Ezekiel 32:12

Verse

I will make your hordes fall by the swords of the mighty, the most ruthless of all nations. They will ravage the pride of Egypt and all her multitudes will be destroyed.

American Standard Version (1901)

By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall; the terrible of the nations are they all: and they shall bring to nought the pride of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed.

Bible in Basic English

I will let the swords of the strong be the cause of the fall of your people; all of them men to be feared among the nations: and they will make waste the pride of Egypt, and all its people will come to destruction.

Douay-Rheims 1899

By the swords of the mighty I will overthrow thy multitude: all these nations are invincible: and they shall waste the pride of Egypt, and the multitude thereof shall be destroyed.

Free Bible Version

I will allow your army to be defeated, your soldiers killed by the swords of the powerful enemy army from the cruelest of all nations. They will ruin of the glories of Egypt and destroy all your people.

King James (Authorized) Version

By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall spoil the pomp of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed.

Translation for Translators

I will cause very many of your people to be killed by the swords of mighty soldiers from Babylonia, who are more ruthless/cruel than the soldiers of all other nations. They will cause the people of Egypt to quit being proud, because very many [HYP] of their people will be killed.

Unlocked Literal Bible

I will cause your multitudes to fall by warriors' swords—each warrior a terror of nations. These warriors will devastate the pride of Egypt and destroy all of its multitudes.

Noah Webster Bible

By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall lay waste the pomp of Egypt, and all its multitude shall be destroyed.

World English Bible

I will cause your multitude to fall by the swords of the mighty. They are all the ruthless of the nations. They will bring the pride of Egypt to nothing, and all its multitude will be destroyed.

Young's Literal Translation

By swords of the mighty I cause thy multitude to fall, The terrible of nations — all of them, And they have spoiled the excellency of Egypt, And destroyed hath been all her multitude.

Context

A Lament for Pharaoh King of Egypt

¹¹For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘The sword of the king of Babylon will come against you! ¹²I will make your hordes fall by the swords of the mighty, the most ruthless of all nations. They will ravage the pride of Egypt and all her multitudes will be destroyed. ¹³I will slaughter all her cattle beside the abundant waters. No human foot will muddy them again, and no cattle hooves will disturb them.

Summary

This verse in Ezekiel describes a lamentation for Egypt, portraying a vivid picture of its downfall and destruction. The once mighty nation is depicted as being brought to nothing, with its people scattered among the nations and its land left desolate. The imagery used conveys the severity of God's judgment upon Egypt for its pride and sinfulness. It serves as a warning of the consequences of turning away from God and relying on worldly power and wealth.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall,.... Pharaoh's numerous subjects; or his army, as the Targum; the vast number of soldiers in it, whose carcasses should fall in battle by the sword of the Chaldeans, the mighty men of Nebuchadnezzar's army: the terrible of the nations all of them; which army consisted of men of several nations, and those the most terrible, fierce, and cruel, by whose swords this slaughter should be made: and they shall spoil the pomp of Egypt; cut off the king, the princes of the blood, the nobility and gentry, the prime of the nation; plunder the king's palace of all the wealth and riches in it, the treasury of the kingdom; destroy the metropolis of it; demolish its cities and fortified places, and take away all its strength and glory: and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed: all the people of the land, high and low, rich and poor; the destruction shall be general, all ranks and degrees of men shall share in it.