Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 32

Verse 1

Twelfth. He counts from the captivity of Jechonias, as Sedecias reigned only eleven years. (Worthington)

Verse 2

Dragon, or crocodile; two of the most terrible creatures. --- With the horn is not expressed in Hebrew and the crocodile has nothing like a horn. It has four feet, with which it makes the water muddy. (Calmet)

Verse 3

Net. Septuagint, "hook," chap. xxix. 4. (Calmet) --- Some take the crocodile with a net, ver. 3. (Elian. Hist. x. 21.)

Verse 5

Corruption. Septuagint, "blood." But romuth (Haydock) means rather "worms." (Syriac) (Calmet)

Verses 7-8

Out, like a candle, by death; extinctus. (Haydock) --- The glory of Egypt was so great, that at its fall the light of heaven seemed diminished. (Worthington) --- Great desolation is thus intimated. --- When, &c., is not is some Latin copies, nor in Hebrew, &c. (Calmet)

Verse 9

Anger, as they will not know why I have treated thee so severely: or rather, they shall be afraid for themselves, ver. 10. (Calmet)

Verse 12

Invincible, when they wield God’s sword. Cyrus easily conquered them. (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "strong,." Septuagint, "pestiferous."

Verse 14

Oil. It is very transparent. It seems the Nile was rendered muddy by cattle, &c.

Verse 15

Fulness, or all of it shall be desolate.

Verse 17

Month: probably the twelfth, ver. 1.

Verse 18

CHAPTER XXXII.

Down: announce this catastrophe. (Calmet) --- Apries was slain by order of Amasis. (Diodorus 1.) (Jeremias xliv. 30.)

Verse 21

Most. Septuagint, "giants shall say to thee: Remain in the depth of the pit. Whom dost thou excel? descend," &c. (Haydock) --- They vary much in this chapter from the Hebrew. (St. Jerome) --- Helpers; Lybians, &c., chap. xxx. 5. These shall come to compliment the king. (Calmet) --- After a battle, those of the same nation were buried together, ver. 22. (Theodoret) --- The Egyptians had tombs like houses, in which there were separate holes or apartments (Calmet) as in large vaults. (Haydock)

Verse 24

Shame. They are buried without any distinction.

Verse 27

Not. Some copies of Septuagint omit the negation. Others render the Hebrew, "Have they not slept?" &c. These nations were deprived of military honours, dying like cowards; and therefore their swords were not placed with them in the grave. (Calmet) --- It was customary to inter such things as the deceased had like the most. (Serv. in Virgil’s Æneid x. Arma quibus lætatus habe tus, &c. Simon (1 Machabees xiii. 29.) placed arms and representations of ships on the pillars at Modin, in honour of his kindred. If Elam, &c., had not received such distinction, why should the Egyptian repine? Were they any better? (Calmet) --- The country and king of the Elamites, Assyrians, and other infidels, shall be destroyed. (Worthington)

Verse 28

Midst. This threat would make great impression on the Egyptians, who were particularly solicitous to be buried with their fathers.

Verse 29

Edom. Septuagint add, "and all the Assyrian princes." Some copies omit Edom. (Haydock) --- This nation had laid aside circumcision, which Hircan forced them to resume. They had been present at the siege of Jerusalem, chap. xxxv. (Calmet)

Verse 30

Hunters of men, like Nimrod, the first king of Assyria. (Haydock)

Verse 32

My. Hebrew, Septuagint, "his," (Calmet) alluding to the ravages of Nechao; (Grotius) though the Hebrew may also signify my, as the Jews read Egypt, and Palestine, the land of the living, were filled with terror. After the latter had been chastised, Pharao might dread (Calmet) a worse fate; (Haydock) and the multitudes slain before him, might afford him some (Calmet) wretched consolation. (Haydock) --- It is evident that those nations believed the existence of separate spirits, and had not given in to the errors of the Sadducees, or of the Metempsychosis. (Calmet)