevalent throughout Scripture, where God holds nations accountable for their actions. This theme can be seen in other prophetic books, such as [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 13|Isaiah's pronouncements against Babylon]], and [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 46|Jeremiah's prophecies against Egypt]], illustrating that all nations are subject to God's righteous judgment. ### Pride and Its Consequences The chapter portrays #Pharaoh as a great monster in the Nile, claiming ownership of the river, which signifies pride and self-exaltation. This theme of pride leading to downfall is echoed throughout the Bible, such as in the story of [[Genesis/Genesis Chapter 11|the Tower of Babel]] and the downfall of [[Daniel/Daniel Chapter 4|King Nebuchadnezzar]]. These stories serve as a reminder that human arrogance is often met with divine correction. ### Restoration and Hope Despite the pronouncement of judgment, Ezekiel 29 also contains a promise of restoration for Egypt after forty years (verse 13). This theme of restoration following judgment is consistent with God's character as seen in other prophetic texts, such as the promise of renewal to Israel in [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 31|Jeremiah 31]] and the valley of dry bones in [[Ezekiel/Ezekiel Chapter 37|Ezekiel 37]]. It emphasizes the hope and future redemption that God offers even after a period of discipline. ### God's Sovereignty and Purpose The chapter repeatedly underscores God's sovereignty and the fulfillment of His purposes through the rise and fall of nations. The statement that Egypt will become a lowly kingdom serves to fulfill God's plan and demonstrate His control over history. This theme is similarly expressed in the narrative of [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 14|the Exodus]], where God's power is displayed over Pharaoh and his army, and in [[Daniel/Daniel Chapter 2|Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream]], illustrating God’s ultimate authority over earthly kingdoms. ### Covenant Faithfulness Ezekiel 29 serves as a reminder of God's covenant faithfulness to His people. By judging Egypt, God is executing justice on behalf of Israel, recalling the deliverance from Egypt in the exodus narrative. This theme of covenant faithfulness is foundational in Scripture, as seen in God's promises to [[Genesis/Genesis Chapter 15|Abraham]], and His enduring loyalty to Israel throughout their history, even amidst their disobedience. ## Prophetic Fulfillments ### Judgment Against Egypt In Ezekiel 29, the Lord proclaims judgment against Egypt, specifically targeting Pharaoh and his arrogance, symbolized by the crocodile in the Nile (Ezekiel 29:3). This prophecy fulfills the theme of divine judgment against nations that oppose God’s people, a pattern seen throughout the Old Testament. The downfall of #Egypt highlights the sovereignty of God over all nations, fulfilling prophecies such as those found in [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 19|Isaiah 19]] where Egypt's judgment and eventual restoration are foretold. This aligns with the broader biblical narrative that God’s judgment is both corrective and purposed for eventual restoration. ### A Forty-Year Desolation The prophecy in Ezekiel 29:11-12 that Egypt would become a desolate wasteland for forty years is significant, paralleling the forty years of Israel’s wilderness journey as a time of judgment and purification. This period serves as a fulfillment of God's justice and a reminder of His power over empires that pride themselves against Him. The prophecy finds a thematic echo in [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 46|Jeremiah 46:25-26]], where God declares He will deliver Pharaoh and Egypt into the hands of their enemies, affirming the consistency of God's Word across different prophetic voices. ### Restoration After Judgment Ezekiel 29:13-16 speaks of Egypt’s future restoration after the forty-year desolation, albeit as a lowly kingdom. This prophecy of restoration mirrors the redemptive aspects of God’s dealings with nations and individuals, where judgment leads to eventual restoration, as seen similarly in [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 19|Isaiah 19:23-25]], where Egypt is envisioned as part of a future blessing alongside Israel and Assyria. This prophetic fulfillment underscores the hope of God’s mercy and the ultimate inclusion of nations within His redemptive plan. ### Nebuchadnezzar's Reward Ezekiel 29:17-20 describes the prophecy where God gives Egypt to #Nebuchadnezzar king of #Babylon as a reward for his service in defeating #Tyre. This prophetic fulfillment demonstrates God’s control over the affairs of nations and kings, using them as instruments to accomplish His purposes, paralleling the narrative seen in [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 45|Isaiah 45:1-3]] where #Cyrus is used as God's anointed to fulfill His plans. This not only confirms the predictive nature of prophecy but also highlights the theme of divine recompense and the fulfillment of God’s promises in history. ## Verses - **Ezekiel 29:1** - "On January 7, during the tenth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord:" - #Jehoiachin #captivity #prophecy - **Ezekiel 29:2** - "“Son of man, turn and face Egypt and prophesy against Pharaoh the king of Egypt and all the people of Egypt." - #SonOfMan #Egypt #Pharaoh #prophecy - **Ezekiel 29:3** - "Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: “I am your enemy, O Pharaoh, king of Egypt, you great monster, lurking in the streams of the Nile. For you have said, ‘The Nile River is mine; I made it for myself.’" - #SovereignLord #Nile #Egypt #Pharaoh - **Ezekiel 29:4** - "I will put hooks in your jaws and drag you out on the land with fish sticking to your scales." - #hooks #judgment - **Ezekiel 29:5** - "I will leave you and all your fish out to die in the fields. You will fall on the open ground and will not be picked up or buried. I have given you as food to the wild animals and birds." - #judgment #wildAnimals #birds - **Ezekiel 29:6** - "All the people of Egypt will know that I am the Lord, for to Israel you were just a staff made of reeds." - #Egypt #Israel #Lord - **Ezekiel 29:7** - "When Israel leaned on you, you splintered and broke and stabbed her in the armpit. When she put her weight on you, you gave way, and her back was thrown out of joint." - #Israel #staff #reeds - **Ezekiel 29:8** - "“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring an army against you, O Egypt, and destroy both people and animals." - #SovereignLord #Egypt #army - **Ezekiel 29:9** - "The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. “Because you said, ‘The Nile River is mine; I made it,’" - #desolation #Egypt #Lord - **Ezekiel 29:10** - "I am now the enemy of both you and your river. I will make the land of Egypt a totally desolate wasteland, from Migdol to Aswan, as far south as the border of Ethiopia." - #Migdol #Aswan #Ethiopia - **Ezekiel 29:11** - "For forty years not a soul will pass that way, neither people nor animals. It will be completely uninhabited." - #fortyYears #desolation - **Ezekiel 29:12** - "I will make Egypt desolate, and it will be surrounded by other desolate nations. Its cities will be empty and desolate for forty years, surrounded by other desolate cities. I will scatter the Egyptians to distant lands." - #desolation #fortyYears #scatter - **Ezekiel 29:13** - "“But this is what the Sovereign Lord also says: At the end of the forty years I will bring the Egyptians home again from the nations to which they have been scattered." - #SovereignLord #Egyptians #restoration - **Ezekiel 29:14** - "I will restore the fortunes of Egypt and bring them back to the land of Pathros, in southern Egypt, from which they came. But Egypt will remain an unimportant, minor kingdom." - #Pathros #restoration - **Ezekiel 29:15** - "It will be the lowliest of all the nations, never again great enough to rise above its neighbors." - #nations #humiliation - **Ezekiel 29:16** - "Then Israel will no longer be tempted to trust in Egypt for help. Egypt’s shattered condition will remind Israel of how sinful she was to trust Egypt in earlier days. Then Israel will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”" - #Israel #trust #SovereignLord - **Ezekiel 29:17** - "On April 26, the first day of the new year, during the twenty-seventh year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message came to me from the Lord:" - #Jehoiachin #prophecy - **Ezekiel 29:18** - "“Son of man, the army of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon fought so hard against Tyre that the warriors’ heads were rubbed bare, and their shoulders were raw and blistered. Yet Nebuchadnezzar and his army won no plunder to compensate for all their work." - #SonOfMan #Nebuchadnezzar #Babylon #Tyre - **Ezekiel 29:19** - "Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. He will carry off its wealth, plundering everything it has, so he can pay his army." - #SovereignLord #Nebuchadnezzar #Egypt - **Ezekiel 29:20** - "Yes, I have given him the land of Egypt as a reward for his work, says the Sovereign Lord, because he was working for me when he destroyed Tyre." - #reward #Nebuchadnezzar #Tyre - **Ezekiel 29:21** - "“And the day will come when I will cause the ancient glory of Israel to revive, and then, Ezekiel, your words will be respected. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”" - #Israel #glory #Ezekiel #Lord ### Cross-References by Chapter - **Egypt** - [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 1]], [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 19]] - **Pharaoh** - [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 7]], [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 46]] - **Nile River** - [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 7]], [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 19]] - **Nebuchadnezzar** - [[2 Kings/2 Kings Chapter 24]], [[Daniel/Daniel Chapter 1]] - **Tyre** - [[Ezekiel/Ezekiel Chapter 26]], [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 23]] - **Pathros** - [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 44]] - **Forty Years** - [[Numbers/Numbers Chapter 14]], [[Deuteronomy/Deuteronomy Chapter 8]]