Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will bring a sword upon you, and will cut off from you man and beast,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just a threat of war; it's a declaration that God himself is the source of the coming destruction, bringing "a sword" – a metaphor for judgment – to utterly remove both people and animals, signifying a total desolation that leaves nothing untouched. This comprehensive destruction is God's direct response to Egypt's arrogant pride and self-reliance.
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will bring a sword upon you, and will cut off from you man and beast,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Ezekiel is speaking to Egypt, denouncing its arrogance and its mistreatment of God's people. Because of Egypt's pride, especially its king's boast that the Nile River belonged to him, God declares judgment. This judgment would come first through internal conflict and rebellion within Egypt, and then through invasion by Nebuchadnezzar, leading to widespread devastation that would leave the land empty of both people and animals.
When disaster strikes, who's really in control? This verse reveals a divine hand behind the wars and devasties that shake nations.
The verse declares, "Behold, I will bring a sword upon you." This isn't just stating that war will happen. It's a profound declaration that the "Lord GOD" Himself is the ultimate source and orchestrator of this judgment.
A Divine Decree
While human armies carry out the destruction, the prophecy emphasizes that God is the one bringing the sword. This means that even human conflicts and political upheavals are ultimately under His sovereign control. He can use nations and armies as instruments of His judgment against other nations.
More Than Human Conflict
The "sword" here represents more than just military action. It signifies total devastation, encompassing war, famine, and the complete removal of life. God's judgment is comprehensive, affecting every aspect of the nation's existence.
What does it mean for a nation to be utterly destroyed? This verse paints a stark picture of judgment that spares nothing.
The verse continues, "and cut off from you man and beast." This graphic imagery highlights the totality of God's judgment upon Egypt.
Total Annihilation
It wasn't just the soldiers or the population that would face destruction, but living things – people and animals alike. This signifies a complete desolation, where the land would be so ravaged that life itself would be eradicated.
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The Consequence of Arrogance
This judgment is a direct response to Egypt's pride and their assertion that their mighty river (the Nile) and their land were theirs alone, as if created by their own power. God's judgment aims to strip away all such self-reliance and arrogance, demonstrating that He alone is the source of life and power. When nations or individuals exalt themselves, God can bring them to ruin to teach them true dependence.
Understand the original words
chereb · Hebrew Noun
A weapon of war representing divine judgment, vengeance, or conflict. In prophetic literature, it is often a symbol of God’s instruments—whether human armies or supernatural power—used to execute His righteous wrath.
This prophecy wasn't just about an external enemy; it was also about God judging Egypt for its arrogance and internal strife, which made it vulnerable to foreign powers.
c. 587 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon conquers Jerusalem, destroying the Temple and exiling many Judeans. This event heightens the urgency of Ezekiel's prophecies, as many refugees flee to Egypt.
c. 570 BC
Pharaoh Hophra's military defeats
Egypt, under Pharaoh Hophra, suffers significant military losses, particularly in North Africa against the Greeks and in conflicts with Babylon. These defeats weaken Egypt's standing and sow internal discontent.
c. 567 BC— this verse
Internal Strife and Rebellion in Egypt
Discontent over Hophra's failures leads to a full-scale rebellion. Hophra is eventually defeated, captured, and strangled, marking a period of severe internal turmoil and instability in Egypt.
c. 567 BC
Nebuchadnezzar's Invasion of Egypt
Seizing the opportunity presented by Egypt's internal chaos, Nebuchadnezzar II launches an invasion of Egypt. This campaign brings widespread devastation, fulfilling Ezekiel's prophecy of the 'sword' and the cutting off of 'man and beast'.
c. 525 BC
Persian Conquest of Egypt
Egypt, significantly weakened by earlier internal conflicts and foreign invasions, is conquered by the Persian Empire under Cambyses II. This marks the end of Egypt's independent pharaonic rule for an extended period.
This passage uses the same imagery of God bringing a sword and cutting off both man and beast to signify judgment and desolation upon the land.
Jeremiah 46:25-26This prophecy against Egypt, likely from the same period, speaks of God's judgment through Nebuchadnezzar and promises eventual restoration after the devastation, mirroring the fate of Egypt described in Ezekiel.
Isaiah 19:5-10This chapter foretells a time of great distress and drying up for Egypt, where its waters will fail and its people will be brought to shame, echoing the destruction and loss of livelihood threatened in Ezekiel 29:8.
Ezekiel 32:11-13This passage provides further detail on the judgment against Egypt, describing the sword of the king of Babylon coming against it, leading to the slaughter of its populace and the desolation of its land, reinforcing the severity of the threat.
pooleEzekiel 29:8: "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast out of thee."
Therefore, for thy atheistical pride, and thy perfidious mischief to the house of Israel, and other thy sins, I will bring a sword upon thee; war, and the effects of it. First, a civil war arose against this king Hophra, who, weak and contemned, and fallen under the jealousies and disgusts of his subjects after his overthrow in the deserts of Libya and Cyrene, was ag…
cambridgeEzekiel 29:8: "Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast out of thee."
8 . The name of the conqueror of Egypt is not indicated in this preliminary threatening. The sword that comes on Egypt is the sword of the Lord, cf. Ezekiel 14:17 , Ezekiel 32:11-13 . The land shall be utterly desolated, man and beast swept away. It need not be said that these prophetic threatenings have always an element of the ideal in them. 8–12 . For this irrelig…
This isn't just a threat of war; it's a declaration that God himself is the source of the coming destruction, bringing "a sword" – a metaphor for judgment – to utterly remove both people and animals, signifying a total desolation that leaves nothing untouched. This comprehensive destruction is God's direct response to Egypt's arrogant pride and self-reliance.
The prophet Ezekiel is speaking to Egypt, denouncing its arrogance and its mistreatment of God's people. Because of Egypt's pride, especially its king's boast that the Nile River belonged to him, God declares judgment. This judgment would come first through internal conflict and rebellion within Egypt, and then through invasion by Nebuchadnezzar, leading to widespread devastation that would leave the land empty of both people and animals.
The prophet Ezekiel is speaking to Egypt, denouncing its arrogance and its mistreatment of God's people. Because of Egypt's pride, especially its king's boast that the Nile River belonged to him, God declares judgment. This judgment would come first through internal conflict and rebellion within Egypt, and then through invasion by Nebuchadnezzar, leading to widespread devastation that would leave the land empty of both people and animals.
"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will bring a sword upon you, and will cut off from you man and beast," — This isn't just a threat of war; it's a declaration that God himself is the source of the coming destruction, bringing "a sword" – a metaphor for judgment – to utterly remove both people and animals,…
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Last reviewed October 2026