Ezekiel 30 24

Ezekiel 30:24 kjv

And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand: but I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man.

Ezekiel 30:24 nkjv

I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put My sword in his hand; but I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he will groan before him with the groanings of a mortally wounded man.

Ezekiel 30:24 niv

I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him like a mortally wounded man.

Ezekiel 30:24 esv

And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him like a man mortally wounded.

Ezekiel 30:24 nlt

I will strengthen the arms of Babylon's king and put my sword in his hand. But I will break the arms of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he will lie there mortally wounded, groaning in pain.

Ezekiel 30 verses

Ezekiel 30 24 Meaning

This verse describes God's intention to empower Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, with his strength. Egypt, represented as a "woman clothed in blue" and her gods, will be overcome by Nebuchadnezzar. God uses this imagery to signify Nebuchadnezzar's divinely ordained victory and the subjugation of Egypt and its idols.

Ezekiel 30 24 Context

Ezekiel 30 is a prophecy of judgment against Egypt. It follows prophecies against other nations and is situated within Ezekiel's broader message of God's justice and sovereignty over all peoples. This specific verse is part of a section detailing the immediate downfall of Egypt. Historically, Egypt was a significant regional power often at odds with Judah, and its military might and polytheistic practices were a stark contrast to God’s chosen people. The chapter sets the stage for the ultimate humiliation of Egypt, including the scattering of its people and the destruction of its idols.

Ezekiel 30 24 Word Analysis

• and (Hebrew: וְ – ve): A conjunction indicating continuation or connection, linking this action to previous pronouncements.

• I (Hebrew: אֲנִי – ani): Emphatic statement of God's self.

• will put (Hebrew: נָתַתִּי – natatti): First-person singular perfect tense, indicating a completed action from God's perspective, expressing certainty.

• my (Hebrew: בִי – bî): Possessive pronoun, emphasizing God's own strength.

• strength (Hebrew: עֹז – ‘oz): Power, might, fortitude. It refers to God’s inherent and active power.

• upon (Hebrew: אֶל – ’el): A preposition indicating direction or destination.

• Nebuchadrezzar (Hebrew: נְבוּכַדְרֶאֱצַר – Nebuchadretstsar): The king of Babylon.

• king (Hebrew: מֶלֶךְ – melekh): Sovereign ruler.

• of (Hebrew: יִשְׂרָאֵל – Yisra’el): Pertaining to the king of Israel. The grammar implies "king of Israel" referring to Nebuchadnezzar's intended role over Egypt as the victor, symbolically taking Israel’s place in dominion in this context of conquest. This phrase is potentially interpreted in some contexts as Nebuchadnezzar's title given to him by God as the ruler of the nations. However, standard translations usually understand "king of Babylon" here or in preceding context that implicitly informs this pronoun reference. The preceding verse explicitly names him king of Babylon. It may be a scribal gloss or an interpretation related to God’s overarching plan where Nebuchadnezzar serves His purposes, much like David was called the king of Israel, but used by God against foreign powers. Another interpretation suggests it refers to Israel's potential ruler, a linguistic anomaly or specific theological point being made about God raising up a foreign power. Given the overwhelming context of Nebuchadnezzar's action against Egypt, the standard understanding is God empowering him.

• and (Hebrew: וְ – ve): Conjunction.

• I (Hebrew: אֲנִי – ’ani): Emphatic statement of God's self.

• will give (Hebrew: נָתַתִּי – natatti): First-person singular perfect tense, completed action.

• her (Hebrew: אֹתָהּ – ’ôthah): Pertaining to Egypt.

• as (Hebrew: לְ – lə): Preposition indicating comparison or role.

• a spoil (Hebrew: שָׁלָל – shalal): Plunder, booty.

• to (Hebrew: לְ – lə): Preposition indicating recipient.

• them (Hebrew: הֵמָּה – hemmah): Refers to Nebuchadnezzar's armies or the nations mentioned earlier.

• that (Hebrew: אֲשֶׁר – ’asher): Relative pronoun.

• make a spoil (Hebrew: בְּזָז – bizaz): To plunder, to strip bare.

• of (Hebrew: מִמֶּנּוּ – mimmênnû): Preposition from or concerning.

• her (Hebrew: הָיָה – hāyāh): Pertaining to Egypt.

• and (Hebrew: וְ – ve): Conjunction.

• they (Hebrew: יֵדְעוּ – yêd‘û): Third-person plural verb, they will know.

• shall know (Hebrew: כִּי – kî): Conjunction, meaning "that."

• that (Hebrew: אֲנִי – ’ani): God's self.

• I (Hebrew: יְהוָה – Yahweh): The LORD, God's covenant name.

• am (Hebrew: דְּבַרְתִּי – dibbarî): First-person singular perfect tense of dabar, to speak. The phrase translates as "I have spoken," implying the spoken word has the power to bring about the action.

• Word Group: "put my strength upon Nebuchadnezzar, king of Israel": This phrase signifies God's direct empowerment of a foreign king to execute His judgment. The "king of Israel" here is likely a descriptive reference to Nebuchadnezzar's destined role as God's chosen instrument to act upon the nations, paralleling the historical role of Israel's kings in executing God's will, though this time it is a Gentile king. It underscores divine sovereignty in appointing rulers for His purposes, even if those rulers are not His covenant people.

• Word Group: "give her as a spoil to them that make a spoil of her": This illustrates the complete devastation and subjugation of Egypt. Egypt, previously a power to be reckoned with, will be utterly plundered and stripped bare by Nebuchadnezzar and his forces. It speaks to the totality of God's judgment.

Ezekiel 30 24 Bonus Section

The theological concept presented here is divine pragmatism, where God utilizes existing powers and figures, regardless of their spiritual standing, to achieve His redemptive and judgmental purposes. Nebuchadnezzar is portrayed not just as a conqueror, but as God's chosen agent, imbued with divine strength for the task. This parallels God’s use of other foreign rulers in scripture, such as Cyrus the Great (Isa 45:1) and even Pharaoh in the Exodus (Exo 9:16). The verse emphasizes that the effectiveness of God's plan does not depend on the faith of the instrument but on the power and will of God Himself.

Ezekiel 30 24 Commentary

This verse highlights God's ultimate sovereignty, demonstrating that even the mightiest nations and their gods are subject to His will. He actively equips and directs Nebuchadnezzar, a pagan king, to carry out His judgment against Egypt. This reveals that God can use anyone, even those who do not know or worship Him, as instruments to fulfill His divine plan. The empowerment of Nebuchadnezzar signifies the downfall of Egyptian pride and idolatry, demonstrating the futility of their gods against the power of the one true God, Jehovah. The complete subjugation of Egypt as "spoil" underscores the thoroughness of God's judgment against nations that oppose Him or stray from His ways. It serves as a powerful reminder that God's authority extends over all the earth and all its rulers.