Ezekiel 32:23

Her graves are set in the depths of the Pit, and her company is all around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword—those who once spread terror in the land of the living.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Ezekiel delivers a prophetic oracle against Egypt, cataloging defeated nations alongside her in the Pit. The message addresses the exiled community, confirming that proud kingdoms fall under divine judgment.

The words — The text highlights קִבְרֹתֶ֙י/הָ֙ (kiv.ro.Tei./ha), meaning "her graves," and בְּ/יַרְכְּתֵי־ (be./yar.ke.tei-), meaning "in the remotest parts of." These terms mark the lowest possible realm of death, emphasizing total subjugation.

The thread — This descent to the Pit echoes Ezekiel 26:20, where conquered cities are brought down with antiquity, and contrasts with Psalm 27:13, which promises the righteous will see God’s goodness in the land of the living. The repeated "fallen by the sword" pattern links this judgment to other prophetic oracles against nations that spread terror.

Why it lands — The passage demands recognition that earthly power and terror ultimately end in the Pit. It calls readers to abandon reliance on national strength and acknowledge divine sovereignty over life and death.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sherwhich נִתְּנ֤וּni.te.Nuthey have been put קִבְרֹתֶ֙יהָ֙kiv.ro.Tei./hagraves/ its בְּיַרְכְּתֵי־be./yar.ke.tei-in/ [the] remotest parts of ב֔וֹרVor[the] pit וַיְהִ֣יva/y.Hiand/ it was קְהָלָ֔הּke.ha.La/hcompany/ its סְבִיב֖וֹתse.vi.Votaround קְבֻרָתָ֑הּke.vu.ra.Ta/hgrave/ its כֻּלָּ֤םku.La/mall of/ them חֲלָלִים֙cha.la.Lim[are] slain נֹפְלִ֣יםno.fe.Lim[those who] have fallen בַּחֶ֔רֶבba./Che.revby the/ sword אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-who נָתְנ֥וּna.te.Nuthey had put חִתִּ֖יתchi.Titterror בְּאֶ֥רֶץbe./'E.retzin/ [the] land of חַיִּֽים׃chai.Yim[the] living

King James Version

Whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her grave: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land of the living.

Cross-references

Ezekiel 26:20 then I will bring you down with those who descend to the Pit, to the people of antiquity. I will make you dwell in the earth below like the ancient ruins, with those who descend to the Pit, so that you will no longer be inhabited or set in splendor in the land of the living.
Psalms 27:13 Still I am certain to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Ezekiel 26:17 Then they will lament for you, saying, “How you have perished, O city of renown inhabited by seafaring men—she who was powerful on the sea, along with her people, who imposed terror on all peoples!
Ezekiel 32:24 Elam is there with all her multitudes around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword—those who went down uncircumcised to the earth below, who once spread their terror in the land of the living. They bear their disgrace with those who descend to the Pit.
Job 28:13 No man can know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living.
Psalms 116:9 I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.
Psalms 142:5 I cry to You, O LORD: “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”
Isaiah 14:15 But you will be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.
Isaiah 38:11 I said, “I will never again see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of the living; I will no longer look on mankind with those who dwell in this world.
Isaiah 51:12 “I, even I, am He who comforts you. Why should you be afraid of mortal man, of a son of man who withers like grass?