And the land of Egypt shall become desolate and waste; then they will know that I am the Lord, because he said, ‘The River is mine, and I have made it.’
Parallel translations
- WEB The land of Egypt shall be a desolation and a waste; and they shall know that I am Yahweh. Because he has said, ‘The river is mine, and I have made it;’
- KJV And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall know that I am the LORD: because he hath said, The river is mine, and I have made it.
- BSB The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the LORD. Because you said, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it,’
- NASB The land of Egypt will become a desolation and place of ruins. Then they will know that I am the Lord. “Because you said, ‘The Nile is mine, and I have made it,’
- NLT The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. “Because you said, ‘The Nile River is mine; I made it,’
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Egypt will become a desolate waste, and they will know the LORD, because Pharaoh claimed the Nile as his own creation. Proud self-exaltation brings ruin.
Overview
The judgment is again tied to Pharaoh's arrogant boast that he made the river for himself. God answers this blasphemous pride by reducing Egypt to desolation so the nation will acknowledge him. The recurring refrain shows that God's purpose in judgment is to make his sovereign lordship known.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Ezek 29:3Speak and say, ‘Thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster that lies in the middle of his rivers, that has said, ‘My river is my own, and I have made it for myself.’
- Prov 16:18Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
- Ezek 29:10–12therefore, behold, I am against you, and against your rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from the tower of Seveneh even to the border of Ethiopia.
- Prov 18:12Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility.
- Ezek 30:13–19Thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause the images to cease from Memphis; and there shall be no more a prince from the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt.
- Ezek 30:7–8They shall be desolate in the middle of the countries that are desolate; and her cities shall be in the middle of the cities that are wasted.
- Prov 29:23A man’s pride brings him low, but one of lowly spirit gains honor.
- Jer 43:10–13and tell them, Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne on these stones that I have hidden; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them.
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Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 29:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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