Ezekiel 30:12 kjv
And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked: and I will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I the LORD have spoken it.
Ezekiel 30:12 nkjv
I will make the rivers dry, And sell the land into the hand of the wicked; I will make the land waste, and all that is in it, By the hand of aliens. I, the LORD, have spoken."
Ezekiel 30:12 niv
I will dry up the waters of the Nile and sell the land to an evil nation; by the hand of foreigners I will lay waste the land and everything in it. I the LORD have spoken.
Ezekiel 30:12 esv
And I will dry up the Nile and will sell the land into the hand of evildoers; I will bring desolation upon the land and everything in it, by the hand of foreigners; I am the LORD; I have spoken.
Ezekiel 30:12 nlt
I will dry up the Nile River
and sell the land to wicked men.
I will destroy the land of Egypt and everything in it
by the hands of foreigners.
I, the LORD, have spoken!
Ezekiel 30 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 30:12 | "I will cause the multitude of Egypt to be destroyed, and the sea will submerge its power; the rivers also I will dry up, and sell the land to wicked men; the wasteland I and its fullness I will sell." | Destruction of nations |
| Isaiah 19:5 | "The waters will fail from the sea, And the river will be dried up and wasted." | Judgment on Egypt |
| Jeremiah 46:2 | "...Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, which is by the Euphrates River in Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah." | Prophecy against Egypt |
| Isaiah 30:28 | "And His breath is like an overflowing torrent, which reaches clear up to the middle of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of futility; And there will be a bridle in the jaws of the peoples, causing them to err." | God's sifting judgment |
| Jeremiah 51:25 | "Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, Says the LORD, Which destroy all the earth! I will stretch out My hand against you; I will roll you down from the rocks, And make you a burnt mountain." | Judgment against Babylon (parallel) |
| Revelation 18:10 | "standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.'" | Judgment on spiritual Babylon |
| Amos 5:3 | "For thus says the LORD GOD: 'The city that goes out by a thousand Shall leave a hundred, And that which goes out by a hundred Shall leave ten to the house of Israel.'" | Devastation of cities |
| Isaiah 11:15 | "Then the LORD will utterly destroy the tongue of the Sea of Egypt, And He will wave His hand over the river, And strike it into seven streams, And make men walk over dry-shod." | Moses at the Red Sea parallel |
| Psalm 74:13 | "You divided the sea by Your strength; You broke the heads of the sea monsters on the waters." | God's power over the sea |
| Nahum 3:18 | "Your shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria; Your nobles dwell in the dust. Your people are scattered on the mountains, And no one gathers them." | Destruction of Assyria (parallel) |
| Zechariah 10:11 | "He shall pass through the sea with distress, And strike down the waves in the sea; All the depths of the River shall be dried up. Then the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, And the scepter of Egypt shall depart." | Prophecy of drying rivers |
| Romans 9:17 | "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this same purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.'" | God's sovereignty over rulers |
| Acts 4:24 | "So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said, 'Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and all that is in them...'" | Acknowledging God's power |
| Revelation 17:1 | "Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, 'Come, I will show you the judgment of that great harlot who sits on many waters...'" | Judgment of apostate powers |
| Ezekiel 29:18 | "Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyre; every head was made bald, and every shoulder was stripped; yet he and his army received no wages from Tyre, nor from the sea, for the service that they rendered against it." | Wages for service (contrast) |
| Job 40:12 | "Look down on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place." | Humbling the proud |
| Psalm 135:6 | "Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places." | God's sovereignty in creation |
| Isaiah 14:29 | "Rejoice not, O Philistia, all of you, because the rod that struck you is broken; for from the serpent's root will come forth a viper, and its offspring will be a swift-flying serpent." | Destruction of oppressors |
| Jeremiah 48:42 | "And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he has magnified himself against the LORD." | Judgment on Moab |
| 1 Corinthians 10:1 | "Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea," | Israelites crossing the Red Sea |
Ezekiel 30 verses
Ezekiel 30 12 Meaning
This verse declares that God will utterly destroy Egypt, cutting off its strength and bringing devastating judgment upon it, like a sweeping sword. It signifies the end of Egypt's power and sovereignty.
Ezekiel 30 12 Context
Ezekiel chapter 30 continues the prophecies of judgment against various nations, with a specific focus on Egypt. Following pronouncements against Egypt in chapters 29 and 30:1-11, verse 12 reiterates and amplifies the severity of the impending destruction. Historically, Egypt was a powerful but often adversarial nation to Israel. This prophecy aligns with other Old Testament condemnations of Egypt and anticipates future judgments and eventual restoration, but at this moment, the emphasis is on utter devastation due to Egypt's pride and reliance on its own strength and its idols.
Ezekiel 30 12 Word Analysis
- "And": Connects this verse to the preceding pronouncements of judgment.
- "I": Refers to Yahweh, the speaker, emphasizing His direct involvement in the judgment.
- "will cause": Indicates a divine decree and action.
- "the multitude of Egypt": Refers to the populace, the teeming masses of people.
- "to be destroyed": Signifies complete ruin and annihilation.
- "and the sea": Here, the sea can represent Egypt's power and naval strength, or perhaps a more symbolic representation of overwhelming destructive forces unleashed by God. It could also refer to the Mediterranean Sea, near Egypt.
- "will submerge its power": Egypt's might and influence will be overwhelmed and extinguished, like something sinking beneath the waves.
- "the rivers also": Refers to the Nile River, the lifeblood of Egypt, and other waterways, symbolizing the exhaustion of its resources and prosperity.
- "I will dry up": God will bring about the cessation of the waters, implying the desolation of the land.
- "and sell the land": Symbolically represents the forfeiture of ownership and the plundering of Egypt, its territory given to others, highlighting complete dispossession.
- "to wicked men": The land will fall into the hands of those who are morally corrupt, implying further exploitation and misery for the remnants.
- "the wasteland": Refers to dry, barren places.
- "I and its fullness": Meaning everything that inhabits or is contained within the land.
- "I will sell": Reinforces the idea of the land being utterly lost and handed over to foreign dominion.
Ezekiel 30 12 Bonus Section
The "selling of the land" trope is used in Scripture to signify utter desolation and conquest, implying that the former inhabitants have no claim whatsoever to it. This verse echoes earlier prophecies about Egypt’s downfall, such as those found in Isaiah 19. The specific phrase "sell the land to wicked men" suggests a debasement of the land's status, passing from a great nation to the possession of those with no regard for justice or righteousness. It reflects a pattern of judgment seen throughout the Bible where nations that oppose God and oppress His people are brought low and their lands are given to others. The severity here suggests a judgment intended to strip Egypt of all its vaunted power and dignity, a severe warning to all nations regarding the consequences of defiance.
Ezekiel 30 12 Commentary
This verse paints a grim picture of divine judgment upon Egypt, leaving no room for mitigation. God declares a total cessation of Egypt's power, symbolized by the drying up of its life-giving rivers and the submersion of its strength by the sea. The land itself, once fertile and vibrant, will be rendered desolate and sold to morally bankrupt individuals. This signifies not only military defeat but a complete socio-economic and spiritual dismantling of Egyptian influence. It underscores the consequences of pride and opposition to God’s purposes for His people. The imagery evokes absolute desolation, suggesting a punishment so severe that the very natural elements are depicted as participating in the destruction, demonstrating the totality of God's sovereign control.