Ezekiel 17:17 Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast horde will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives.

◄ Ezekiel 17:17 ►

New International Version
Pharaoh with his mighty army and great horde will be of no help to him in war, when ramps are built and siege works erected to destroy many lives.

New Living Translation
Pharaoh and all his mighty army will fail to help Israel when the king of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem again and destroys many lives.

English Standard Version
Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in war, when mounds are cast up and siege walls built to cut off many lives.

Berean Standard Bible
Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast horde will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives.

King James Bible
Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:

New King James Version
Nor will Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company do anything in the war, when they heap up a siege mound and build a wall to cut off many persons.

New American Standard Bible
Pharaoh with his mighty army and great contingent will not help him in the war, when they pile up assault ramps and build siege walls to eliminate many lives.

NASB 1995
Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in the war, when they cast up ramps and build siege walls to cut off many lives.

NASB 1977
‘And Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build siege walls to cut off many lives.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Pharaoh with his mighty military force and great assembly will not help him in the war, when they cast up ramps and build siege walls to cut off many lives.

Amplified Bible
Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in the war, when they (the Babylonians) put up ramps and build siege walls to destroy many lives.

Christian Standard Bible
Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast company will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Pharaoh will not help him with his great army and vast horde in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives.

American Standard Version
Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts, to cut off many persons.

Contemporary English Version
Even the king of Egypt and his powerful army will be useless to Judah when the Babylonians attack and build towers and dirt ramps to destroy the cities of Judah and its people.

English Revised Version
Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, when they cast up mounts and build forts, to cut off many persons.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Even with a large army and many people, Pharaoh will not be able to help him in battle when the Babylonians put up dirt ramps and set up blockades to kill many people.

Good News Translation
Even the powerful army of the king of Egypt will not be able to help him fight when the Babylonians build earthworks and dig trenches in order to kill many people.

International Standard Version
Pharaoh, with his massive army and large battalions won't protect him when mounds and siege walls are built to destroy many people.

Majority Standard Bible
Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast horde will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives.

NET Bible
Pharaoh with his great army and mighty horde will not help him in battle, when siege ramps are erected and siege-walls are built to kill many people.

New Heart English Bible
Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts, to cut off many persons.

Webster's Bible Translation
Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:

World English Bible
Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company won’t help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts to cut off many persons.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And not with a great force, and with a numerous assembly, "" Does Pharaoh maintain him in battle, "" By pouring out a mound, and in building a fortification, "" To cut off many souls.

Young's Literal Translation
And not with a great force, and with a numerous assembly, Doth Pharaoh maintain him in battle, By pouring out a mount, and in building a fortification, To cut off many souls.

Smith's Literal Translation
And not with great strength and with a great convocation, shall Pharaoh do for him in the war by throwing up a mound and by building a watchtower to cut off many souls?

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And not with a great army, nor with much people shall Pharao fight against him: when he shall cast up mounts, and build forts, to cut off many souls.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And not with a great army, nor with many people will Pharaoh undertake a battle against him, when he will cast up ramparts and build defenses, in order to put to death many souls.

New American Bible
Pharaoh shall not help him on the day of battle, with a great force and mighty horde, When ramps are thrown up and siege works built for the cutting down of many lives.

New Revised Standard Version
Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in war, when ramps are cast up and siege walls built to cut off many lives.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Neither shall Pharaoh fight against him with a great army nor with many horses, but by casting up mounds and building forts shall he destroy many lives.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And not with a great army neither with many horses shall Pharaoh make war with him, but in ambush traps and in watchtowers he shall destroy many physical lives

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company succour him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts, to cut off many souls;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Pharaoh shall make war upon him not with a large force or great multitude, in throwing up a mound, and in building of forts, to cut off souls.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

The Parable Explained
…16‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who enthroned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke. 17Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast horde will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives. 18He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Seeing that he gave his hand in pledge yet did all these things, he will not escape!’…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Jeremiah 37:5-10
Pharaoh’s army had left Egypt, and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard the report, they withdrew from Jerusalem. / Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet: / “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says that you are to tell the king of Judah, who sent you to Me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to help you, will go back to its own land of Egypt. ...

2 Kings 24:7
Now the king of Egypt did not march out of his land again, because the king of Babylon had taken all his territory, from the Brook of Egypt to the Euphrates River.

Isaiah 30:1-5
“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin. / They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade. / But Pharaoh’s protection will become your shame, and the refuge of Egypt’s shade your disgrace. ...

Jeremiah 2:36-37
How impulsive you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria. / Moreover, you will leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not prosper by their help.”

Jeremiah 27:13
Why should you and your people die by sword and famine and plague, as the LORD has decreed against any nation that does not serve the king of Babylon?

Jeremiah 37:7
“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says that you are to tell the king of Judah, who sent you to Me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to help you, will go back to its own land of Egypt.

Isaiah 31:1-3
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in their abundance of chariots and in their multitude of horsemen. They do not look to the Holy One of Israel; they do not seek the LORD. / Yet He too is wise and brings disaster; He does not call back His words. He will rise up against the house of the wicked and against the allies of evildoers. / But the Egyptians are men, not God; their horses are flesh, not spirit. When the LORD stretches out His hand, the helper will stumble, and the one he helps will fall; both will perish together.

Jeremiah 46:17
There they will cry out: ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt was all noise; he has let the appointed time pass him by.’

Lamentations 4:17
All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help. We watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us.

Hosea 7:11
So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove—calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.

2 Chronicles 36:13
He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.

Daniel 11:17
He will resolve to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and will reach an agreement with the king of the South. He will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plan will not succeed or help him.

Matthew 24:6-7
You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. These things must happen, but the end is still to come. / Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

Luke 14:31-32
Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against him with twenty thousand? / And if he is unable, he will send a delegation while the other king is still far off, to ask for terms of peace.

John 19:12
From then on, Pilate tried to release Him, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you release this man, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who declares himself a king is defying Caesar.”

Treasury of Scripture

Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:

shall

Ezekiel 29:6,7
And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel…

Isaiah 36:6
Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him.

Jeremiah 37:7
Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to inquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.

Ezekiel 4:2
And lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.

Jeremiah 33:5
They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.

Jeremiah 52:4
And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about.

Jump to Previous

Army Assemblage Assembly Build Building Built Cast Casting Company Cut Cutting Earthworks Force Forces Forts Great Help Horde Maintain Mighty Mounds Mounts Numerous Persons Pharaoh Ramps Siege Souls Strong Succour Walls War

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Ezekiel 17

1. Under the parable of two eagles and a vine
11. is shown God's judgment upon Jerusalem for revolting from Babylon to Egypt
22. God promises to plant the cedar of the Gospel

Berean Study Bible

Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company
The term "Pharaoh" refers to the ruler of Egypt, a nation often depicted in the Bible as a symbol of worldly power and opposition to God's people. In the Hebrew context, "Pharaoh" (פַּרְעֹה, Par'oh) is a title rather than a personal name, representing the might and splendor of Egypt. Historically, Egypt was known for its formidable military strength and vast resources. The phrase "mighty army and great company" emphasizes the impressive and seemingly invincible force that Pharaoh could muster. However, the prophetic message here is that even such a powerful ally cannot thwart God's judgment. This serves as a reminder that reliance on human strength and alliances, rather than on God, is ultimately futile.

will not help him in battle
The phrase "will not help him in battle" underscores the futility of seeking aid from earthly powers when facing divine judgment. The Hebrew root for "help" (עָזַר, 'azar) conveys the idea of assistance or support. Despite the expectation that Pharaoh's intervention would turn the tide of battle, the prophecy declares that such help will be ineffective. This highlights a recurring biblical theme: true deliverance and victory come from God alone, not from human alliances or military might. It serves as a caution against placing trust in worldly powers rather than in God's sovereign will.

when ramps are built and siege walls are erected
The imagery of "ramps" and "siege walls" evokes the ancient methods of warfare, where attackers would construct earthen ramps to breach city walls and erect siege works to encircle and isolate a city. This phrase paints a vivid picture of the impending destruction and the thoroughness of the siege. In the historical context of Ezekiel's time, such tactics were common in Near Eastern warfare, and their mention here underscores the inevitability and thoroughness of the coming judgment. Theologically, it serves as a metaphor for the inescapable nature of God's decrees when a nation or individual stands in opposition to His will.

to destroy many lives
The phrase "to destroy many lives" conveys the tragic outcome of the siege and the severe consequences of rebellion against God. The Hebrew word for "destroy" (שָׁחַת, shachat) implies ruin or corruption, indicating not just physical destruction but also moral and spiritual decay. The mention of "many lives" highlights the widespread impact of the judgment, affecting not just the leaders but the entire population. This serves as a sobering reminder of the seriousness of sin and the far-reaching effects of turning away from God's commandments. It calls believers to repentance and faithfulness, emphasizing the importance of aligning with God's purposes to avoid such devastating consequences.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) By casting up mounts.--This translation implies that "the casting up mounts and building forts" were to be the act of Pharaoh; but such things are done not by the relieving, but by the besieging army. A better translation would be, "when they cast up mounts," &c.--i.e., at the time of the siege. We learn from Jeremiah 44:30 that the particular Pharaoh here referred to was Hophra, the Apries of the Greeks. In Jeremiah 37:5-11, it is said that an Egyptian army did come up and temporarily raise the siege of Jerusalem; but it was of no avail. Pharaoh did him no good--did not "make for him in the war." The Chaldaeans speedily returned, drove away the Egyptians, and renewed the siege, finally capturing and burning the city.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 17. - By casting up mounts, etc.; better, with the Revised Version, when they cast up mounts. The words describe the strategical operations, not of the Egyptians against the Chaldeans, but of the Chaldeans, when they recovered from their first alarm, against Jerusalem (2 Kings 25:1; Jeremiah 39:1). The Egyptians, Ezekiel predicts, would be powerless to prevent that second and decisive siege. In vers. 18, 19 the prophet emphasizes the fact that this would be the just punishment of Zedekiah's perfidy.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Pharaoh
פַרְעֹה֙ (p̄ar·‘ōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6547: Pharaoh -- a title of Egypt kings

with [his] mighty
גָּד֜וֹל (gā·ḏō·wl)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

army
בְחַ֨יִל (ḇə·ḥa·yil)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2428: A force, an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength

and vast
רָ֗ב (rāḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

horde
וּבְקָהָ֣ל (ū·ḇə·qā·hāl)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6951: Assembly, convocation, congregation

will not
וְלֹא֩ (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

help
יַעֲשֶׂ֨ה (ya·‘ă·śeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

him
אוֹת֤וֹ (’ō·w·ṯōw)
Direct object marker | third person masculine singular
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

in battle,
בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה (bam·mil·ḥā·māh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4421: A battle, war

when ramps
סֹלְלָ֖ה (sō·lə·lāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5550: A military mound, rampart of besiegers

are built
בִּשְׁפֹּ֥ךְ (biš·pōḵ)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8210: To spill forth, to expend, to sprawl out

and siege walls
דָּיֵ֑ק (dā·yêq)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1785: Bulwark, siege wall

constructed
וּבִבְנ֣וֹת (ū·ḇiḇ·nō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 1129: To build

to destroy
לְהַכְרִ֖ית (lə·haḵ·rîṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant

many
רַבּֽוֹת׃ (rab·bō·wṯ)
Adjective - feminine plural
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

lives.
נְפָשׁ֥וֹת (nə·p̄ā·šō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 17:17 Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army (Ezek. Eze Ezk)