Ezekiel 32:19 — Word Study
WLCמִמִּ֖י נָעָ֑מְתָּ רְדָ֥ה וְהָשְׁכְּבָ֖ה אֶת־ עֲרֵלִֽים׃
BSAWhommîy [excel] do you surpass in beautynâʻêm■ [loveliness, pleasantness, or delight] Go downyârad [descend, or fall] and be placedshâkab [laid, or rested] withʼêth the uncircumcisedʻârêl [those without covenant, or heathen]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| מִמִּ֖י | more than whom? | Preposition, pronoun |
| נָעָ֑מְתָּ | are you lovely | Verb, Qal, perfect second person masculine singular |
| רְדָ֥ה | go down ! | Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| וְהָשְׁכְּבָ֖ה | and be laid ! | Conjunction, verb hophal imperative second person masculine singular, suffix |
| אֶת־ | with | Preposition |
| עֲרֵלִֽים׃ | uncircumcised [men] | Adj |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be placed with the uncircumcised! |
| KJV | Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised. |
| ASV | Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised. |
| YLT | Than whom hast thou been more pleasant? Go down, and be laid with the uncircumcised. |
| WEB | Whom do you pass in beauty? Go down, and be laid with the uncircumcised. |
| BBE | Are you more beautiful than any? go down, and take your rest among those without circumcision, |
Where they part company is נָעָ֑מְתָּ — see How Translations Differ.
The main question leads into a command, highlighting the contrast between Egypt's perceived beauty and its impending judgment.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbנָעֵם
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Ezekiel 32:19
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Judgment on Egyptgenerated
Ezekiel 32:19 is part of a larger oracle against Egypt, where God uses vivid imagery to depict the nation's downfall. This verse specifically questions Egypt's claim to beauty and power, suggesting that it will soon be humbled and laid to rest among those who are uncircumcised, symbolizing those outside of God's covenant. This judgment aligns with the themes of divine retribution found throughout the book of Ezekiel.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezekiel 27:3–4 | Tell Tyre, who dwells at the gateway to the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coasts, that this is what the Lord GOD says: You have said, O Tyre, ‘I am perfect in beauty.’ |
| 2 | Ezekiel 28:12–17 | “Son of man, take up a lament for the king of Tyre and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. |
| 3 | Ezekiel 31:2–18 | “Son of man, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his multitude: ‘Who can be compared to your greatness? |
| 4 | Isaiah 14:9–15 | Sheol beneath is eager to meet you upon your arrival. It stirs the spirits of the dead to greet you— all the rulers of the earth. It makes all the kings of the nations rise from their thrones. |
| 5 | Ezekiel 32:21–24 | Mighty chiefs will speak from the midst of Sheol about Egypt and her allies: ‘They have come down and lie with the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword.’ |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — נָעָ֑מְתָּ, na.'A.me.tagenerated
The verb נָעֵם (na`em) means 'to be pleasant' or 'lovely.' It conveys a sense of beauty and sweetness, often used in contexts describing something delightful. Here, it questions Egypt's beauty, implying that it is about to lose its standing.
As a perfect form in the second person masculine singular, it directly addresses Egypt, suggesting that despite its perceived loveliness, it will soon face judgment and humiliation.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is governed by the verb נָעָ֑מְתָּ, are you lovely, which is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the comparison and an imperative verb phrase directing Egypt to descend. The structure emphasizes the rhetorical nature of the question and the subsequent command.
The sentence's order places the challenge to Egypt's beauty at the forefront, followed by the imperative to go down, highlighting the judgment theme.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew מִי is rendered as τίνος, which retains the interrogative nature of the question. This choice emphasizes the inquiry into Egypt's beauty while aligning with the Greek style.
The absence of a direct equivalent for נָעָ֑מְתָּ suggests a different interpretive approach, potentially softening the challenge posed in the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezekiel 32:19 questions Egypt about its beauty and commands it to go down and lie with the uncircumcised. This reflects God's judgment on Egypt, indicating that despite its former glory, it will face humiliation and be laid to rest among those outside the covenant.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
In this context, being uncircumcised refers to those who are outside of God's covenant, symbolizing a lack of relationship with Him, often associated with the nations surrounding Israel.
Ezekiel uses beauty to emphasize Egypt's pride and false security, challenging its claims and foreshadowing its downfall.
The command to go down signifies a loss of status and dignity, marking Egypt's transition from a position of power to one of defeat and shame.
This verse fits into Ezekiel's broader message of judgment against nations that oppose God, illustrating the consequences of pride and disobedience.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways do I see pride affecting my life or the lives of those around me?
- How can I remind myself of humility in the face of challenges?
- What does it mean to be in covenant with God, and how does it affect my identity?
- How can I respond to situations where I feel superior to others, reflecting on this verse?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezekiel 32:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleWhom dost thou pass in beauty?.... This question the prophet is bid to put to Egypt; what nation is there, or has been, that thou excellest in wisdom, in riches, or in strength, in the multitude of
Read John Gill on Ezekiel 32 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryWhom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised. Whom dost thou pass in beauty? - Beautiful as thou art, thou art not more so than other nations, which nevertheless have perished.
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezekiel 32 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe whole, from this verse, is a most elegant personating of the dead, as if sensible, and acquainted, and discoursing with, and rejoicing at the fall of proud tyrants, who took not warning by their fall. Such a prosopopoeia you have Isaiah 14. In this chapter the actors are the prophet, the king of Egypt and his people, and their auxiliaries. Whom dost thou pass in beauty? the prophet begins with this question dialogue-wise, Art thou better than others, that thou shouldst not die and be laid in dust, as well as all others? speak, Hophra, if thou hast any privilege to plead, what hast thou to say why thou shouldst not go down to the pit as a despised mortal? Go down: the prophet, hearing no…
Read Matthew Poole on Ezekiel 32 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEzekiel 32:19 Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.Ver. 19. Whom dost thou pass in beauty?] What art thou better than other thy compeers and complices in sin? Thou must also dance down to hell down to hell, with the rest. Be thou laid with the uncircumcised.] Strangers to the covenant, whereof circumcision was a seal Sinners the Chaldee here calleth them, such as the devil sweeps. They are his birds, saith Mr Bradford, martyr, whom, when he hath well fed, he will broach them and eat them, chew them and champ them, world without end, in eternal woe and misery. Serm. of Repent., p. 70.
Read John Trapp on Ezekiel 32 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(19) With the uncircumcised.—See Note on Ezekiel 28:10. All question as to the use of circumcision among the Egyptians is out of place; the word is simply used as the ordinary phrase for the heathen.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezekiel 32 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 19. Whom dost thou pass in beauty?] How little does it signify, whether a mummy be well embalmed, wrapped round with rich stuff, and beautifully painted on the outside, or not. Go down into the tombs, examine the niches, and see whether one dead carcass be preferable to another.
Read AdamClarke on Ezekiel 32 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges19. Whom … pass in beauty] i.e. surpass; Ew., pass in fortune. Probably the meaning is very much, To whom art (wast) thou superior? The multitude of Egypt or the Pharaoh as the genius of the nation is addressed, hardly his dead body (Sm.). go down] i.e. to the grave, or pit. “Uncircumcised” has in all the passage the sense of dishonoured, profaned in death, and differs little from slain with the sword, Ezekiel 32:21; Ezekiel 32:24. The pass. imper. “be thou laid” is very rare, Jeremiah 49:8.
Read Cambridge on Ezekiel 32 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Biblewhom dost thou pass in beauty? - Thou art not more beautiful than other nations: thou shalt not escape their fate.
Read Albert Barnes on Ezekiel 32 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be placed with the uncircumcised!
Whom do you pass in beauty? Go down, and be laid with the uncircumcised.
Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be placed with the uncircumcised!
Say to them, ‘Whom do you surpass in beauty? Go down and be laid to rest with the uncircumcised!’
Tyndale line
Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.
Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.
Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.
Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.
Whome doest thou passe in beautie? goe downe and sleepe with the vncircumcised.
Strictly literal
Whom dost thou surpass in beauty? Go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.
Than whom hast thou been more pleasant? Go down, and be laid with the uncircumcised.
Whom have you surpassed in beauty? Go down, and be laid with [the] uncircumcised.
Whom dost thou surpass in loveliness? go down [then], and be thou laid with the [other] uncircumcised.
'Are you really more beautiful than anyone else? Go down and lie down with the uncircumcised.'
From the Latin
Whom dost thou excel in beauty? go down and sleep with the uncircumcised.
Simplified
Do you think you're more beautiful than anyone else? Go down and take your place in the grave with the heathen!
Are you more beautiful than any? go down, and take your rest among those without circumcision,
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text presents the verse as it stands, while the Septuagint matches only three of the six words, indicating a partial agreement. This suggests variations in interpretation or translation choices between the two texts.
מִמִּ֖י נָעָ֑מְתָּ רְדָ֥ה וְהָשְׁכְּבָ֖ה אֶת־ עֲרֵלִֽים׃
3 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Ezekiel 32:19
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
מִי (mi) is an interrogative pronoun primarily used to ask about persons, meaning 'who?' or 'whose?'. It can also appear in rhetorical questions and has some idiomatic uses, such as 'who among...?' or 'whosoever'. The word is rarely applied to things, and its forms can vary in emphasis.
מִי 423 pron.interrog. who? of persons
מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied
in the gen. whose
in an indirect qu.
מִי ב׳ who among … ?
strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.
various rhetorical uses whose
מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it
once, following a verb, any one
base
H4310 מִי who? of persons . מִי is rarely used of things, and usually where persons are understood or implied
. in the gen. whose
. in an indirect qu.
. מִי ב׳ who among … ?
. strengthened and emph. forms of interrog.
. various rhetorical uses whose
. מִי may sometimes be rendered whosoever, though, as the examples will shew, it does not really mean it
. once, following a verb, any one
4310 miy me
an interrogative pronoun of persons, as 4100 is of things,
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also
(indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction
with prefix or suffix:--any (man), X he, X him, + O that!
what, which, who(-m, -se, -soever), + would to God.
see HEBREW for 04100
מִי (mi) — who?.
who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever
Prep | Part — Preposition · pronounHR/Pi
נָעֵם (na`em) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be pleasant, delightful, or lovely. It is a primitive root that conveys a sense of beauty and sweetness. The word appears in various contexts in the Old Testament, including descriptions of land, physical beauty, and pleasant words. Notably, it is used in Genesis 49:15 and Song of Solomon 7:7.
[נָעֵם] vb. be pleasant, delightful, lovely;—Qal Pf. 3 fs. נָעֵ֑מָה Gn 49:15 (poem in J; of land); 2 ms. (of delightful friend) נָעַ֥מְתָּ לִי מְאֹד 2 S 1:26, also (of physical beauty) מִמִּי נָעָ֑מְתָּ Ez 32:19; 2 fs. (id.) וּמַה־נָּעַמְתְּ Ct 7:7 how lovely art thou!; 3 pl., of pleasant words, נָעֵ֑מוּ ψ 141:6; Impf. 3ms יִנְעָ֑ם: Pr 2:10 (of knowledge); 9:17; 24:25 is impers. c. ל, to them ... shall be delight.
ref
H5276 [נָעֵם] be pleasant, delightful, lovely
5276 na`em naw-ame'
a primitive root; to be agreeable (literally or
figuratively):--pass in beauty, be delight, be pleasant, be
sweet.
נָעֵם (na.em) — be pleasant.
(Qal) to be pleasant, be beautiful, be sweet, be delightful, be lovely
V-Qal-Perf-2ms — Verb · Qal · perfect second person masculine singularHVqp2ms
luv'-li ('ahabh, 'ahebh; prosphiles): "Lovely" occurs only 4 times. In 2Sa 1:23 it is the translation of 'ahebh, "to be loved" ("Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant (the King James Version margin "sweet") in their lives"), where it seems to mean "loving" or "lovable." Two other words are so translated in the Old Testament: machmadch, "desire" a "desirable thing" (So 5:16, "He is altogether lovely," that is, "lovable," "to be desired," literally, "all of him lovableness," or "desirableness"); `aghabhim "loves," or "charms" (Eze 33:32, "Thou art unto them as a very lovely song," the King James Version margin "a song of loves," the Revised Version margin "a love-song"; in 33:31 the same word is translated "much love," the…
The Hebrew word יָרַד (yarad) means to come or go down, covering various contexts such as descending from mountains, going to battle, or sinking in water. It can also refer to divine manifestations descending or being prostrated. The word has different forms including Qal, Hiphil, and Hophal, which indicate various nuances of bringing down or being brought down.
יָרַד 380 vb. come or go down, descend
Qal 306
come or go down
go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle
go down to (acc.) threshing-floor
go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt
from Jerusalem
from altar
go down
= sink, in water
go down to She’ôl
fig. going down (dissolving) in tears
= be prostrated
of divine manifestations: descend
of inanimate things
Hiph.
cause to come or go down
bring down
send down rain = cause to flow down
= lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor
bring down to She’ôl
take down (from cart)
let down
Hoph.
be brought down
be taken down
base
H3381 יָרַד come or go down, descend .. . come or go down
. go down (usu. from mountain or hill-country into plain), to battle
. go down to (acc.) threshing-floor
. go down (abs.) from Palestine to Egypt
. from Jerusalem
. from altar
. go down
. = sink, in water
. go down to She’ôl
. fig. going down (dissolving) in tears
. = be prostrated
. of divine manifestations: descend
. of inanimate things
. . cause to come or go down . bring down
. send down rain = cause to flow down
. = lay prostrate to (acc.) threshing-floor
. bring down to She’ôl
. take down (from cart)
. let down
. . be brought down
. be taken down
3381 yarad yaw-rad'
a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or
conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary,
the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to
bring down (in all the above applications); -X abundantly,
bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down,
fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, X
indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to,
let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.
יָרַד (ya.rad) — to go down.
1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to go or come down
1a2) to sink
1a3) to be prostrated
1a4) to come down (of revelation)
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to bring down
1b2) to send down
1b3) to take down
1b4) to lay prostrate
1b5) to let down
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be brought down
1c2) to be taken down
V-Qal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHVqv2ms/Sh
The Hebrew word שָׁכַב (shakab) is a primitive root meaning 'to lie down.' It covers a range of meanings including resting, lodging, engaging in sexual relations, and lying down in death. The word appears in various forms, such as Qal, Niphal, Pual, Hiphil, and Hophal, indicating different nuances of lying down. Notably, it can also figuratively mean to relax.
שָׁכַב 212 vb. lie down
Qal
lie down
= lodge (for night)
of sexual relations, lie with
lie down in death
esp. in phr. lie down with his fathers
fig. = relax
Niph. Pu. = be lain with (sexually; subj. women), only as Qr for Kt [שָׁגֵל] Niph. Pu. q.v.
Hiph. lay
Hoph. laid
base
H7901 שָׁכַב lie down .. lie down
. = lodge (for night)
. of sexual relations, lie with
. . lie down in death
. esp. in phr. lie down with his fathers
. fig. = relax
. Pu. = be lain with (sexually; subj. women), only as Qr for Kt [שָׁגֵל] Niph. Pu. q.v.
. lay
. laid
7901 shakab shaw-kab'
a primitive root; to lie down (for rest, sexual connection,
decease or any other purpose):--X at all, cast down,
((lover-))lay (self) (down), (make to) lie (down, down to
sleep, still with), lodge, ravish, take rest, sleep, stay.
שָׁכַב (sha.khav) — to lie down: lay down.
: lay_down/lie_with
1) to lie down
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on
1a2) to lodge
1a3) to lie (of sexual relations)
1a4) to lie down (in death)
1a5) to rest, relax (fig)
1b) (Niphal) to be lain with (sexually)
1c) (Pual) to be lain with (sexually)
1d) (Hiphil) to make to lie down
1e) (Hophal) to be laid
שָׁכַב (sha.khav) — to lie down: sleep.
: sleep/rest
1) to lie down
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on
1a2) to lodge
1a3) to lie (of sexual relations)
1a4) to lie down (in death)
1a5) to rest, relax (fig)
1b) (Niphal) to be lain with (sexually)
1c) (Pual) to be lain with (sexually)
1d) (Hiphil) to make to lie down
1e) (Hophal) to be laid
שָׁכַב (sha.khav) — to lie down: have sex.
: have_sex
1) to lie down
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to lie, lie down, lie on
1a2) to lodge
1a3) to lie (of sexual relations)
1a4) to lie down (in death)
1a5) to rest, relax (fig)
Conj | V-Hophal-Impv-2ms | Suff — Conjunction · verb hophal imperative second person masculine singular · suffixHC/VHv2ms/Sh
The Hebrew word אֵת (eth) is a preposition indicating nearness or proximity, often translated as 'with' or 'near.' It conveys a sense of companionship or association, distinguishing itself from similar terms by expressing closer relationships. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including possession and memory, but do not provide specific verse references.
אֵת, prep. with—prep. denoting proximity
Of companionship, together with
Of localities
אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially
in one's possession or keeping
in one's knowledge or memory
מֵאֵת from proximity with
Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.
base
H854 אֵת with—prep. denoting proximity . Of companionship, together with
. Of localities
. אֵת פּ׳ denotes specially . in one's possession or keeping
. in one's knowledge or memory
. מֵאֵת from proximity with
Note. אֵת expresses closer association than עִם: hence while מֵעִם sts. denotes hardly more than from the surroundings or belongings of, מֵאֵת expresses from close proximity to.
854 'eth ayth
probably from 579; properly, nearness (used only as a
preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by,
at, among, etc.:--against, among, before, by, for, from,
in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional
prefix.
see HEBREW for 0579
אֵת (et) — with.
1) with, near, together with
1a) with, together with
1b) with (of relationship)
1c) near (of place)
1d) with (poss.)
1e) from...with, from (with other prep)
Prep — PrepositionHR
עָרֵל (arel) means 'uncircumcised' or 'having foreskin.' It is derived from a root that implies being exposed or projecting, specifically referring to the prepuce. The term is used technically in contexts related to circumcision.
עָרֵל 35 adj. having foreskin, i.e. uncircumcised
base
H6189 עָרֵל having foreskin, i.e. uncircumcised
6189 `arel aw-rale'
rom 6188; properly, exposed, i.e. projecting loose (as to the
prepuce); used only technically, uncircumcised (i.e. still
having the prepuce uncurtailed):--uncircumcised (person).
see HEBREW for 06188
עָרֵל (a.rel) — uncircumcised.
uncircumcised, having foreskin
Adj — AdjHAampa