Ezekiel 29


Ezekiel 29 is the twenty-ninth chapter of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet/priest Ezekiel, and is one of the Books of the Prophets. Chapters 29–32 contain seven oracles against Egypt, balancing the seven oracles against Israel's smaller neighbors in chapters 25–28.

Text

The original text of this chapter was written in the Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 21 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis, the Petersburg Codex of the Prophets, Aleppo Codex, Codex Leningradensis.
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BC. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus, Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Marchalianus.

Pharaoh the sea-serpent (29:1–16)

In this passage, YHWH calls Pharaoh 'a great sea-serpent' 'stretched out in the Nile surrounded by fish' and as the king of Tyre, Pharaoh is condemned for 'claiming divine status', so YHWH announces that 'he will fish out the serpent along with its dependent fishes' 'and fling them out to rot in the field' causing the Egyptians to 'acknowledge YHWH's sovereignty.

Verse 1

The date corresponds to January 7, 587 BCE, based on an analysis by German theologian Bernhard Lang.

Verse 2

This part separates the oracles dated to January 587 BCE and April 587 BCE with the insertion of a later prophecy that Egypt will be given by YHWH to the Babylonian king as compensation for his efforts on YHWH's behalf in the siege of Tyre which ended in 572 BCE. Egypt's defeat will bring honor to Israel who would then recognize YHWH. In his annals, Nebuchadrezzar recorded his invasion to Egypt in 568 BCE.

Verse 17

The date corresponds to April 26, 571 BCE, based on the analysis of Bernhard Lang.

Jewish

*
*