Ezekiel 29 20

Ezekiel 29:20 kjv

I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 29:20 nkjv

I have given him the land of Egypt for his labor, because they worked for Me,' says the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 29:20 niv

I have given him Egypt as a reward for his efforts because he and his army did it for me, declares the Sovereign LORD.

Ezekiel 29:20 esv

I have given him the land of Egypt as his payment for which he labored, because they worked for me, declares the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel 29:20 nlt

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.

Ezekiel 29 verses

Ezekiel 29 20 meaning

Ezekiel 29:20 declares God's decision to grant Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the land of Egypt as compensation for the arduous military service he and his army rendered to God by besieging the city of Tyre. It highlights God's sovereignty over nations and His use of secular powers as instruments for His divine purposes and judgments, ensuring that no labor expended in His service, even unknowingly, goes unrewarded.

Ezekiel 29 20 Context

Ezekiel 29:20 concludes a section of prophecies against Egypt (Eze 29:1-16), pronounced in the tenth year of Judah's exile (circa 587 BC). The preceding verses detail Egypt's coming humiliation, portraying Pharaoh as a "great monster" of the Nile to be dragged out and exposed, and the land to be utterly desolate for forty years. The broader context of Ezekiel chapters 25-32 contains God's judgments against the surrounding nations—Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt. These oracles serve to underscore God's sovereignty over all peoples, even those outside His covenant with Israel, and to demonstrate that He orchestrates world events according to His plan.

Specifically, this verse follows Ezekiel 26-28 which describe the elaborate prophecy against Tyre, a wealthy maritime city that Nebuchadnezzar indeed besieged for thirteen years (586-573 BC). This siege was immensely costly in human life and resources for Babylon, yielding little material plunder because the inhabitants evacuated their treasures to nearby islands before the mainland city fell. The present verse provides divine insight into the aftermath of Tyre's fall and God's plan to compensate Nebuchadnezzar and his army for their unrewarded labor, explicitly stating their service was for God in executing judgment on Tyre. God then promises Egypt as the spoils for this service, historically fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar's invasion of Egypt around 568 BC. The historical and cultural context underscores the immense power of Babylonian empire and yet, strikingly, places it under the direct control of Yahweh.

Ezekiel 29 20 Word analysis

• I have given (ונתתי - v'natati): This is a verb in the Qal perfect consecutive, first common singular. It denotes a completed action from God's perspective, yet can also imply a future certainty that is as good as done. The Hebrew root natan (נָתַן) means to give, grant, place, or appoint. Here, it signifies divine ordination and bestowal, asserting God's absolute authority and proprietorship over all lands and destinies, emphasizing His sovereignty.
• him (לו - lo): Refers to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, the immediate recipient of the "gift" of Egypt. God directs specific human instruments.
• the land of Egypt (את־ארץ מצרים - et-eretz Mitzrayim): Eretz (אֶרֶץ) means land, earth, or country. Mitzrayim (מִצְרַיִם) is Egypt. This specifies the exact, literal compensation. It signifies a significant and powerful nation given as a reward. This contrasts with Tyre's relatively meagre spoils after a long siege.
• for his labor (על־פעלתו - al po'alato): Al (עַל) means on account of, because of. Po'alah (פְּעֻלָּה) means work, labor, wages, recompense. It refers to the physical and strategic effort, toil, and expenditure of resources in a difficult task. God acknowledges effort and promises appropriate reward.
• with which he served Me (אשר־עבדני־בה - asher avadani ba): Asher (אֲשֶׁר) is a relative pronoun (which, that). Avadani (עֲבַדְנִי) is the verb avad (עָבַד - to serve, work, worship, enslave) in the Qal perfect, third masculine singular with a first common singular pronominal suffix ('me'). Ba (בָּהּ) is a preposition (in, with) plus a third feminine singular pronominal suffix, referring to the labor (po'alato). This is the pivotal phrase: Nebuchadnezzar's military campaign against Tyre was, from God's perspective, service directed to Him. Nebuchadnezzar was unaware he was God's agent, but his actions served God's judicial plan for Tyre.
• because they worked for Me (יען אשר־עשו־לי - ya'an asher asu-li): Ya'an (יַעַן) means because, for the reason that. Asher (אֲשֶׁר) again means which, that. Asu (עָשׂוּ) is the verb asah (עָשָׂה - to do, make, work, accomplish) in the Qal perfect, third common plural, referring to Nebuchadnezzar and his army. Li (לִי) means to me, for me. This reiterates the point of their "service," using a different verb (asah) but with the same sense of fulfilling God's directive, highlighting the comprehensive nature of their efforts in God's eyes. It clarifies that it wasn't just Nebuchadnezzar but his entire army engaged in this divinely appointed task.
• declares the Lord GOD (נאם אדני יהוה - ne'um Adonai Yahweh): Ne'um (נְאֻם) is an emphatic word for oracle, utterance, or declaration, indicating divine authority. Adonai (אֲדֹנָי) signifies "my Lord," emphasizing God's absolute mastership and sovereignty. Yahweh (יְהוָה) is God's covenant name, signifying His self-existence, faithfulness, and unique relationship with His people, lending absolute certainty and solemnity to the pronouncement.

Words-group Analysis:

• "I have given him... for his labor": This pairing directly establishes a divine system of recompense. God acts as the sovereign distributor of rewards for work done, even when the "worker" is not consciously serving Him. It demonstrates divine justice in allocating compensation where human efforts fall short of expected return (as in the case of Tyre).
• "served Me... worked for Me": These two phrases, appearing in close succession, powerfully reinforce the theological truth that even pagan kings and their armies, driven by their own imperial ambitions, unknowingly serve as instruments in God's hands. Their actions, though for their own gain, ultimately fulfilled God's righteous judgments and purposes. This highlights God's ultimate control over all human affairs and nations. The switch from singular ("served Me") to plural ("they worked for Me") emphasizes the collective effort of the Babylonian forces acting under divine direction.

Ezekiel 29 20 Bonus section

• The idea of a pagan ruler acting as God's "servant" (eved) is striking, often used for Israelite kings or prophets. Here, it elevates Nebuchadnezzar to a position of divine instrumentality, underscoring God's freedom to use anyone or anything for His purposes, irrespective of their allegiance to Him.
• The detail of Tyre yielding little plunder after such a prolonged siege is a significant historical nuance validated by prophetic utterance. This fact makes God's promise of Egypt as a reward particularly apt and satisfying from a divine justice perspective, where human expectation (plunder from Tyre) fell short, but divine recompense was abundant (land of Egypt).
• This verse illustrates a divine principle: God does not indebt Himself to anyone. Even unwitting service for His ends is acknowledged and repaid, albeit often in a manner fitting the one being repaid. For believers, this echoes the truth that God rewards faithfulness (Col 3:23-24); for unbelievers, it signifies that even their actions fall under His ultimate governance and their "reward" may be earthly.
• The oracle challenges the contemporary belief in the absolute power of imperial rulers like Nebuchadnezzar or the impregnability of nations like Tyre or Egypt. It boldly asserts that Yahweh alone is the supreme sovereign, orchestrating history, disposing of kingdoms, and even compensating human efforts according to His divine economy.

Ezekiel 29 20 Commentary

Ezekiel 29:20 offers a profound glimpse into God's sovereign governance of the world, His unique system of divine justice, and His methodology in executing judgment. The verse confirms Nebuchadnezzar's role as a divine instrument, already hinted at elsewhere (Jer 25:9, 27:6), making explicit that his conquest of Tyre was, in essence, "labor for Me." Despite the immense cost of a thirteen-year siege on Tyre with minimal spoils, God saw the Babylonian effort as "service" towards fulfilling His judgment. Therefore, He promises Egypt—a vastly richer and larger prize—as due compensation for their expended resources and unrewarded toil. This highlights that God's plan always succeeds, and His agents, whether witting or unwitting, are always appropriately dealt with by His just hand. It demonstrates that God sees all, values all effort extended towards His purposes, and perfectly balances accounts. No action performed for God's sovereign will, intentional or not, goes unnoticed or unrewarded, even if the reward is material and secular, for those who do not know Him in a redemptive capacity. This concept ensures that God's control extends not just to the end goals of history, but also to the minute details of geopolitical events and even the uncompensated labor of an invading army.