Ezekiel 29:5 kjv
And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given thee for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven.
Ezekiel 29:5 nkjv
I will leave you in the wilderness, You and all the fish of your rivers; You shall fall on the open field; You shall not be picked up or gathered. I have given you as food To the beasts of the field And to the birds of the heavens.
Ezekiel 29:5 niv
I will leave you in the desert, you and all the fish of your streams. You will fall on the open field and not be gathered or picked up. I will give you as food to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the sky.
Ezekiel 29:5 esv
And I will cast you out into the wilderness, you and all the fish of your streams; you shall fall on the open field, and not be brought together or gathered. To the beasts of the earth and to the birds of the heavens I give you as food.
Ezekiel 29:5 nlt
I will leave you and all your fish
stranded in the wilderness to die.
You will lie unburied on the open ground,
for I have given you as food to the wild animals and birds.
Ezekiel 29 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 29:3 | "Speak, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, great monster that lies in the midst of his rivers..." | Ezekiel 29:3 (God's opposition to Pharaoh) |
| Ezekiel 29:10 | "Therefore, behold, I am against you and against your rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate..." | Ezekiel 29:10 (Consequences of opposition) |
| Isaiah 19:1 | "The oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the LORD is mounting on a swift cloud and comes to Egypt; the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence, and the heart of Egypt will melt within her." | Isaiah 19:1 (God's coming against Egypt) |
| Jeremiah 43:10 | "and say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will send my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will place my throne upon these stones that you have hid..." | Jeremiah 43:10 (Babylonian conquest of Egypt) |
| Psalm 74:12-15 | "Yet God is my King from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. You divided the sea by your strength; you broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters. You crushed the heads of Leviathan..." | Psalm 74:12-15 (God's past victories over powerful entities) |
| Revelation 13:1 | "And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads." | Revelation 13:1 (Symbolism of sea monsters and beasts) |
| 2 Samuel 7:12 | "When your days are ended and you lie with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom." | 2 Samuel 7:12 (God establishing kingdoms) |
| Jeremiah 51:25 | "Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, declares the LORD, against you who corrupt the whole earth. I will stretch out my hand against you..." | Jeremiah 51:25 (God against destroying forces) |
| Ezekiel 28:2 | "Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord GOD: Because your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god..." | Ezekiel 28:2 (Pride and its downfall) |
| Daniel 11:40 | "At the time of the end, the king of the South shall encounter him, and the king of the North shall storm against him with chariots and horsemen and with many ships..." | Daniel 11:40 (Future conflicts involving Egypt) |
| 2 Chronicles 20:6 | "and said, ‘O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not God in the heavens? Do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In your hand are power and might..." | 2 Chronicles 20:6 (God's sovereign rule) |
| Acts 17:24 | "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by hand..." | Acts 17:24 (God as sovereign creator) |
| Romans 11:36 | "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever! Amen." | Romans 11:36 (God's ultimate sovereignty) |
| Proverbs 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." | Proverbs 16:18 (Connection between pride and downfall) |
| Isaiah 31:3 | "The Egyptians are men, and not God; their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD stretches out his hand, the helper will stumble, and he whom he helps will fall, and all of them will expire together." | Isaiah 31:3 (Egypt's human limitations vs. God's power) |
| Ezekiel 32:2 | "Son of man, chant a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: You consider yourself a lion among the nations, but you are but a monster in the seas..." | Ezekiel 32:2 (Similar imagery of Pharaoh as a sea monster) |
| Ezekiel 19:6 | "And he went among the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch his prey. He devoured men." | Ezekiel 19:6 (Young lion imagery) |
| Jeremiah 15:3 | "I will appoint over them four kinds, declares the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy." | Jeremiah 15:3 (God using destructive forces) |
| Matthew 6:13 | "and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." | Matthew 6:13 (Deliverance from evil powers) |
| Psalm 46:1 | "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." | Psalm 46:1 (God's strength and help) |
Ezekiel 29 verses
Ezekiel 29 5 Meaning
This verse describes God's direct action to cause the downfall of Egypt, specifically referencing the removal of their proud strength and dominion. It speaks of a divine intervention that will bring about a significant weakening and subjugation of Egypt.
Ezekiel 29 5 Context
Chapter 29 of Ezekiel begins a series of prophecies against Egypt. The preceding verses set the stage by identifying Egypt, personified as a mighty sea monster (Leviathan or Rahab), in its rivers. This imagery emphasizes Egypt's power, pride, and perhaps its mythological associations. This specific verse, Ezekiel 29:5, continues this denunciation by declaring God's direct intervention to destroy this power. Historically, this prophecy was likely given during the Babylonian period, when Nebuchadnezzar's empire posed a significant threat to Egypt, a threat that God uses to fulfill His purposes.
Ezekiel 29 5 Word Analysis
- And I shall lay (וְנָתַתִּי - ve-na-ta-ti): First person singular, perfect tense of "yadan" (to give). This signifies a completed action by God, a declaration of His decisive action. It emphasizes God's active role and divine bestowal of a consequence.
- Your carcass (פִּגְרֵךְ - pig-rekh): This refers to a dead body, often one exposed or left unburied, emphasizing utter defeat and desolation. The suffix "-ekh" indicates it belongs to Egypt ("you").
- in the wilderness (בַּמִּדְבָּר - ba-mid-bar): A desolate, uninhabited place. This highlights the complete destruction and abandonment that will befall Egypt, removed from its fertile land and once-flourishing cities.
- upon the open country (עַל־פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה - al-pə-nei-ha-śā-deh): Literally "upon the face of the field" or "open land." This reinforces the image of exposure and public display of ruin, rather than a dignified burial.
- And I shall cause (וְהִפְעַלְתִּי - wə-hiph-'al-ti): First person singular, perfect tense of "pa'al" (to do, make). Similar to "ve-na-ta-ti," it shows God's direct involvement in causing this event to occur.
- your carcasses (פִּגְרֵי - pig-rê): Plural form of "piger," referring to multiple dead bodies. This could indicate widespread destruction and death throughout Egypt.
- to be food (לְמַאֲכָל - lə-ma-'a-kāl): Literally "for eating" or "for food." This stark image portrays utter destruction and disregard for the fallen, becoming sustenance for wild animals.
- for the birds of the heavens (לְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם - lə-'ôph-ha-šā-ma-yim): The flying creatures of the sky. This specific detail amplifies the humiliation of the defeat, their bodies left exposed for carrion birds.
- and for the beasts of the field (וּלְחַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה - û-lə-ḥay-yat-ha-śā-deh): The living creatures or wild animals of the land. This complements the birds, signifying complete consumption by the natural world, leaving no part of the mighty Egypt intact.
Words Group Analysis:
- "Your carcass... upon the open country": This juxtaposition creates a powerful image of utter abandonment and the stripping away of dignity, where a once-proud nation is reduced to exposed remains in a barren wasteland.
- "to be food for the birds of the heavens and for the beasts of the field": This phrase paints a graphic picture of total defeat, where the vanquished become mere sustenance for scavengers, highlighting the finality and completeness of God's judgment.
Ezekiel 29 5 Bonus Section
The imagery of leaving carcasses for birds and beasts is a recurring motif in prophetic judgment literature in the Bible. It consistently signifies utter destruction and the removal of human protection or burial rites. This was a profound sign of shame and dishonor. The reference to Egypt as a sea monster, particularly in this chapter and chapter 32, echoes ancient Near Eastern myths of chaoskampf, where divine powers defeat monstrous forces. Ezekiel uses this well-understood imagery to depict God's victory over Egypt, not as a mythological struggle, but as a sovereign act of judgment. The judgment on Egypt served as a testament to God's power for Israel and the surrounding nations, demonstrating that God’s judgment extends to all proud and defiant entities.
Ezekiel 29 5 Commentary
God declares His intent to leave Egypt's fallen bodies scattered in the wilderness and exposed in the open land. These remains will become food for birds and wild animals. This graphic imagery signifies the complete and utter destruction of Egypt's power and might. It's a picture of utter humiliation, where the proud nation is rendered defenseless and utterly consumed by the elements and nature. This judgment is not accidental but directly orchestrated by God, emphasizing His sovereign control over all nations and His power to bring down even the most formidable.