In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:
English Standard Version (ESV)
What's striking here is that this prophecy about Egypt comes after a significant gap of about seventeen years since Ezekiel's last message about them, and it's placed out of chronological order. This deliberate arrangement highlights that the prophecy itself is meant to be a distinct and crucial message, focusing on Nebuchadnezzar's upcoming role in fulfilling God's judgment against Egypt, a detail not fully emphasized before.
In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is actually a significant jump forward in time from the prophecy immediately preceding it, with a gap of about sixteen years. Ezekiel is delivering this message after the long and arduous siege of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar has finally concluded, revealing that despite all the effort, Nebuchadnezzar and his army received no spoil from the city. This new word from the LORD explains that the king of Babylon will now turn his attention to Egypt, and that this conquest will serve as the reward for his soldiers' unrequited labor against Tyre.
Ever feel like God's timing is off? Ezekiel's prophecy reminds us that divine appointments don't always align with our expectations.
Ezekiel is given a prophecy about Egypt in its 27th year. Interestingly, this date is significantly later than the prophecy in chapter 29:1-16, which was delivered roughly 16 years earlier. The commentators highlight that this isn't a chronological slip-up! Instead, God deliberately places this later prophecy here to connect Nebuchadnezzar's impending conquest of Egypt with his earlier actions against Tyre. It’s a strategic placement for clarity and impact, showing that God orchestrates events across time to reveal His plan.
God uses even His enemies to accomplish His purposes. Nebuchadnezzar's mighty army, though driven by conquest, unknowingly served God's judgment.
The commentary points out a crucial detail: this prophecy, though dated later, is strategically placed after the judgment on Tyre. It introduces Nebuchadnezzar as the agent of God's judgment against Egypt. Despite the immense effort and thirteen-year siege of Tyre that yielded no spoils, Nebuchadnezzar and his army were destined to bring God's judgment. They served a 'great service' against Tyre, enduring hardship ('every head made bald and every shoulder peeled') without reward. This sets the stage for God to then use that same determined army, weary but undeterred, to strike Egypt. Nebuchadnezzar, a powerful king, was unknowingly fulfilling God's decree.
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This prophecy against Egypt is placed much later than its chronological occurrence to link it with the preceding prophecy against Tyre, highlighting how Nebuchadnezzar's military might, though facing setbacks like the long siege of Tyre, ultimately served God's purposes in judging nations.
c. 587 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquers Jerusalem, ending the Southern Kingdom of Judah and exiling many of its inhabitants.
c. 586-573 BC
Siege of Tyre
Nebuchadnezzar II lays siege to the island city of Tyre. The siege lasts thirteen years, a testament to Tyre's formidable defenses and the determination of its people.
c. 573 BC
Conclusion of Tyre Siege
The thirteen-year siege of Tyre concludes. While Nebuchadnezzar's army serves a 'great service' and endures hardship, historical accounts suggest they did not achieve a complete conquest or gain significant spoils from the city itself.
c. April 571 BC— this verse
Word of the LORD to Ezekiel
In the twenty-seventh year of Jehoiachin's captivity, Ezekiel receives a prophecy concerning Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of it, placed deliberately out of chronological order.
c. 568-567 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Campaign in Egypt
Nebuchadnezzar II invades and conquers Egypt, fulfilling the prophecy that the spoils of Egypt would compensate his army for their unrewarded efforts against Tyre.
This verse also records a specific message from the LORD coming to the prophet at a particular time, highlighting the divine initiative in communicating His word.
Jeremiah 32:1Similar to Ezekiel, Jeremiah receives the word of the LORD at a specific date (in the tenth year of Zedekiah's reign), indicating a pattern of God's direct communication tied to historical events.
Isaiah 6:8This passage shows the LORD initiating a prophetic call with 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' demonstrating God's direct commissioning of His messengers, much like the word of the LORD coming to Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 3:16This verse speaks to the specific time when the 'word of the LORD' came to Ezekiel, emphasizing that God's messages were delivered at appointed times and with clear divine authority.
Jeremiah 1:2This verse states that 'the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah' in the days of Josiah, illustrating the direct and authoritative way God spoke to His prophets at specific points in history.
bensonEzekiel 29:17: "And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
Ezekiel 29:17-18 . And it came to pass, &c. — The new prophecy, which begins here, is connected with the foregoing, on account of its relating to the same subject, and not on account of its being the next revelation in time which Ezekiel had; for there is nearly seventeen years distance between the date of the foregoing prophecy and…
clarkeEzekiel 29:17: "And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,"
The seven and twentieth year - That is, of the captivity of Jeconiah, fifteen years after the taking of Jerusalem; about April 20, 3432. The preceding prophecy was delivered one year before the taking of Jerusalem; this, sixteen years after; and it is supposed to be the last which this prophet wrote.
What's striking here is that this prophecy about Egypt comes after a significant gap of about seventeen years since Ezekiel's last message about them, and it's placed out of chronological order. This deliberate arrangement highlights that the prophecy itself is meant to be a distinct and crucial message, focusing on Nebuchadnezzar's upcoming role in fulfilling God's judgment against Egypt, a detail not fully emphasized before.
This passage is actually a significant jump forward in time from the prophecy immediately preceding it, with a gap of about sixteen years. Ezekiel is delivering this message after the long and arduous siege of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar has finally concluded, revealing that despite all the effort, Nebuchadnezzar and his army received no spoil from the city. This new word from the LORD explains that the king of Babylon will now turn his attention to Egypt, and that this conquest will serve as the reward for his soldiers' unrequited labor against Tyre.
This passage is actually a significant jump forward in time from the prophecy immediately preceding it, with a gap of about sixteen years. Ezekiel is delivering this message after the long and arduous siege of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar has finally concluded, revealing that despite all the effort, Nebuchadnezzar and his army received no spoil from the city. This new word from the LORD explains that the king of Babylon will now turn his attention to Egypt, and that this conquest will serve as the reward for his soldiers' unrequited labor against Tyre.
"In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:" — What's striking here is that this prophecy about Egypt comes after a significant gap of about seventeen years since Ezekiel's last message about them, and it's placed out of chronological order. Th…
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Last reviewed October 2026