Ezekiel 32 28

Ezekiel 32:28 kjv

Yea, thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, and shalt lie with them that are slain with the sword.

Ezekiel 32:28 nkjv

Yes, you shall be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, And lie with those slain by the sword.

Ezekiel 32:28 niv

"You too, Pharaoh, will be broken and will lie among the uncircumcised, with those killed by the sword.

Ezekiel 32:28 esv

But as for you, you shall be broken and lie among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword.

Ezekiel 32:28 nlt

"You too, Egypt, will lie crushed and broken among the outcasts, all slaughtered by the sword.

Ezekiel 32 verses

Ezekiel 32 28 meaning

Ezekiel 32:28 declares the certain and humiliating fate of Egypt, specifically Pharaoh and his mighty multitude. It states that they will perish, or be utterly shattered, and be placed among the despised "uncircumcised," joining the ranks of those violently slain by the sword in Sheol. This pronouncement signifies the complete downfall of Egypt's power and pride, placing it among the ignoble and condemned in the afterlife.

Ezekiel 32 28 Context

Ezekiel 32 is part of a series of prophecies (chapters 29-32) directed against Egypt, a major world power and frequent, often unreliable, ally of Judah. This particular chapter is a lament, or funeral dirge, for Pharaoh and all of Egypt. It functions as a solemn announcement of their inevitable demise and descent into Sheol (the realm of the dead). Pharaoh's downfall is described with graphic imagery, picturing him as a magnificent sea monster caught and dragged out, then as a mighty cedar tree cut down. Verses 17-32 vividly depict the collective descent of Egypt into the pit of Sheol, where other great, fallen nations (Assyria, Elam, Meshech-Tubal, Edom, Sidon) are already dwelling, having met a similar fate due to their pride and defiance against God. Verse 28 specifically describes Egypt's place of dishonor among those already in Sheol, underscoring the completeness of its judgment and the utter demolition of its once-feared prestige. Historically, Egypt had a strong, boastful pharaoh and was seen as a dominant force. The prophecy shatters this perception, showing God's ultimate sovereignty. Culturally, to be called "uncircumcised" was an insult, labeling someone as outside the covenant people and often as a pagan. To be among the "slain by the sword" signified a violent and inglorious death, deeply contrary to the Egyptian belief in a grand afterlife for their kings. The text polemicizes directly against the notion of Egyptian pharaohs having any divine status or escaping the common fate of powerful, godless rulers.

Ezekiel 32 28 Word analysis

• וְאַתָּה֙ (və'attāh) - "And you." A direct and pointed address. The initial "and" (waw conjunctive) connects this fate directly to the previous descriptions of other fallen nations, emphasizing Egypt's inclusion in this same category. The pronoun "you" refers directly to Pharaoh/Egypt, making the judgment intensely personal.

• בִּשְׁבִֽיר (bishḇîr) - "in the midst of the perishing/broken ones" or "in ruin/destruction." From the root שָׁבַר (shaḇar), meaning "to break, shatter, tear down." This word in the Niphal participle suggests a state of being utterly broken or ruined. It paints a picture of being engulfed or submerged in an existing state of wreckage and demise, signifying absolute, inescapable destruction.

• אֲרֵלִ֔ים (arêlîm) - "uncircumcised ones." This term carries profound social, spiritual, and national weight. For ancient Israel, "uncircumcised" identified Gentiles, particularly enemies like the Philistines (1 Sam 17:26). Spiritually, it designated those outside the covenant of Abraham (Gen 17:9-14) and thus outside the community of God, often carrying connotations of impurity, godlessness, and contempt. To be relegated to the company of the uncircumcised in the afterlife was a profound dishonor and a symbol of being cut off from any blessing or remembrance.

• תִּשָּׁבֵר֙ (tishāḇēr) - "you will be broken/perish." This is a future tense verb, also from the root שָׁבַר (shaḇar), in the Niphal (passive reflexive) stem. It forcefully reiterates and confirms the inevitable nature of the "brokenness" introduced by the preceding noun. It means "you will be broken," emphasizing the action will happen to Egypt by divine decree or external force, removing any sense of their own agency in avoiding it. This isn't merely a state of being, but a guaranteed future event.

• עִם־חַלְלֵי־חֶ֖רֶב (‘im-ḥallê-ḥereḇ) - "with the slain of the sword." This phrase precisely defines the manner of death and the company Egypt will keep. "Ḥalāl" (חָלָל) refers to one who is pierced or slain, specifically in battle. "Ḥereḇ" (חֶרֶב) is a sword. To die by the sword typically indicated a violent, public, and often shameful end in the ancient Near East, not a natural, honorable death. It signifies being overcome by hostile forces and falling in combat, a judgment enacted either by human agency under God's direction or by direct divine intervention. This underscores their military defeat and disgrace.

• "And you in the midst of the perishing uncircumcised": This phrase dramatically brings Egypt down from its imagined pedestal. The once-proud empire, represented by Pharaoh, is destined not for a grand afterlife, but for ignominious death among those despised by God and considered contemptible by the covenant people. It is a state of utter desolation, submerged among those already annihilated.

• "you will be broken with the slain of the sword": This specifies the nature of Egypt's demise – total destruction, not merely a gradual decline. Their end is to be violent and final, sharing the fate of other proud, defiant nations that met their doom through warfare and divine judgment. This seals their fate as completely disempowered and devoid of any glory.

Ezekiel 32 28 Bonus section

The concept of "uncircumcised" in this context extends beyond a physical state; it signifies a spiritual and covenantal exclusion. For an Israelite prophet, condemning Egypt to the company of the "uncircumcised" in Sheol was the ultimate degradation, likening their destiny to that of common pagans and enemies of God. This challenges any notion of Egyptian religious superiority or their pharaohs' divine access to the afterlife. The repetition of the root "to break" (שָׁבַר) both as a state (bishḇîr) and a future action (tishāḇēr) creates a strong literary device known as polyptoton, intensifying the sense of utter and inescapable destruction. It emphasizes that Egypt's "brokenness" is not only its inevitable future but also the very environment into which it will fall. The dirge form itself (a funeral lament) ensures that this prophecy is understood not as a warning, but as a definite eulogy for an already condemned entity, solidifying the certainty of Egypt's judgment.

Ezekiel 32 28 Commentary

Ezekiel 32:28 is a climactic statement within Ezekiel's lament over Egypt, foretelling its complete and irreversible judgment. It dismantles Egypt's inflated self-perception, proclaiming that its powerful pharaoh and his military might will be rendered utterly helpless, brought to nothing. Their end is not merely death but an ignoble descent into Sheol, joining the ranks of the "uncircumcised"—a term loaded with spiritual disdain, identifying those alienated from God's covenant and His people. Moreover, they will share the fate of those "slain by the sword," signifying a violent, decisive, and shameful end by divine decree. This verse is a powerful declaration of God's sovereignty over even the mightiest earthly kingdoms, demonstrating that pride and perceived invincibility ultimately crumble before His judgment. It also serves as a poignant reminder that outward pomp and worldly power offer no immunity from ultimate accountability to the Lord.