Ezekiel 29 11

Ezekiel 29:11 kjv

No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.

Ezekiel 29:11 nkjv

Neither foot of man shall pass through it nor foot of beast pass through it, and it shall be uninhabited forty years.

Ezekiel 29:11 niv

The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years.

Ezekiel 29:11 esv

No foot of man shall pass through it, and no foot of beast shall pass through it; it shall be uninhabited forty years.

Ezekiel 29:11 nlt

For forty years not a soul will pass that way, neither people nor animals. It will be completely uninhabited.

Ezekiel 29 verses

Ezekiel 29 11 Meaning

This verse declares that for forty years Egypt will be a desolate wasteland, unmatched in its desolation among the nations. This desolation signifies a period of judgment and divine repurposing for Egypt, stemming from its pride and mistreatment of Israel. The prolonged nature of forty years points to the thoroughness of God's judgment and the subsequent restoration or altered state of the land.

Ezekiel 29 11 Context

Ezekiel 29 occurs within a prophetic oracle directed at Egypt. The immediate preceding verses (29:1-7) speak of God's confrontation with Pharaoh and the might of Egypt, likening the nation to a great crocodile or sea monster that lies within its rivers, whose scales are its defense and whose roar is boastful. God declares His intention to put hooks in Pharaoh's jaws and draw him out, along with all his fish and creatures from the Nile. This sets the stage for the subsequent pronouncements of judgment upon Egypt for its arrogance, its oppressive actions against Israel (particularly during the fall of Jerusalem), and its unreliable reliance on its own strength and false gods. Chapter 29, as a whole, predicts Egypt's future humiliation and a prolonged period of weakness and desolation.

Ezekiel 29 11 Word Analysis

• אֲנִ֫י (ani): "I." A strong declaration of divine self-assertion, emphasizing God's direct agency.
• ה ' (Ha'): "the." Definite article.
• מַמְלָכָה (mamlakah): "kingdom." Refers to Egypt as a political entity.
• הַשְּׁפָלָה (hashshephelah): "the lowliest" or "the humblest." Denotes extreme debasement and insignificance.
• מִמַּלְכוֹת (mimmlekoth): "from kingdoms." Comparison to all other political powers.
• וְלֹא־תִתְנַשֵּׂא (welo-titnas·seh): "and shall not exalt itself." Signifies the cessation of pride and arrogance.
• עוֹד (`od): "again" or "anymore." Indicates a finality to its low state.
• עַל־גּוֹיִם (`al-goyim): "over nations." Its former dominance is completely removed.
• יָמִים (yamim): "days" or "years." In prophetic contexts, this often signifies a period of judgment or purification.
• אַרְבָּעִים (arba'im): "forty." A significant number in scripture often representing a generation, testing, or period of judgment.
• וְהָיְתָה (wəhay·tah): "and it shall be." A statement of future certainty.
• הָאָרֶץ (ha'arets): "the land." Refers to the land of Egypt.
• חָרְבָּה (ḥarbeh): "desolation" or "ruin." Indicates severe destruction and emptiness.
• וְנָתַ֫תִּי (wəna·tath·ti): "and I will give" or "and I will cause." God's active role in this outcome.
• וְהָיוּ (wəhayu): "and they shall be." Future state.
• אֶת־ (et): Object marker.
• חָרְבֹּת (ḥarbôth): "desolations" or "ruins" (plural). Emphasizing the extent of the destruction.
• גּוֹיִם (goyim): "nations." Referring back to the nations of the earth.
• בְּתוֹךְ (betokh): "in the midst of" or "among." Placement of Egypt in relation to the nations.
• חֳרָבוֹת (ḥô·ra·voth): "desolate" or "ruined" (feminine adjective agreeing with desolations).
• כָּל־ (kol): "all."
• הֶעָרִים (he'arim): "the cities."
• הֶחֳרֵבוֹת (heḥorebôth): "the ruined ones."
• בְּתוֹךְ (betokh): "in the midst of."
• מְמַלְכוֹת (memlekoth): "kingdoms."
• חֳרָבוֹת (ḥô·ra·voth): "desolate" or "ruined."

Word Groups:

• "the lowliest kingdom" (הַמַּמְלָכָה הַשְּׁפָלָה - ha mamlakah hash shephelah): This signifies not just a political diminishment but a fundamental loss of status and pride. It contrasts with Egypt's historical and perceived power.
• "forty years" (אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה - arba'im shanah): This duration is significant. Forty years often denotes a period of judgment or transition for a generation or a land. For example, the Israelites wandered for forty years in the wilderness. This duration emphasizes a thorough purification and removal of ingrained pride and defiance.
• "the land of Egypt shall be the most desolate" (הָאָרֶץ מִצְרַיִם חָרְבָּה הִיא ... וּבִתּוֹךְ מַמְלָכוֹת חֳרָבוֹת הִיא - ha'arets Mitsrayim ḥar·bah hiy ... u · vî·tōkh mam·lə·kōt ḥɔ·rɔ·vōt hiy): This repetition emphasizes not only Egypt's desolation but its comparison to other desolate lands. It implies a state of being utterly ruined and uninhabited, a warning against national pride and opposition to God's plans.

Ezekiel 29 11 Bonus Section

The prophecy in Ezekiel 29 points to historical events but also carries deeper symbolic meaning. Egypt, often a symbol of opposition to God and His people throughout Scripture (from the Exodus narrative onward), represents the arrogant world system. Its desolation for forty years signifies a period where its power and influence will be broken, its claims of self-sufficiency exposed as vanity. The reference to Egypt being "the most desolate" of kingdoms speaks to a judgment that is uniquely severe because of Egypt's historical defiance and its active role in afflicting Israel. This is not merely political subjugation but a demonstration of God's sovereign power over even the mightiest earthly kingdoms, a theme that resonates throughout prophetic literature and the broader biblical narrative concerning God's ultimate victory over opposition. The subsequent chapters of Ezekiel will detail specific ways this judgment would be carried out.

Ezekiel 29 11 Commentary

Ezekiel 29:11 is a powerful pronouncement of divine judgment on Egypt. God declares that Egypt will be reduced to the lowest of kingdoms, not to exalt itself above other nations. This debasement will last for forty years, during which the land of Egypt itself will become the most desolate of all lands, and its cities will be the most desolate of all ruined cities. This prophecy speaks to a comprehensive and prolonged judgment intended to strip Egypt of its pride and its ability to oppress. The number forty, significant in scripture for periods of testing or judgment, underscores the thoroughness of this divine action. Egypt's fate is tied to its defiance and its former arrogance. This judgment, while severe, serves God's purposes and aligns with His sovereign plan for nations, ultimately ensuring His people are protected and His glory proclaimed.