Ezekiel 29 16

Ezekiel 29:16 kjv

And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 29:16 nkjv

No longer shall it be the confidence of the house of Israel, but will remind them of their iniquity when they turned to follow them. Then they shall know that I am the Lord GOD." ' "

Ezekiel 29:16 niv

Egypt will no longer be a source of confidence for the people of Israel but will be a reminder of their sin in turning to her for help. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.'?"

Ezekiel 29:16 esv

And it shall never again be the reliance of the house of Israel, recalling their iniquity, when they turn to them for aid. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD."

Ezekiel 29:16 nlt

"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."

Ezekiel 29 verses

Ezekiel 29 16 meaning

This verse pronounces a decisive end to Israel's historical, perilous entanglement with Egypt. Previously, Egypt served as a constant temptation, prompting Israel to forsake trust in God by seeking foreign alliances and inadvertently drifting into idolatry. God's judgment and subsequent humiliation of Egypt are foretold as the means to sever this destructive cycle. As a result, Egypt will cease to be a "token of remembrance"—a dangerous memory or reliance that perpetually recalled Israel's unfaithfulness. The ultimate aim is Israel's spiritual clarity, leading them to finally recognize the absolute sovereignty of the Lord God.

Ezekiel 29 16 Context

This verse concludes a segment of prophecy (Ezek 29:8-16) detailing God's judgment upon Egypt, announced through the prophet Ezekiel during the Babylonian exile around 587 BC. Historically, Israel had a long, tumultuous relationship with Egypt, oscillating between seeking refuge, enduring oppression, and later, repeatedly forging alliances in direct defiance of God's commands. For example, during Zedekiah's reign in Judah, alliances with Egypt against Babylon were disastrous (Jer 37:5-10; Ezek 17:15). Egypt, symbolized by its arrogant Pharaoh, is here depicted as a "great dragon" (Ezek 29:3) or a "broken reed" (Ezek 29:6-7)—offering false hope and betraying trust. The preceding verses (Ezek 29:8-12) predict forty years of desolation for Egypt and the scattering of its people, after which they will be restored, but as a "lowly kingdom" (Ezek 29:13-15). Verse 16 articulates the ultimate theological purpose of this humbling of Egypt: to definitively sever Israel's propensity for relying on this deceitful human power instead of the Lord.

Ezekiel 29 16 Word analysis

• And it shall be no longer (וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה־עוֹד - v'lo yihyeh od): This phrase emphasizes the complete and permanent cessation of a past negative pattern. It signifies God's intervention to break a recurring cycle of spiritual infidelity.
• a token of remembrance (לְמִזְכֶּרֶת - l'mizkeret): The Hebrew term mizkeret (from zakhar, to remember) implies a memorial or reminder. Here, it refers not to something positive, but a dangerous reminder of Israel's unfaithfulness. Egypt represented a spiritual prompt that brought their iniquity into God's memory, or highlighted their own sinful reliance.
• to the house of Israel (לְבֵית יִשְׂרָאֵל - l'beit Yisrael): Specifies that the prophecy's outcome is directly beneficial for the nation of Israel. God's action against Egypt has a redemptive dimension for His covenant people.
• bringing iniquity to remembrance (מַזְכִּיר עָוֹן - mazkir avon): The Hebrew mazkir (causing to remember) with avon (iniquity, sin) indicates that Egypt, as a trusted ally or source of refuge, consistently brought Israel's sinful distrust and spiritual turning to God's mind, making their iniquity evident.
• when they look after them (בְּשֻׂמָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם - besumam akhreihem): Literally, "in their setting themselves after them." This idiom describes active seeking of help, following after, or a deep reliance on Egypt. It reflects an orientation of trust directed towards a human power rather than towards God.
• and turning away from them to follow other gods (אֲשֶׁר מַפְנֶה אֹתָם אֶל אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים - asher mafneh otam el elohim acherim): The phrase's key is the linking word asher ("which" or "that"), implying consequence. Israel's act of "looking after" (relying on) Egypt "which" in turn caused them to "turn" (מַפְנֶה - mafneh) away from YHWH "to" (el) "other gods" (elohim acherim). Egypt not only fostered misplaced trust but also became a conduit or temptation for spiritual syncretism and idolatry for Israel.
• Then they will know that I am the Lord God. (וְיָדְעוּ כִּי אֲנִי אֲדֹנָי יְהוָה - v'yad'u ki ani Adonai YHWH): This foundational declaration signifies experiential recognition of God's sovereign identity and power. The combined titles Adonai YHWH (Lord GOD) underscore His absolute authority as Master and covenant-keeping God.

Words-group analysis:

• No longer a token of remembrance...bringing iniquity to remembrance: This indicates God's commitment to break the cycle of Israel's spiritual recidivism. The removal of Egypt as a viable object of trust aims to free Israel from its recurring sin, ceasing the need for divine remembrance of their failures and paving the way for spiritual healing.
• When they look after them, and turning away from them to follow other gods: This highlights the dangerous spiritual entanglement between political reliance and religious syncretism. For Israel, seeking alliances with nations like Egypt was not merely a pragmatic error; it inherently led them away from the exclusive worship of YHWH, because it undermined God's sovereignty and introduced them to foreign deities, practices, or ways of thinking.
• Then they will know that I am the Lord God: This powerful recurring phrase is the ultimate goal of all God's judgments—on both His people and the nations. It underscores that all divine actions, even destructive ones, ultimately serve to reveal His unique, unchallenged identity and supreme authority, eliciting a proper response of fear and reverence.

Ezekiel 29 16 Bonus section

The desolation of Egypt, as prophesied, did not aim at its complete obliteration from history, but rather its permanent reduction to a secondary, "lowly kingdom" (Ezek 29:15). This ensures it can no longer command the respect or project the power that historically enticed nations like Israel. The unique role of Egypt as a "snare" or a "token of remembrance bringing iniquity" for Israel makes this specific judgment a crucial component of God's broader plan for Israel's spiritual purification and restoration during and after the exile. It also illustrates a divine principle: God often removes the very sources of His people's temptation or misdirected trust to clear the path for their undivided loyalty to Him. This aligns with a polemic against the idea that any earthly power can truly secure one's future or demand one's ultimate allegiance, challenging the idolatry inherent in relying on human institutions more than the Divine.

Ezekiel 29 16 Commentary

Ezekiel 29:16 delivers a message of profound spiritual liberation for the "house of Israel." For centuries, Egypt functioned as a persistent source of temptation and a "broken reed" (Ezek 29:6-7), repeatedly luring Israel into reliance on human power instead of exclusive trust in the Lord. This misplaced confidence wasn't merely a political miscalculation; it consistently bred spiritual infidelity, diverting Israel's loyalty towards foreign nations and, by extension, towards "other gods." God's judgment and subsequent humiliation of Egypt (reducing it to a "lowly kingdom") serve a dual purpose: to justly punish Egyptian arrogance and to mercifully dismantle Israel's destructive attachment. By removing Egypt as a powerful alternative or a constant memory of their past sins, God intends to create an environment where Israel is left with no option but to fully depend on and truly know Him as their exclusive "Lord God." This marks a hopeful turning point, paving the way for genuine repentance and singular devotion.