Ezekiel 32:26 kjv
There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land of the living.
Ezekiel 32:26 nkjv
"There are Meshech and Tubal and all their multitudes, With all their graves around it, All of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, Though they caused their terror in the land of the living.
Ezekiel 32:26 niv
"Meshek and Tubal are there, with all their hordes around their graves. All of them are uncircumcised, killed by the sword because they spread their terror in the land of the living.
Ezekiel 32:26 esv
"Meshech-Tubal is there, and all her multitude, her graves all around it, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for they spread their terror in the land of the living.
Ezekiel 32:26 nlt
"Meshech and Tubal are there, surrounded by the graves of all their hordes. They once struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere. But now they are outcasts, all slaughtered by the sword.
Ezekiel 32 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezek 28:10 | You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of foreigners. | Parallel prophecy of destruction and disgrace |
| Ezek 29:19 | "I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall carry off her wealth..." | Prophecy of Egypt's defeat and subjugation |
| Ezek 30:11 | "I and my gods will bring a mighty ruin upon you, and they shall bring their swords against Egypt..." | God's judgment on Egypt |
| Ezek 30:15 | "Mesen... I will cut off the multitude of Egypt." | Destruction of Egypt's power |
| Ezek 30:18 | "When they set fire to Egypt, and the allies are utterly undone..." | Judgment by fire and utter destruction |
| Ezek 31:16 | "Into the pit... All the trees of Eden, the choicest of Lebanon... shall go down to the pit." | The fallen joining those in the netherworld |
| Ezek 31:18 | "To what living creature are you thus likened in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? You shall be brought down with the trees of Eden to the nether world..." | Fallen empires compared to fallen trees in disgrace |
| Jer 22:24 | "As I live, declares the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were the signet on my right hand, yet I would pluck you off..." | God's pronouncements of judgment on kings |
| Isa 14:15 | "But you are brought down to Sheol, to the utmost depths of the pit." | Descending to the lowest parts of Sheol |
| Isa 14:18 | "All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb." | Kings laid to rest in their graves |
| Isa 14:19 | "But you are brought up from your grave like a loathed branch..." | Contrast in their burial/state after death |
| Ps 82:7 | "But you will die like men and fall like one of the princes." | Mortality and judgment for the proud |
| Luke 10:15 | "And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades!" | Divine judgment leading to abasement |
| Rev 18:9 | "And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and beat their breasts over her..." | Lamentation of earthly rulers over fallen power |
| Rev 19:20 | "But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast..." | Judgment upon opposing powers |
| Heb 10:29 | "How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled the Son of God..." | Consequences of rejecting divine authority |
| Nahum 3:5 | "Behold, I am against you, declares the LORD of hosts..." | God's direct opposition to hostile nations |
| Zeph 3:19 | "Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors..." | God's judgment on oppressors |
| Ps 37:2 | "For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb." | Transience of the wicked |
| Ps 112:10 | "The wicked man will see it and be vexed..." | The wicked witnessing divine justice |
Ezekiel 32 verses
Ezekiel 32 26 Meaning
This verse declares that the mightiest nations, once fearsome, will join the multitudes of the dead in the netherworld, specifically the pit, described as a place of the slain. They will lie among the uncircumcised, those who have not experienced the covenant or faced battle with full divine sanction. Their former terror and might will be no more, their presence in death marked by dishonor alongside other vanquished peoples.
Ezekiel 32 26 Context
This verse is the concluding statement of Ezekiel chapter 32, a profound oracle concerning Egypt, symbolizing oppressive Gentile powers. Ezekiel had previously prophesied against various nations. Here, Pharaoh (Mizraim) and his great army are depicted as a mighty lion, but one that will ultimately be hunted and killed, its carcass cast into the pit. The chapter contrasts Egypt's former glory and perceived strength with its impending demise. This prophecy served to reassure the exiled Israelites of God's sovereignty over all nations, including the mighty empires that threatened them. It conveyed that no power, however formidable, could ultimately withstand God's judgment and that even the proudest nations would face a common, ignominious end in the grave alongside lesser peoples.
Ezekiel 32 26 Word analysis
- "And": Connects this verse to the preceding statements about Egypt's fate, signaling a conclusion or summation.
- "they": Refers back to Pharaoh and his multitudes, as well as potentially the other great nations and their mighty men prophesied against in earlier parts of the chapter and book, particularly the king of Assyria and Babylon.
- "shall go down": Indicates descent into the netherworld (Sheol or Hades), a place of the dead, the underworld. It signifies a final, irreversible state.
- "into": Preposition indicating direction, into the realm of death.
- "the pit": A graphic metaphor for the grave or the depths of the netherworld. It implies confinement and burial.
- "with": Indicates association and company.
- "those": Refers to the other deceased inhabitants of the pit.
- "that are gone down": Emphasizes the passive descent, those who have already perished and been placed in this subterranean realm.
- "into": Again, signifies entrance into a specific location.
- "the earth": Refers to the physical world and its inhabitants, but in this context, it specifies "the earth below," meaning the underworld.
- "yea": An affirmation, strengthening the statement that follows.
- "with the slain of ancient time": Places Egypt among the long history of fallen nations and warriors, underscoring the vastness of the underworld's population and the cyclical nature of power and defeat. "Slain" points to those violently killed in battle.
- "and they shall set their": Continues the description of their final resting place.
- "south": Likely refers to a specific region or manner of burial within Sheol, possibly implying being laid to rest in lower or southern regions of the underworld. Some translations suggest a descriptor for their state.
- "their heaps": Suggests the vast multitude of dead, buried in layers or piles, a testament to the scale of death and conquest throughout history.
- "and their terror": Indicates that their formidable power and the fear they inspired in life will not accompany them in death; their reputation will not save them from the grave.
- "by reason of": Connects the preceding description to the reason.
- "their multitude": Their vast numbers and great strength in life become insignificant in death, contrasted with their solitary end.
- "all their": Emphasizes totality.
- "army": Their military might.
- "were": Indicates a past state.
- "in the land of the living": A stark contrast to their final destination in the land of the dead.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "shall go down into the pit with those that are gone down into the earth": This phrase emphasizes complete oblivion and inclusion among all who have perished. It speaks of the common destiny of humanity and nations, regardless of their earthly status.
- "yea, with the slain of ancient time": This highlights the historical scope of divine judgment and the universality of death, connecting contemporary fallen powers to those who preceded them in destruction.
- "and they shall set their south their heaps, and their terror by reason of their multitude, all their army were in the land of the living": This complex phrasing describes the final ignominious burial. The "south" could indicate a particular level or section of Sheol. "Their heaps" implies a mass burial, stripped of individual honor. "Their terror" and "multitude, all their army" – these powerful elements of their earthly existence are completely annihilated and will be found nowhere among the living, confirming their absolute end in death, their former fearsomeness replaced by nothingness in the grave.
Ezekiel 32 26 Bonus section
This verse highlights the contrast between the "land of the living" and the "pit." In biblical thought, "living" often refers not just to biological existence but also to spiritual life and nearness to God. Conversely, the "pit" signifies utter finality, separation from God's presence, and the state of the ungodly dead. The description of "their terror... by reason of their multitude" speaks to the collective identity and power of a nation or army, which dissolves entirely upon death and judgment, becoming merely "heaps" among the forgotten dead. The "south" may also be symbolic of deepest darkness or judgment in some interpretations.
Ezekiel 32 26 Commentary
Ezekiel 32:26 serves as a powerful concluding statement on the fate of mighty, oppressive nations, exemplified by Egypt. It teaches that worldly power and terror are transient and ultimately insignificant before the divine decree of judgment and death. The proudest rulers and armies will descend into the same abyss as all other mortals, stripped of their glory and fear-inducing reputation. This verse underscores the theological concept that all life and power originate from God, and ultimately all souls return to Him, whether in salvation or condemnation. The image of being "with the slain of ancient time" in the pit is a stark reminder of mortality and the finality of judgment for those who reject God's will. Even a great military might means nothing in the face of eternal consequences. The emphasis is on shared mortality in death for the wicked, irrespective of their former status.