What I Noticed Today (Ezekiel 31-32)
Ezekiel 31
Oracle 5. In verses 1-9, the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel on the first day of the third month, in the eleventh year, or June 21, 587 B.C. It was addressed to pharaoh and his multitude (some translations say “hordes”). The prophecy is posed as though Egypt had already asked a question, "who is as great as we are?" Ezekiel’s response is to consider Assyria.
Note: Ezekiel may have chosen Assyria for comparison because Assyria was the only country that had invaded and defeated Egypt (633 B.C.), and Babylon had conquered Assyria, and Babylon was about to attack Egypt.
Assyria was described allegorically as a great country of beauty and riches that matched even the gardens of God. Even the trees of Eden were envious of the trees in Assyria.
In verses 10-14, God proclaimed judgment upon Assyria because of her pride so that He would hand her over to the mighty one of the nations (Babylon). The great trees of Assyria were destroyed. No nations would grow to the heights of Assyria. They were all given over to death.
Note: Assyria fell to Nebuchadnezzar’s father in 612 B.C.
In verses 15-17, Assyria (referred to here as the cedar tree) went down to Sheol. Nations quaked at the sound of the fall of Assyria. The allies of Assyria, who were already in the grave, were comforted by the fact that Assyria was now also in the grave.
In verse 18, Ezekiel restates the question from verse 2, who is like Egypt. The answer to the allegorical question is Assyria was like Egypt, even better in many ways, and they were defeated by the same country that was about to attack Egypt (Babylon). Babylon would bring the pharaoh and his multitudes down to the grave, slain by the sword.
Ezekiel 32
Oracle 6. In verses 1-2a, the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel on the first day of the twelfth month in the twelfth year, or March 3, 585 B.C. (2 months after Jerusalem’s fall). This oracle is directed to Pharaoh Hophra, king of Egypt.
In verse 2b, Hophra considers himself to be like a lion (king), but instead, God considers him to be a dragon in the seas who fouls the waters.
In verses 3-10, there are eleven more “I will’s” stating what the Lord will do to the pharaoh. The Lord says He will throw his net over pharaoh and haul him up and cast him on the ground where beasts and birds will feed on him. He will strew his flesh on the mountains and drench the land with his blood. He will cover the heavens and blot out the stars and cover the sun with a cloud. I will trouble the hearts of many peoples when I bring destruction upon you. He will make people appalled because of the sword of judgment I am bringing to you.
In verses 11-16, the Lord says the king of Babylon will come bringing his sword and ruin Egypt's pride, destroy its beasts, and make the land a wasteland. Surrounding nations would chant this lament (verses 13-15) over Egypt’s fall.
Oracle 7. In verses 17-30, the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel on the fifteenth day of the month in the twelfth year (no month named), in all likelihood March 17, 585 B.C.
Ezekiel tells Egypt she will go down to the pit (Sheol), and all the nations who supported will also go down with her, slain by the sword. The list of countries to go down into the pit includes Assyria (vv. 22-23), Elam (v. 24), Meshech-Tubal (vv. 26-28), Edom (v. 29), and the princes of the north and the Sidonians (v. 30).
In verses 31-32, the pharaoh will see them in the pit and be comforted because he is surrounded by the uncircumcised who had been slain by the sword.
