Ezekiel 29

1 In the tenth [tenth year of our captivity] year, on the twelfth day of the tenth month, the word [a thing or matter] of the LORD [Yehovah, the self-existent God] came to me, saying [to speak or command], word study 2 “Son of man [human, a descendant of Adam], set your face [presence, being in front of someone] against Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful leader] king of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] and prophesy [speak under the influence of the divine spirit] against him and against all [everything, the whole] Egypt [the land and its people]. word study 3 Speak to him and tell him that this is what the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah] says: Behold [look, take notice], I am against you, O Pharaoh [the king of Egypt, a powerful ruler] king of Egypt, O great [powerful, majestic] monster [dragon, sea-serpent] who lies [stretches out, rests] among his rivers, who says, ‘The Nile [my river, my lifeblood] is mine; I made [created, formed] it myself [by my own power, for my own purposes].’ word study 4 But I will put hooks [like a fishhook, a means of control] in your jaws [the cheek or jawbone] and cause the fish [a multitude of aquatic creatures] of your streams [rivers or watercourses, a source of life] to cling [to cleave or stick, in a state of dependence] to your scales [a protective covering, like armor]. I will haul you up out of your rivers [the midst of your streams, a place of abundance], and all the fish of your streams will cling [to stick or adhere, in a state of attachment] to your scales. word study 5 I will leave [abandon, forsake] you in the desert [wilderness, desolate place], you and all the fish [every kind of fish] of your streams [rivers, waterways]. You will fall [collapse, be slain] on the open field [exposed land, battlefield] and will not be taken away [removed, gathered] or gathered [collected, buried] for burial [funeral rites, interment]. I have given [delivered, surrendered] you as food [prey, sustenance] to the beasts [wild animals, predators] of the earth [land, ground] and the birds [fowl, winged creatures] of the air [heaven, sky]. word study 6 Then all [every single one] the people of Egypt will know [perceive, understand, learn] that I [the Lord] am the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. For you were only [merely, solely] a staff [support, walking stick] of reeds [weak, fragile branches] to the house [family, dwelling place] of Israel [God’s chosen people, descendants of Jacob]. word study 7 When Israel took hold [seized, grasped] of you with their hands [palms], you splintered [broke, crushed], tearing [rending, breaking] all their shoulders [upper arm]; when they leaned [rested, trusted] on you, you broke [shattered, fractured], and their backs [loins, waist] were wrenched [shaken, made to stand]. word study 8 Therefore [thus, in this manner] this is what the Lord [Adonay, God as Master] GOD [Yehovah] says: I will bring [cause to come, send] a sword [weapon of war, instrument of judgment] against you and cut off [destroy, eliminate] from you man [Adam, humanity] and beast [animal, living creature]. word study 9 The land [country, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] will become a desolate [laid waste, devastated] wasteland [uninhabited, barren]. Then they will know [understand, recognize] that I [the Lord] am the LORD [the supreme God, Yehovah]. Because you said [declared, proclaimed], ‘The Nile [river, stream] is mine [my possession, my creation]; I made [created, formed] it [brought it into being],’ word study 10 therefore [in consequence of this, as a result] I am against you and against your rivers [streams, canals]. I will turn the land [earth, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] into a ruin [desolation, waste], a desolate [laid waste, devastated] wasteland [uninhabited land, desert] from Migdol [a tower, fortified city] to Syene [a town in Upper Egypt], and as far as [until, up to] the border [boundary, limit] of Cush [Ethiopia, the region south of Egypt]. word study 11 No [not at all, none] foot [of humanity, as in Adam] of man or [nor] beast will pass through [cross over, transition], and it will be [remain, abide] uninhabited [desolate, empty] for forty [a significant period of time, as in years of testing] years. word study 12 I will make the land [territory, region] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] a desolation [waste, devastation] among desolate [barren, uninhabited] lands, and her cities [towns, settlements] will lie desolate [empty, ruined] for forty [a significant period of time] years among the ruined [destroyed, laid waste] cities. And I will disperse [scatter, spread out] the Egyptians [the people of Egypt] among the nations [Gentile countries, non-Hebrew peoples] and scatter [disperse, toss about] them throughout the countries [lands, territories]. word study 13 For this is what the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah] says: At the end [conclusion or culmination] of forty years I will gather [collect or assemble, to bring together] the Egyptians [the people of Egypt, a nation in northeastern Africa] from the nations [peoples or countries, the Gentile world] to which they were scattered [dispersed or dispersed abroad, like seed sown in different fields]. word study 14 I will restore [bring back, reverse the captivity of] Egypt from captivity [being held prisoner, exile] and bring them back to the land [region, territory] of Pathros [in southern Egypt], the land [country, territory] of their origin [birthplace, nativity]. There [in that place, at that time] they will be a lowly [humble, base] kingdom [dominion, ruler’s power]. word study 15 Egypt will be the [lowest, most humble] lowliest of kingdoms and will never again [exalt itself, lift itself up] exalt itself above the nations [Gentile nations, non-Hebrew peoples]. For I will diminish [make small] Egypt so that it will never again rule [have power over] over the nations [Gentile nations, non-Hebrew peoples]. word study 16 Egypt will never again be an object of trust [confidence, refuge] for the house [family, nation] of Israel, but will remind them of their iniquity [moral evil, sin] in turning [looking, seeking help] to the Egyptians [idolatrous nation]. Then they will know [understand, recognize] that I [the divine Speaker] am the Lord [Adonay, sovereign Master] GOD [Yehovah].” word study 17 In the twenty-seventh year, on the first [primary, initial] day of the first [primary, initial] month, the word [divine message, declaration] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] came to me, saying [speaking, commanding], word study 18 “Son of man [human, a son of Adam], Nebuchadnezzar [a powerful ruler] king of Babylon [a city and empire, meaning confusion or mixing] caused his army [a force, a military power] to labor strenuously [to serve a great service, with hard work] against Tyre [a city on the Mediterranean coast, a major Phoenician city]. Every head [the topmost part of the body] was made bald [to make bald, or shave the head, as a sign of mourning] and every shoulder [the upper end of the arm] made raw [to smooth or polish, like making a surface shiny or bald]. But he and his army [helech, strength, might, or power] received no wages [payment for work or services, like the wages paid to laborers] from Tyre [a city, a place of trade and commerce] for the labor [service or work, including serving God or others] they expended [to serve, to work, or to exert effort] on it [upon the city, with a sense of responsibility]. word study 19 Therefore [in this manner, thus] this is what the Lord [Adonay, the sovereign God] GOD [Yehovah] says: I will give [bestow, assign] the land [territory, region] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] to Nebuchadnezzar [the king of Babylon, a powerful ruler] king of Babylon [the ruler of the Babylonian empire], who will carry off [take away, plunder] its wealth [riches, treasures], seize [take by force, capture] its spoil [plunder, booty], and remove [take away, plunder] its plunder [loot, spoil]. This will be [become, serve as] the wages [payment, compensation] for his army [military force, warriors]. word study 20 I have given him the land [territory, region] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] as the reward [wages, recompense] for his labor [hard work, service], because it was done [served, worked] for Me, declares the Lord [Adonay, Master] GOD [Yehovah]. word study 21 In that day [a future time of fulfillment] I will cause a horn [a horn; a hill or peak] to sprout [grow, bud forth] for the house [family, descendants] of Israel, and I will open your mouth [give you the ability to speak, utter words] to speak [declare, proclaim] among them [in their midst, as a witness]. Then they will know [understand, recognize] that I am the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant-keeping God].” word study