Ezekiel 29:4-5
I will put hooks in your jaws, and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales; and I will draw you up out of the midst of your streams, with all the fish of your streams that stick to your scales. And I will cast you out into the wilderness, you and all the fish of your streams; you shall fall on the open field, and not be brought together or gathered. To the beasts of the earth and to the birds of the heavens I give you as food.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This isn't just about Pharaoh being caught; it's about his entire nation being entangled with him. The "fish sticking to his scales" emphasizes that when the powerful ruler is drawn out to ruin, his people are so bound to him that they share his humiliating downfall.
God declares that He will seize Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, like a massive creature of the Nile, using unseen forces to draw him out of his security. This means God will use internal rebellion and foreign enemies to pull Pharaoh and his allies, represented by fish clinging to the crocodile-like king, into a disastrous expedition beyond the safety of Egypt. The prophecy foreshadows Pharaoh's defeat and abandonment in a foreign land, with his forces scattered and left for destruction.
Pharaoh sees himself as a self-made god, the mighty ruler of the Nile. But God uses a vivid, ancient image to show his true vulnerability.
The Mighty Crocodile
Ezekiel uses a powerful metaphor: Pharaoh is like a great crocodile, the dominant creature of the Egyptian rivers. This wasn't just any fish; it was a symbol of power, danger, and self-sufficiency.
Pharaoh wasn't alone in his power, but his followers became part of his downfall. Discover how alliances can turn into hindrances.
The Clinging Fish
The prophecy doesn't stop with Pharaoh. God adds, 'and I will cause the fish of your rivers to stick unto your scales.'
Understand the original words
midbar · Hebrew Noun
A place of desolation and lack of human civilization, often used biblically as a place of testing, judgment, or divine separation from the comforts of established kingdoms.
Ezekiel's vivid imagery of hooks and scales speaks to the political downfall of Pharaoh Apries, portraying his defeat not just by foreign enemies but also by internal revolt, leading to his ignominious end.
c. 585 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Egyptian Campaign
Following his conquest of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon campaigned in Egypt. This campaign weakened Egyptian military power and likely set the stage for internal Egyptian turmoil.
c. 570 BC— this verse
Amasis Leads Revolt Against Pharaoh Apries
Amasis, an Egyptian general, led a successful revolt against Pharaoh Apries (Hophra), whom the prophet Ezekiel addresses. Amasis eventually became Pharaoh, ending Apries' reign.
c. 567 BC
Nebuchadnezzar Invades Egypt Again
Nebuchadnezzar launched another invasion of Egypt, likely to support his ally Amasis against the deposed Pharaoh Apries. This campaign is seen by some scholars as the fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecy.
c. 567 BC
Fall of Pharaoh Apries
The deposed Pharaoh Apries was eventually captured and executed by his own people, fulfilling prophecies of his downfall and humiliation.
This passage describes the Leviathan, a powerful sea creature, using similar imagery of hooks and inability to be captured, highlighting God's ultimate control over even the mightiest beings.
Isaiah 37:29Here, Sennacherib the Assyrian king is described as having a hook put in his nose and a bridle in his mouth, showing a parallel in God's sovereign action to control and humiliate proud rulers.
Jeremiah 44:30This verse also prophesies the downfall of an Egyptian Pharaoh (Hophra) at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, echoing the judgment declared against Egypt in Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 32:2This chapter continues the judgment on Egypt, comparing Pharaoh to a fierce sea monster 'in the midst of the seas,' directly linking to the imagery used in Ezekiel 29.
bensonEzekiel 29:4: "But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto thy scales."
Ezekiel 29:4-5 . But I will put hooks in thy jaws — The king of Egypt being spoken of as a great fish, or a crocodile, God here, in pursuance of the same metaphor, tells him that he will put hooks in his jaws, or stop his vain-glorious designs and boastings, by rais…
barnesEzekiel 29:4: "But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto thy scales."
Hooks in thy jaws - Compare Job 41:2 . The crocodile is thus rendered an easy prey. Fish of thy rivers - i. e., the allies of Egypt shall be involved in her ruin.
This isn't just about Pharaoh being caught; it's about his entire nation being entangled with him. The "fish sticking to his scales" emphasizes that when the powerful ruler is drawn out to ruin, his people are so bound to him that they share his humiliating downfall.
God declares that He will seize Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, like a massive creature of the Nile, using unseen forces to draw him out of his security. This means God will use internal rebellion and foreign enemies to pull Pharaoh and his allies, represented by fish clinging to the crocodile-like king, into a disastrous expedition beyond the safety of Egypt. The prophecy foreshadows Pharaoh's defeat and abandonment in a foreign land, with his forces scattered and left for destruction.
God declares that He will seize Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, like a massive creature of the Nile, using unseen forces to draw him out of his security. This means God will use internal rebellion and foreign enemies to pull Pharaoh and his allies, represented by fish clinging to the crocodile-like king, into a disastrous expedition beyond the safety of Egypt. The prophecy foreshadows Pharaoh's defeat and abandonment in a foreign land, with his forces scattered and left for destruction.
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"I will put hooks in your jaws, and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales; and I will draw you up out of the midst of your streams, with all the fish of your streams that stick to your scales. And I…" — This isn't just about Pharaoh being caught; it's about his entire nation being entangled with him. The "fish sticking to his scales" emphasizes that when the powerful ruler is drawn out to ruin, his…
