For this is what the Sovereign Lord 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.
- BSB For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘The sword of the king of Babylon will come against you!
- 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.
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 shall be disappointed; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north.”
- Ezek 30:22–25Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong arm, and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.
- Jer 46:13The word that Yahweh spoke to Jeremiah the prophet, how that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon should come and strike the land of Egypt.
- Ezek 26:7For thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will bring on Tyre Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and a company, and many people.
- Jer 43:10and 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.
- Ezek 30:4A sword shall come on Egypt, and anguish shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt; and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 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
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