Ezekiel 32:2
New International Version
“Son of man, take up a lament concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: “’You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas thrashing about in your streams, churning the water with your feet and muddying the streams.

New Living Translation
“Son of man, mourn for Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and give him this message: “You think of yourself as a strong young lion among the nations, but you are really just a sea monster, heaving around in your own rivers, stirring up mud with your feet.

English Standard Version
“Son of man, raise a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: “You consider yourself a lion of the nations, but you are like a dragon in the seas; you burst forth in your rivers, trouble the waters with your feet, and foul their rivers.

Berean Standard Bible
“Son of man, take up a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: ‘You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas. You thrash about in your rivers, churning up the waters with your feet and muddying the streams.’

King James Bible
Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.

New King James Version
“Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him: ‘You are like a young lion among the nations, And you are like a monster in the seas, Bursting forth in your rivers, Troubling the waters with your feet, And fouling their rivers.

New American Standard Bible
“Son of man, take up a song of mourning over Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him, ‘You compared yourself to a young lion of the nations, Yet you are like the monster in the seas; And you burst forth in your rivers And muddied the waters with your feet And fouled their rivers.’”

NASB 1995
“Son of man, take up a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him, ‘You compared yourself to a young lion of the nations, Yet you are like the monster in the seas; And you burst forth in your rivers And muddied the waters with your feet And fouled their rivers.’”

NASB 1977
“Son of man, take up a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him, ‘You compared yourself to a young lion of the nations, Yet you are like the monster in the seas; And you burst forth in your rivers, And muddied the waters with your feet, And fouled their rivers.’”

Legacy Standard Bible
“Son of man, take up a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him, ‘You liken yourself to a young lion of the nations, Yet you are like the monster in the seas; And you burst forth in your rivers And muddied the waters with your feet And fouled their rivers.’”

Amplified Bible
“Son of man, take up a dirge (funeral poem to be sung) over Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him, ‘You have compared yourself to a young lion among the nations, But you are like a monster in the seas; You burst into your rivers And disturbed and muddied the waters with your feet And fouled their rivers [the source of their prosperity].’”

Christian Standard Bible
“Son of man, lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him, ‘You compare yourself to a lion of the nations, but you are like a monster in the seas. You thrash about in your rivers, churn up the waters with your feet, and muddy the rivers.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Son of man, lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: You compare yourself to a lion of the nations, but you are like a monster in the seas. You thrash about in your rivers, churn up the waters with your feet, and muddy the rivers.”

American Standard Version
Son of man, take up a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou wast likened unto a young lion of the nations: yet art thou as a monster in the seas; and thou didst break forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.

Contemporary English Version
Ezekiel, son of man, condemn the king of Egypt and tell him I am saying: You act like a lion roaming the earth; but you are nothing more than a crocodile in a river, churning up muddy water with your feet.

English Revised Version
Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou wast likened unto a young lion of the nations: yet art thou as a dragon in the seas; and thou brakest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Son of man, sing a funeral song for Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Tell him, 'You think you are like a lion among the nations. Instead, you are like a crocodile in the water. You splash around in the water. You stir up the water with your feet. You make the streams muddy.

Good News Translation
"Mortal man," he said, "give a solemn warning to the king of Egypt. Give him this message from me: You act like a lion among the nations, but you are more like a crocodile splashing through a river. You muddy the water with your feet and pollute the rivers.

International Standard Version
"Son of Man, start singing this lamentation about Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Tell him, 'You may have called yourself a lion among nations, but you're a monster at sea. You thrash about in your rivers, muddy the water with your feet, and relieve yourself in the rivers.'

Majority Standard Bible
“Son of man, take up a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: ‘You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas. You thrash about in your rivers, churning up the waters with your feet and muddying the streams.’

NET Bible
"Son of man, sing a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him: "'You were like a lion among the nations, but you are a monster in the seas; you thrash about in your streams, stir up the water with your feet, and muddy your streams.

New Heart English Bible
"Son of man, take up a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt, and tell him, 'You were likened to a young lion of the nations: yet you are as a monster in the seas; and you broke out with your rivers, and troubled the waters with your feet, and fouled their rivers.'

Webster's Bible Translation
Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations, and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou didst come forth with thy rivers, and disturb the waters with thy feet, and render their rivers foul.

World English Bible
‘Son of man, take up a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt, and tell him, “You were likened to a young lion of the nations; yet you are as a monster in the seas. You broke out with your rivers, and troubled the waters with your feet, and fouled their rivers.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Son of man, lift up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and you have said to him: You have been like a young lion of nations, "" And you [are] as a dragon in the seas, "" And you come forth with your flowings, "" And trouble the waters with your feet, "" And you foul their flowings.

Young's Literal Translation
Son of man, lift up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and thou hast said unto him: A young lion of nations thou hast been like, And thou art as a dragon in the seas, And thou comest forth with thy flowings, And dost trouble the waters with thy feet, And thou dost foul their flowings.

Smith's Literal Translation
Son of man, lift up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him, Thou wert like a young lion of the nations, and thou as a whale in the seas: and thou wilt break forth with thy rivers, and trouble the waters with thy feet, and thou wilt tread their rivers.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharao the king of Egypt, and say to him: Thou art like the lion of the nations, and the dragon that is in the sea: and thou didst push with the horn in thy rivers, and didst trouble the waters with thy feet, and didst trample upon their streams.

Catholic Public Domain Version
“Son of man, take up a lamentation over Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and you shall say to him: You are like the lion of the Gentiles, and like the dragon that is in the sea. And you brandished a horn among your rivers, and you disturbed the waters with your feet, and you trampled upon their rivers.

New American Bible
Son of man, utter a lament over Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and say to him: You liken yourself to a lion among nations, but you are like the monster in the sea! Thrashing about in your streams, churning the water with your feet, polluting the streams.

New Revised Standard Version
Mortal, raise a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him: You consider yourself a lion among the nations, but you are like a dragon in the seas; you thrash about in your streams, trouble the water with your feet, and foul your streams.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Son of man, make a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him, You are like a lion among the nations and you are like a sea monster; you come forth in your rivers, and trouble the waters with your feet and foul their rivers.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
“Son of man, lament a lamentation for Pharaoh King of Egypt, and say to him: ‘You are compared to a lion of the nations, and you are like a dragon of the seas. You thrust through your rivers and you agitated the waters with your feet, and you trampled their rivers
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him: Thou didst liken thyself unto a young lion of the nations; Whereas thou art as a dragon in the seas; And thou didst gush forth with thy rivers, And didst trouble the waters with thy feet, And foul their rivers.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharao king of Egypt, and say to him, Thou art become like a lion of the nations, and as a serpent that is in the sea: and thou didst make assaults with thy rivers, and didst disturb the water with thy feet, and didst trample thy rivers.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Lament for Pharaoh King of Egypt
1In the twelfth year, on the first day of the twelfth month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2“Son of man, take up a lament for Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him: ‘You are like a lion among the nations; you are like a monster in the seas. You thrash about in your rivers, churning up the waters with your feet and muddying the streams.’ 3This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will spread My net over you with a company of many peoples, and they will draw you up in My net.…

Cross References
Isaiah 19:1-4
This is the burden against Egypt: Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud; He is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them. / “So I will incite Egyptian against Egyptian; brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, and kingdom against kingdom. / Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be emptied out from among them, and I will frustrate their plans, so that they will resort to idols and spirits of the dead, to mediums and spiritists. ...

Jeremiah 46:7-8
Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters churn? / Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers, boasting, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy the cities and their people.’

Nahum 3:8-10
Are you better than Thebes, stationed by the Nile with water around her, whose rampart was the sea, whose wall was the water? / Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength; Put and Libya were her allies. / Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity. Her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her dignitaries, and all her nobles were bound in chains.

Isaiah 14:11-15
Your pomp has been brought down to Sheol, along with the music of your harps. Maggots are your bed and worms your blanket. / How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations. / You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north. ...

Jeremiah 51:34
“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured me; he has crushed me. He has set me aside like an empty vessel; he has swallowed me like a monster; he filled his belly with my delicacies and vomited me out.

Daniel 7:2-3
Daniel declared: “In my vision in the night I looked, and suddenly the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea. / Then four great beasts came up out of the sea, each one different from the others:

Revelation 13:1-2
Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. / The beast I saw was like a leopard, with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.

Isaiah 27:1
In that day the LORD will take His sharp, great, and mighty sword, and bring judgment on Leviathan the fleeing serpent—Leviathan the coiling serpent—and He will slay the dragon of the sea.

Jeremiah 50:42-43
They grasp the bow and spear; they are cruel and merciless. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride upon horses, lined up like men in formation against you, O Daughter of Babylon. / The king of Babylon has heard the report, and his hands hang limp. Anguish has gripped him, pain like that of a woman in labor.

Revelation 17:1-2
Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. / The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”

Isaiah 30:7
Egypt’s help is futile and empty; therefore I have called her Rahab Who Sits Still.

Jeremiah 47:2
This is what the LORD says: “See how the waters are rising from the north and becoming an overflowing torrent. They will overflow the land and its fullness, the cities and their inhabitants. The people will cry out, and all who dwell in the land will wail

Revelation 12:3
Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads.

Isaiah 31:3
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 50:44
Behold, one will come up like a lion from the thickets of the Jordan to the watered pasture. For in an instant I will chase Babylon from her land. Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? For who is like Me, and who can challenge Me? What shepherd can stand against Me?”


Treasury of Scripture

Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him, You are like a young lion of the nations, and you are as a whale in the seas: and you came forth with your rivers, and troubled the waters with your feet, and fouled their rivers.

take up

Ezekiel 32:16,18
This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her: the daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall lament for her, even for Egypt, and for all her multitude, saith the Lord GOD…

Ezekiel 19:1
Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

Ezekiel 27:2,32
Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus; …

Thou art like

Ezekiel 19:2-6
And say, What is thy mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions…

Ezekiel 38:13
Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?

Genesis 49:9
Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

and thou art as

Ezekiel 29:3
Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself.

Psalm 74:13,14
Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters…

Isaiah 27:1
In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

whale.

Ezekiel 34:18
Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the residue with your feet?

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Ezekiel 32
1. A lamentation for the fearful fall of Egypt
11. The sword of Babylon shall destroy it
17. It shall be brought down to hell, among all the uncircumcised nations














Son of man
This phrase is a frequent designation for Ezekiel, used over 90 times in the book. In Hebrew, it is "ben adam," which emphasizes the prophet's humanity and his role as a representative of the people. It underscores the humility and frailty of man in contrast to the divine majesty of God. This title connects Ezekiel to the earthiness and mortality of humanity, reminding us of our dependence on God.

take up a lament
The Hebrew word for "lament" is "qinah," a type of mournful song or poem often used in funerals or to express deep sorrow. This indicates that the message Ezekiel is about to deliver is one of mourning and judgment. Laments were a common literary form in the ancient Near East, used to express grief over the fall of cities or nations. Here, it serves as a prophetic tool to convey the seriousness of God's impending judgment.

over Pharaoh king of Egypt
Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, represents not just a political leader but a symbol of worldly power and arrogance. Egypt was a significant power in the ancient world, often seen as a rival to Israel. Historically, Egypt had been both a refuge and a threat to Israel, and Pharaoh's downfall signifies the futility of relying on earthly powers instead of God.

and say to him
This directive from God to Ezekiel emphasizes the role of the prophet as a mouthpiece for divine communication. The phrase underscores the authority of the message, as it is not Ezekiel's own words but those given by God. It highlights the responsibility of the prophet to deliver God's message faithfully, regardless of its reception.

‘You compare yourself to a lion of the nations
The lion is a symbol of strength, power, and dominance. In the ancient Near East, lions were often associated with royalty and divine authority. Pharaoh's self-comparison to a lion suggests his pride and self-perception as a mighty ruler. However, this is contrasted with God's view, which sees through the facade of power to the reality of impending judgment.

but you are like a monster in the seas
The "monster" here is likely a reference to a crocodile or sea creature, symbolizing chaos and destruction. In Hebrew, the word "tannin" can refer to a dragon or sea monster, often associated with chaos in ancient mythology. This imagery contrasts Pharaoh's self-image with God's perspective, portraying him as a chaotic force that will be subdued. It serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty over all creation, including the forces of chaos.

(2) As a whale.--Rather, a crocodile. (See Note on Ezekiel 29:3, where the same word is used.) A striking contrast is brought out in this verse which is lost in our translation. "Thou wast compared to a young lion of the nations," i.e., their leader and glory; "but thou wast (really) like a crocodile in the seas," stirring up and fouling the rivers, the sources of their prosperity.

Thou carmest forth with.--Better, thou didst break forth in thy rivers, referring to the crocodile basking upon the bank, and suddenly plunging into the stream and stirring up its mud.

Verse 2. - Thou art like a young lion; rather, with the Revised Version, thou wast likened unto a young lion. The two clauses of the verse stand in direct contrast to each other. Flatterers, orators, courtiers, had used the usual symbolism of the animal world. The King of Egypt was as the king of beasts. Ezekiel rejects that comparison, and likens him rather to the whale, the dragon (Revised Version), in the seas, i.e. to the crocodile of his own river (compare the use of the "dragon" for the King of Egypt, in Ezekiel 29:3; Isaiah 51:9). Ewald and Smend, however, translate, "young lion of the nations, thou art brought to naught;" but there is no adequate reason for abandoning the Revised translation. Troubledst the waters. As in Ezekiel 34:18, the act is used as the symbol of all selfish and aggressive rule, defiling the streams of righteousness and judgment. Thou camest forth with thy rivers. Ewald and Smend translate, "Thou didst spurt out the water," as describing the act of the crocodile when it raises its head out of the water as in the "neesings," or "sneezings" of Job 41:12, Hebrew [English version, 18].

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Son
בֶּן־ (ben-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1121: A son

of man,
אָדָ֗ם (’ā·ḏām)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 120: Ruddy, a human being

take up
שָׂ֤א (śā)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

a lament
קִינָה֙ (qî·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 7015: An elegy, dirge

for
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

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

king
מֶֽלֶךְ־ (me·leḵ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Egypt
מִצְרַ֔יִם (miṣ·ra·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa

and say
וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ (wə·’ā·mar·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to him:
אֵלָ֔יו (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

‘You are like
נִדְמֵ֑יתָ (niḏ·mê·ṯā)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1819: To compare, to resemble, liken, consider

a lion
כְּפִ֥יר (kə·p̄îr)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3715: A village, a young lion

among the nations;
גּוֹיִ֖ם (gō·w·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

you
וְאַתָּה֙ (wə·’at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

are like a monster
כַּתַּנִּ֣ים (kat·tan·nîm)
Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8577: A marine, land monster, sea-serpent, jackal

in the seas.
בַּיַּמִּ֔ים (bay·yam·mîm)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin

You thrash about
וַתָּ֣גַח (wat·tā·ḡaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1518: To gush forth, to issue

in your rivers,
בְּנַהֲרוֹתֶ֗יךָ (bə·na·hă·rō·w·ṯe·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5104: A stream, prosperity

churning up
וַתִּדְלַח־ (wat·tiḏ·laḥ-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 1804: To make turbid

the waters
מַ֙יִם֙ (ma·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

with your feet
בְּרַגְלֶ֔יךָ (bə·raḡ·le·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - fdc | second person masculine singular
Strong's 7272: A foot, a step, the pudenda

and muddying
וַתִּרְפֹּ֖ס (wat·tir·pōs)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7515: To trample, roil water

the streams.’
נַהֲרוֹתָֽם׃ (na·hă·rō·w·ṯām)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 5104: A stream, prosperity


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 32:2 Son of man take up a lamentation (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 32:1
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