Ezekiel 29:5
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)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse uses "fish" not just metaphorically for soldiers, but to highlight the complete unnaturalness of Egypt's downfall—they are removed from their element, their watery domain, and left to perish on dry land. This utter exposure and helplessness, with no hope of being gathered or buried, starkly illustrates God's complete dismantling of their power and pride.
This prophecy is directed at Pharaoh and Egypt, presented as a mighty crocodile boasting in its power over the Nile. God declares He will strip away Egypt's strength and expose it, casting it out into a desolate wilderness where its army will be left to perish unburied, becoming prey for scavengers. This signifies a complete downfall and humiliation, stripping away all pretense of power and leaving nothing but a carcass for the wild.
Imagine the mighty Nile, the lifeblood of Egypt, turned into a barren wasteland. Ezekiel uses this dramatic image to pronounce judgment. What does this shift symbolize?
The prophecy in Ezekiel 29 describes Pharaoh, and by extension Egypt, as a mighty crocodile or dragon dwelling in the Nile River (Ezekiel 29:3). The river symbolizes power, security, and the source of life and prosperity.
God declares He will 'cast you out into the wilderness.' This is a reversal of fortune, a stripping away of all that provided safety and identity. The wilderness represents desolation, powerlessness, and exposure. It's a place where life struggles and is vulnerable.
This imagery highlights God's complete power to dismantle even the most formidable human strength. What appears unshakeable can be rendered utterly vulnerable when God turns His face away.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, burial was essential for a peaceful afterlife. What does it mean for Pharaoh's army to be left unburied, a feast for scavengers?
The verse vividly paints a picture of utter defeat and disgrace: 'you shall fall on the open field, and not be brought together or gathered.' This isn't just about death; it's about the manner of death and its aftermath.
No Gathering, No Burial Being 'not brought together or gathered' means no one will collect the bodies for proper burial. In a time when burial rites were deeply significant for honor and passage, this signifies total abandonment and dishonor.
A Feast for Scavengers 'To the beasts of the earth and to the birds of the heavens I give you as food.' This is the ultimate indignity. The mighty army, left exposed, becomes mere carrion for wild animals and birds. It’s a stark symbol of their complete powerlessness, their strength reduced to sustenance for the lowest creatures.
This judgment strips away not only power but also the very dignity afforded to the dead, emphasizing the totality of God's wrath against their arrogance.
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.
This prophecy vividly pictures the utter ruin of Egypt's leader, Pharaoh Hophra, depicting him and his army as thrown into the wilderness to be devoured by wild animals. This reflects the historical reality of Hophra's military defeats and subsequent death, highlighting God's judgment on those who oppose His people and trust in their own strength.
c. 601-568 BC
Pharaoh Hophra's military campaigns
Pharaoh Hophra (also known as Apries) engaged in various military actions, including campaigns in Libya and against Nebuchadnezzar's forces, often with mixed results. These campaigns and his later internal struggles set the stage for his downfall.
c. 587 BC
Fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar
The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed Jerusalem and exiled many of its people. This event deeply impacted the region and is a crucial backdrop for the prophecies given to Ezekiel, who was himself in exile.
c. 570 BC— this verse
Hophra's army defeated in Libya
Pharaoh Hophra's army suffered a significant defeat in a campaign in Libya. This loss weakened his rule and fueled internal dissent within Egypt, setting the scene for his eventual overthrow.
c. 567 BC
Amasis usurps the throne
This verse echoes the Egyptian pursuit of Israel, where Pharaoh declared, 'The wilderness has shut them in,' ironically foreshadowing Egypt's own future demise in a 'wilderness' state as described in Ezekiel.
Isaiah 18:6This passage, like Ezekiel 29:5, describes birds and beasts devouring the carcasses of fallen enemies, highlighting a consistent prophetic image of utter destruction and exposure for those who oppose God's people.
Jeremiah 25:33Jeremiah also prophesied that the slain would not be mourned or gathered, but would lie like dung on the ground, a powerful parallel to Ezekiel's imagery of unburied bodies left as food for scavengers.
Revelation 19:17This New Testament passage uses similar imagery of birds being called to feast on the flesh of the slain, connecting the historical judgment on Egypt to the ultimate eschatological judgment against God's enemies.
pooleEzekiel 29:5: "And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given thee for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven."
When thus brought out, as a fish out of the water, I will leave thee. God left this king. The wilderness; the deserts of Libya and Cyrene. All the fish; the whole army of Egyptians. Thou shalt fall upon the open fields; th…
clarkeEzekiel 29:5: "And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given thee for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven."
I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness - Referring to his being obliged to take refuge in Upper Egypt. But he was afterwards taken prisoner, and strangled by Amasis. Herod. lib. 2 s.
The verse uses "fish" not just metaphorically for soldiers, but to highlight the complete unnaturalness of Egypt's downfall—they are removed from their element, their watery domain, and left to perish on dry land. This utter exposure and helplessness, with no hope of being gathered or buried, starkly illustrates God's complete dismantling of their power and pride.
This prophecy is directed at Pharaoh and Egypt, presented as a mighty crocodile boasting in its power over the Nile. God declares He will strip away Egypt's strength and expose it, casting it out into a desolate wilderness where its army will be left to perish unburied, becoming prey for scavengers. This signifies a complete downfall and humiliation, stripping away all pretense of power and leaving nothing but a carcass for the wild.
This prophecy is directed at Pharaoh and Egypt, presented as a mighty crocodile boasting in its power over the Nile. God declares He will strip away Egypt's strength and expose it, casting it out into a desolate wilderness where its army will be left to perish unburied, becoming prey for scavengers. This signifies a complete downfall and humiliation, stripping away all pretense of power and leaving nothing but a carcass for the wild.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Ezekiel 29:5 is available in the Sola app.
Following the military setbacks and growing discontent, Amasis led a revolt against Hophra and seized the throne of Egypt. Hophra was eventually captured and killed.
c. 567 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's invasion of Egypt
After Amasis took power, Nebuchadnezzar II invaded Egypt, likely to assert Babylonian dominance. While the invasion was repelled, it further destabilized the region and marked a loss of Egyptian independence.
"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 heaven…" — The verse uses "fish" not just metaphorically for soldiers, but to highlight the complete unnaturalness of Egypt's downfall—they are removed from their element, their watery domain, and left to peris…
