For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘The sword of the king of Babylon will come against you!
Parallel translations
- WEB For thus says the Lord Yahweh: The sword of the king of Babylon shall come on you.
- KJV For thus saith the Lord GOD; The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee.
- NKJV ‘For thus says the Lord God: “The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon you.
- NASB For the Lord God says this: “The sword of the king of Babylon will attack you.
- NLT For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “The sword of the king of Babylon will come against you.
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
God names the instrument of judgment: the sword of the king of Babylon will come against Egypt. The vague threat is now made concrete and historical.
Overview
After the cosmic and poetic imagery, the Lord specifies the means—Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. This grounds the oracle in real history and shows God directing earthly empires to accomplish His purposes. Babylon is the rod in God's hand, executing a judgment the Lord Himself has decreed.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Jer 46:24–26The Daughter of Egypt will be put to shame; she will be delivered into the hands of the people of the north.”
- Ezek 30:22–25Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break his arms, both the strong one and the one already broken, and will make the sword fall from his hand.
- Jer 46:13This is the word that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to strike the land of Egypt:
- Ezek 26:7For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, with cavalry and a great company of troops.
- Jer 43:10Then tell them that this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will set his throne over these stones that I have embedded, and he will spread his royal pavilion over them.
- Ezek 30:4A sword will come against Egypt, and there will be anguish in Cush when the slain fall in Egypt, its wealth is taken away, and its foundations are torn down.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 32:11 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.