Ezekiel 32:21 kjv
The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.
Ezekiel 32:21 nkjv
The strong among the mighty Shall speak to him out of the midst of hell With those who help him: 'They have gone down, They lie with the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.'
Ezekiel 32:21 niv
From within the realm of the dead the mighty leaders will say of Egypt and her allies, 'They have come down and they lie with the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.'
Ezekiel 32:21 esv
The mighty chiefs shall speak of them, with their helpers, out of the midst of Sheol: 'They have come down, they lie still, the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.'
Ezekiel 32:21 nlt
Down in the grave mighty leaders will mockingly welcome Egypt and its allies, saying, 'They have come down; they lie among the outcasts, hordes slaughtered by the sword.'
Ezekiel 32 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezekiel 32 | 10 "Yea, I will make many peoples shake at the report of your ruin, and their kings shall shudder over you; they shall gnaw their tongues because of the Lord's day when I ready my hand against them..." | Divine judgment and impact on nations |
| Ezekiel 32 | 11 "For thus says the Lord God: The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon you." | Sword as an instrument of judgment |
| Ezekiel 32 | 12 "I will cause your multitude to fall by the swords of the warriors, all of them terrible ones, the terror of the nations, to cut off every one, and their might shall be profaned." | Consequence of war and violence |
| Ezekiel 32 | 16 "The great wail will be among them; to the depths of Sheol they will go down with their helpers; all their helpers lament, seeing their destiny..." | Lamentation and descent into Sheol |
| Isaiah 14 | 12 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!" | Similar imagery of fallen powerful ruler |
| Isaiah 14 | 15 "But you are brought down to Sheol, to the uttermost depths of the Pit." | Descent into Sheol/Pit |
| Jeremiah 49 | 38 "And I will set my face against them on the last day." | God's direct opposition |
| Jeremiah 49 | 39 "But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring back the captives of Elam..." | Ultimate restoration/contrast |
| Psalms 89 | 46 "How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire?" | Questioning God's justice |
| Psalms 82 | 6 "I said, 'You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like one of the princes.'" | Mortal nature of earthly rulers |
| Revelation 18 | 10 "They stand at a distance, horror-stricken at her torment, and say, 'Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.'" | Judgment on a great city/power |
| Amos 5 | 2 "Fallen, fallen lies, she will not rise again. The virgin Israel, thrown down upon her land, with none to raise her up." | Similar prophecy of a fall |
| Amos 5 | 10 "They hate the one who reproves in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks truthfully." | Opposition to righteousness |
| Proverbs 14 | 28 "Whoever multiplies his property by unjust gain troubles his own household, but one who hates gifts will live." | Consequences of injustice |
| Matthew 25 | 30 "and cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'" | Outer darkness/punishment |
| Luke 10 | 18 "He said to them, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.'" | Imagery of a great fall |
| Romans 6 | 23 | Wages of sin is death |
| 2 Peter 2 | 4 | For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but threw them into hell and committed them to chains of deep darkness... |
| Jude 1 | 6 | Angels who did not stay in their position of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—he has kept them in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for the judgment of the great day. |
| Genesis 3 | 19 | By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return." |
| Psalms 49 | 14 | Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd... |
| Ezekiel 28 | 16 | And through your great ill-conceived, dealings the ruin you brought into the midst of you." |
Ezekiel 32 verses
Ezekiel 32 21 Meaning
The verse describes the vanquished rulers and warriors of Egypt, compared to fallen mighty ones, brought down to the realm of the dead. They lie amongst those who have been slain by the sword, enduring the eternal shame and disgrace of their defeat.
Ezekiel 32 21 Context
Ezekiel 32 is a prophetic oracle delivered by Ezekiel against Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. The chapter uses elaborate imagery to portray Egypt's military might and its eventual downfall. This specific verse, Ezekiel 32:21, occurs within the section where Ezekiel compares Egypt (represented by Pharaoh) to the primeval, formidable monster, the Leviathan or Rahab, signifying overwhelming power and pride. Egypt, despite its grandeur and feared reputation, will be brought low in Sheol alongside other powerful, vanquished nations and their warriors. The historical context is during the Babylonian exile, a time when Judah was contemplating alliances with Egypt for protection against Babylon. Ezekiel’s prophecy is meant to dispel any such hopes, asserting that Egypt itself is soon to face divine judgment and will be powerless to help anyone. The primary audience, the exiles in Babylon, are meant to understand that worldly powers are ultimately subject to God’s sovereignty.
Ezekiel 32 21 Word Analysis
Strong Ones (gibborim): Hebrew: גִּבּוֹרִים (gibborim). Plural of gibbor (גִּבּוֹר). It signifies mighty men, warriors, heroes, or powerful individuals, often possessing military prowess.
Slain (hālūgē): Hebrew: חֲלָלִים (halālīm). Plural of halal (חָלָל). It means those who are killed or wounded in battle; the slain.
They lie (šāḵəḇū): Hebrew: שָׁכְבוּ (shāḵəḇū). Past tense of the verb šāḵaḇ (שָׁכַב), meaning to lie down, rest, or be prostrate. Here, it denotes their state of defeat and death.
Sheol (šĕʼōl): Hebrew: שְׁאוֹל (Sheol). The Hebrew term for the underworld or realm of the dead. It is a place of silence, darkness, and non-existence, where even the shades of the mighty are diminished.
With them (ʻim-/ ʻittām): Hebrew: עִם (im) / אִתָּם (ittām). Indicates their company or presence within Sheol.
Every one (gəbûrîm): Hebrew: גִּבּוֹרִים (gəbūrīm). Used here to mean every mighty one or warrior, referring back to the leaders and warriors of Egypt.
Who came down (yərēdîm): Hebrew: יֹרְדִים (yōrəḏîm). Present participle from the verb yārad (יָרַד), meaning to go down. Describes their descent into the netherworld.
That boasted (gĕʼūwîm): Hebrew: גֵּאִים (gēʼīm). Plural of gāʼ (גֵּא) or gā’ō (גֵאֶה), meaning proud, arrogant, or haughty. Refers to their boastfulness and pride in their strength.
Were slain (hĕlōkē) – Note: While the original translation may not show this Hebrew, contextually the word relates to "killed" or "slain" in the same vein as other terms.
By the sword (bĕḥarĕḇ): Hebrew: בְּחֶרֶב (beḥereḇ). The instrument of their destruction, signifying violent death in battle.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "the mighty men of Moab": Suggests powerful warriors, emphasizing their martial strength and pride.
- "shall lie down with them in Sheol": This collective "lying down" signifies their shared fate of defeat and demise in the underworld, devoid of their earthly might.
- "every one that is mighty is brought down": A declaration of absolute downfall, that even the strongest are subject to judgment and destruction.
- "and their boastful strength": Connects their military might with pride and arrogance, identifying this as a contributing factor to their fall.
- "shall be brought down to the grave": Explicitly states their final resting place is the grave, a place of shame for the proud.
Ezekiel 32 21 Bonus Section
The imagery of powerful warriors brought down to Sheol is a recurring motif in prophetic literature, highlighting the universal impact of God's judgment across nations and social strata. The term "Sheol" itself represents not just a physical grave but a state of non-being, where life's glories are forgotten. The "boastful strength" is identified as a key characteristic leading to this downfall, echoing warnings against pride found throughout Scripture, from the fall of Lucifer (Isaiah 14) to the pronouncements against haughty rulers. This verse emphasizes that true strength is not in military might but in righteousness and humility before the Almighty.
Ezekiel 32 21 Commentary
This verse paints a grim picture of divine retribution against Egypt's rulers and elite warriors. Their pride in their martial prowess is the very attribute that will lead to their humiliation in death. The descent into Sheol signifies the absolute loss of power and status. Unlike the common folk who might find some solace in communal burial, these "mighty ones" lie in Sheol, a place that strips away all worldly distinction. Their shame is profound because their boasted strength is proven ultimately weak against God's judgment. The verse underscores the prophetic message that no earthly power, no matter how formidable, is immune from God’s sovereign hand and the inevitable consequences of pride and wickedness. It is a stark reminder of mortality and the transient nature of human might when not aligned with divine purpose.