Ezekiel 29 1

Ezekiel 29:1 kjv

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

Ezekiel 29:1 nkjv

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

Ezekiel 29:1 niv

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

Ezekiel 29:1 esv

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

Ezekiel 29:1 nlt

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

Ezekiel 29 verses

Ezekiel 29 1 Meaning

Ezekiel 29:1 serves as a precise chronological and thematic introduction to a major prophecy against the nation of Egypt. It details the exact date of the divine revelation to the prophet Ezekiel, emphasizing the sovereignty of God over historical events and His direct communication to His chosen messenger. This verse signifies that the impending judgment upon Egypt, detailed in the subsequent chapters, is not a human prediction but a direct, time-stamped word from YHWH, the covenant God.

Ezekiel 29 1 Context

Ezekiel, a prophet among the exiles in Babylon, delivered divine messages to a disheartened people from approximately 593-571 BC. Chapter 29 marks a distinct shift in Ezekiel's prophecy from condemning Judah and Jerusalem to pronouncing judgment against surrounding foreign nations, starting with Egypt. Historically, Judah had a long and often detrimental relationship with Egypt, often seeking it as an ally against powerful empires like Assyria and Babylon. At the time of this prophecy, Pharaoh Hophra (Apries) ruled Egypt, and many Judeans continued to hold onto false hope that Egypt would deliver them from Babylonian domination (cf. Jer 37:5-7). This oracle, delivered after Jerusalem's siege and before its final fall (and then further pronouncements), served to shatter that false confidence, reinforcing that YHWH alone is sovereign over all nations and their destinies. It provided clarity to the exiles that trust in human power, especially Egypt's, was ultimately futile and that YHWH's judgment was comprehensive, reaching beyond Judah to include their perceived protectors.

Ezekiel 29 1 Word analysis

• In the tenth year: This precisely dates the prophetic utterance. According to Ezekiel's established chronological system (Ezek 1:2), it refers to the tenth year of King Jehoiachin's exile, corresponding to approximately 587-586 BC. This makes it concurrent with, or shortly before, the final fall of Jerusalem, providing a divine commentary on events unfolding rapidly.
• in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month: Adds extreme precision to the dating, typical of Ezekiel's prophecies (cf. Ezek 8:1; 24:1). This specificity underscores the divine control over time and history, indicating that God's messages are deliberate and precisely timed, not random or speculative. It also helps historical researchers corroborate or place these prophecies in the broader timeline of the ancient Near East.
• the word of the LORD (YHWH): (Heb. וַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהוָה, vay'hi devar-YHWH) This is a standard prophetic formula asserting the divine origin and authority of the message. It means the ensuing revelation is not Ezekiel’s personal opinion or analysis but a direct communication from God Himself. "YHWH" signifies the covenant God of Israel, highlighting that even in judging pagan nations like Egypt, it is the God of Israel who is acting and revealing.
• came to me: Emphasizes that the message was specifically directed to Ezekiel (יְחֶזְקֵאל, Yĕḥezqēʾl, meaning "God strengthens"). This affirms Ezekiel's role as a true prophet, a vessel for God's word, and distinguishes his message from the pronouncements of false prophets.
• saying: Introduces the actual content of the prophecy. It is a transitional word that prepares the listener/reader for the ensuing divine pronouncement against Egypt.

Words-group analysis:

• "In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month": This detailed chronological marker highlights God's sovereignty over history and time. It provides a historical anchors for the exiles, grounding the spiritual truth of the prophecy in concrete, verifiable history. Such specificity is a hallmark of Ezekiel and adds weight and credibility to the divine pronouncements.
• "the word of the LORD came to me, saying": This is the classic prophetic indictment, signifying an unquestionable, direct, and authoritative divine revelation. It leaves no room for doubt about the source or the truthfulness of the coming message, presenting the following oracle as a declaration from the ultimate divine authority. This formula establishes the immediate literary context as a direct communication from YHWH, meant to be received as absolute truth.

Ezekiel 29 1 Bonus section

The specific date of Ezekiel 29:1 (January 2, 587 BC according to many calculations) is particularly significant because it falls shortly after Nebuchadnezzar's siege of Jerusalem began but before its final destruction. At this critical juncture, Pharaoh Hophra attempted a military intervention that briefly relieved the siege but ultimately failed (Jer 37:5-10). The timing of this prophecy, therefore, would have been profoundly impactful, exposing Egypt's ultimate weakness and solidifying the message to the exiles that their only hope rested in God, not in human alliances. It provided divine perspective on unfolding current events, clarifying that even this glimmer of Egyptian "help" was transient and misleading.

Ezekiel 29 1 Commentary

Ezekiel 29:1 acts as the authoritative divine preamble to a series of condemnations against Egypt. The meticulously precise dating, typical of Ezekiel's style, anchors the prophecy firmly in history, emphasizing that God's plan unfolds with intentionality and perfect timing. It assures the exiled Israelites that their God is active, not only in their immediate predicament but also in the larger geopolitical landscape. The declaration "the word of the LORD came to me" underscores the divine origin of the message, disassociating it from human conjecture or political analysis. This was crucial for the exiles tempted to trust in Egypt as a power block to counter Babylon. The verse subtly serves as a polemic: YHWH, the God of Israel, knows and directs the history of nations, not Pharaoh or Egypt's myriad gods, whose impotence will soon be revealed. It sets the stage for demonstrating YHWH's power over Pharaoh, who often claimed divinity, and the great Nile river, often worshipped.