When I blot you out, I will cover the heavens and make their stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just about a literal eclipse; God is showing how the downfall of a mighty nation will plunge everything into darkness. Even the sun and moon, symbols of cosmic order and divine light, are rendered powerless, signifying the profound and all-encompassing nature of this judgment.
When I blot you out, I will cover the heavens and make their stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezekiel is prophesying the downfall of Egypt, specifically Pharaoh, whom he likens to a mighty but ultimately doomed creature of the sea. This passage vividly describes the divine judgment about to fall, stripping away Egypt's power and glory as if extinguishing a great light. The subsequent verses will continue to paint a picture of Egypt's utter ruin, emphasizing how its destruction will shock and grieve the surrounding nations.
Imagine the most powerful light in the sky vanishing. Ezekiel uses this dramatic imagery to describe the downfall of Egypt. What does this tell us about God’s power over earthly kingdoms?
The "Putting Out" of Egypt
This verse begins with a stark statement: "When I shall put thee out." This isn't just a minor setback; it's like extinguishing a blazing torch or a brilliant star. The target here is Egypt, personified as a powerful, light-giving entity. Its ultimate destruction is portrayed as a deliberate act of God, removing its brilliance from the world stage.
This imagery resonates with the common prophetic language of the Old Testament. The downfall of mighty nations and arrogant kings is frequently depicted as celestial lights going out. It emphasizes that earthly power, no matter how dazzling, is ultimately subject to the divine sovereign.
Why would God use the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars to describe the fall of a nation? What deeper meaning lies in this celestial mourning?
Heaven in Mourning
The prophecy continues with a dramatic depiction of the heavens themselves being obscured: "I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light." This is not meant to be a literal meteorological event, but rather a powerful metaphor.
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Understand the original words
kasah · Hebrew Verb
A term used to describe the total or permanent removal of someone or something, often implying divine judgment or the erasure of a person's name or existence from history. In biblical usage, it signifies God's sovereign authority to end the reign or life of the wicked.
anan · Hebrew Noun
A physical mass of condensed water vapor that obscures light. Theologically, clouds are frequently associated with the presence of God, His glory, His judgment, or the concealment of His face from humanity.
Ezekiel's prophecy against Egypt uses vivid cosmic imagery, drawing on common prophetic metaphors for the downfall of powerful nations, to declare the complete ruin of Egypt's king and kingdom.
c. 701 BC
Assyrian Invasion of Judah
King Sennacherib of Assyria invades Judah, besieging Jerusalem. While Jerusalem is spared, many other Judean cities are captured.
609–605 BC
Egypt's Struggle for Power
Egypt, under Pharaoh Necho II, engages in conflicts to assert its dominance, including a battle at Carchemish.
605 BC
Babylonian Victory at Carchemish
Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon decisively defeats the Egyptian forces at Carchemish, ending Egypt's resurgence as a major power and marking Babylon's ascendancy.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroying the Temple and exiling much of the population to Babylon.
573 BC
Fall of Tyre
After a long siege, Nebuchadnezzar conquers the island city of Tyre, a significant event in the region.
567 BC— this verse
Egypt Faces Nebuchadnezzar Again
Ezekiel prophesies against Egypt, which had been a source of political instability and had previously allied with Judah against Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar campaigns against Egypt.
This passage describes the cosmic upheaval accompanying Babylon's judgment, using the same imagery of darkened stars and veiled sun and moon, highlighting a consistent prophetic pattern for announcing divine judgment on nations.
Matthew 24:29Jesus Himself speaks of celestial disturbances—the sun being darkened, the moon not giving light, and stars falling—as signs accompanying His return and the end of an age, connecting earthly judgments to heavenly phenomena.
Job 18:5-6This passage uses the imagery of extinguishing a lamp and darkness to describe the downfall of the wicked, echoing Ezekiel's metaphor of 'putting out' Pharaoh's light and plunging him into darkness.
Joel 2:31This verse prophesies that the day of the Lord will bring darkness to the sun and moon, illustrating how God's ultimate judgment is portrayed with the same cosmic signs of profound disruption.
bensonEzekiel 32:7: "And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light."
Ezekiel 32:7-10 . And when I shall put thee out — When I shall cast thee down from thy power, and extinguish all thy glory. I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark — It is well known that the downfall of states and kingdoms, kings and princes, is often expressed in the Scriptures by these or such like…
pooleEzekiel 32:7: "And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light."
Put thee out; as a torch is extinguished, Isaiah 43:17 , so I will put out thy light, and turn thee into darkness. Cover the heaven; either by dark vapours that arise from blood and putrefying carcasses, which darken the heavens; or it is a description of great sorrows, fears, troubles, and perplexities; or else it may…
This isn't just about a literal eclipse; God is showing how the downfall of a mighty nation will plunge everything into darkness. Even the sun and moon, symbols of cosmic order and divine light, are rendered powerless, signifying the profound and all-encompassing nature of this judgment.
Ezekiel is prophesying the downfall of Egypt, specifically Pharaoh, whom he likens to a mighty but ultimately doomed creature of the sea. This passage vividly describes the divine judgment about to fall, stripping away Egypt's power and glory as if extinguishing a great light. The subsequent verses will continue to paint a picture of Egypt's utter ruin, emphasizing how its destruction will shock and grieve the surrounding nations.
Ezekiel is prophesying the downfall of Egypt, specifically Pharaoh, whom he likens to a mighty but ultimately doomed creature of the sea. This passage vividly describes the divine judgment about to fall, stripping away Egypt's power and glory as if extinguishing a great light. The subsequent verses will continue to paint a picture of Egypt's utter ruin, emphasizing how its destruction will shock and grieve the surrounding nations.
"When I blot you out, I will cover the heavens and make their stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light." — This isn't just about a literal eclipse; God is showing how the downfall of a mighty nation will plunge everything into darkness. Even the sun and moon, symbols of cosmic order and divine light, ar…
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Last reviewed October 2026