What's easy to miss here is the utter indignity of Egypt's downfall. Not only will they be cast out and ruined, but their very bodies—even compared to fish pulled from their life-giving waters—will be left unburied, a feast for wild animals and birds. This isn't just military defeat; it's a total stripping of honor and an exposure to absolute desolation.
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)
God is speaking judgment against Pharaoh and Egypt, whom He likens to a mighty crocodile whose power will be broken. This passage describes the devastating downfall of Egypt, portraying its king and army being utterly defeated and left exposed in the wilderness like discarded prey, never to be gathered or buried. The imagery emphasizes a complete and ignominious ruin, a stark contrast to Egypt's former pride.
God uses vivid imagery to paint a picture of utter devastation. What does it mean for a mighty nation to be cast out into the 'wilderness'?
Ezekiel uses the imagery of casting a powerful figure, compared to a crocodile or great dragon, out of its natural habitat (the Nile River) into the wilderness and open fields. This isn't just a geographical relocation; it signifies a complete loss of power, security, and identity.
Uprooted and Exposed
The end of Pharaoh and his army is described in a way that is both shocking and deeply symbolic. What does this gruesome imagery reveal about divine judgment?
The prophecy doesn't stop at defeat; it describes the ultimate indignity. The once-proud army and its leaders are left unburied, becoming food for wild animals and birds.
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The Ultimate Disgrace
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.
The prophecy against Egypt, especially Pharaoh Hophra, is deeply tied to the geopolitical realities of the 6th century BC. Egypt, once a powerful nation that had even interfered in Judah's final rebellion, is depicted as a great crocodile cast into the wilderness, its power broken and its people scattered, serving as a stark warning against arrogance and defiance of God's will.
c. 605 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's First Deportation of Jews
Nebuchadnezzar begins his campaigns, including the first siege of Jerusalem and deportation of Jewish exiles, such as Daniel, to Babylon. This marks the beginning of Judah's subjugation.
589-586 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Siege and Fall of Jerusalem
After a prolonged siege, Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population. This catastrophic event deeply impacts the identity and faith of the Jewish people.
c. 586 BC
Ezekiel's Prophetic Ministry Begins
Ezekiel, already in exile in Babylon, begins his prophetic ministry, delivering oracles of judgment and hope to the exiles.
c. 585 BC— this verse
Prophecy Against Egypt and Pharaoh Hophra
Ezekiel delivers prophecies of judgment against Egypt, specifically targeting Pharaoh Hophra (Apries). The imagery in Ezekiel 29 speaks of Egypt's impending downfall and humiliation.
c. 570 BC
Pharaoh Hophra's Downfall and Death
Pharaoh Hophra faces a rebellion led by Amasis. Though he initially escapes, he is eventually captured and strangled by Amasis's men, fulfilling the prophecy of his ignominious end.
c. 568 BC
Nebuchadnezzar Invades Egypt
Nebuchadnezzar leads his armies into Egypt, achieving significant victories and further weakening the nation. This event aligns with Ezekiel's pronouncements of Egypt's vulnerability.
This verse echoes the situation in Ezekiel, where the Egyptians are described as being 'shut in' in the wilderness, a parallel to Pharaoh's own army being cast out into the desert in Ezekiel 29:5.
Jeremiah 7:33Both passages describe the unburied dead left as food for scavengers, highlighting a complete and devastating defeat where even basic burial rites are denied.
Revelation 19:17This prophetic passage in Revelation shares a similar imagery of birds and beasts feasting on the slain, serving as a powerful, ultimate fulfillment of the judgment described in Ezekiel.
Isaiah 18:6Similar to Ezekiel's prophecy, this passage speaks of birds of prey devouring the flesh of fallen warriors, underscoring the utter destruction and exposure of the enemy.
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.
What's easy to miss here is the utter indignity of Egypt's downfall. Not only will they be cast out and ruined, but their very bodies—even compared to fish pulled from their life-giving waters—will be left unburied, a feast for wild animals and birds. This isn't just military defeat; it's a total stripping of honor and an exposure to absolute desolation.
God is speaking judgment against Pharaoh and Egypt, whom He likens to a mighty crocodile whose power will be broken. This passage describes the devastating downfall of Egypt, portraying its king and army being utterly defeated and left exposed in the wilderness like discarded prey, never to be gathered or buried. The imagery emphasizes a complete and ignominious ruin, a stark contrast to Egypt's former pride.
God is speaking judgment against Pharaoh and Egypt, whom He likens to a mighty crocodile whose power will be broken. This passage describes the devastating downfall of Egypt, portraying its king and army being utterly defeated and left exposed in the wilderness like discarded prey, never to be gathered or buried. The imagery emphasizes a complete and ignominious ruin, a stark contrast to Egypt's former pride.
"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…" — What's easy to miss here is the utter indignity of Egypt's downfall. Not only will they be cast out and ruined, but their very bodies—even compared to fish pulled from their life-giving waters—will b…
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Last reviewed October 2026
