Lexical Summary dalach: To draw, to pour out, to flow Original Word: דָּלַח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance trouble A primitive root; to roil water -- trouble. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to make turbid NASB Translation muddied (1), muddy (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [דָּלַח] verb make turbid (Assyrian dalâ—u, disturb, ZimBp 81 also in derivatives; Palestinian ᵑ7 דְּלַח figurative be anxious, fear,  turbavit, conturbavit) — Qal Imperfect2masculine singular, וַתִּדְלַח Ezekiel 32:2; 3feminine singular suffix תִּדְלָחֵם Ezekiel 32:13 + Ezekiel 32:13 (Co תרפשׂם); — stir up, trouble, make turbid (always with feet) followed by מים Ezekiel 32:2 ("" תִּרְמֹּס, — ס Baer, and not שׂ); so Ezekiel 32:13 a, b (but Ezekiel 32:13 b. Co reads תרפשׂ (compare Ezekiel 32:2) for תדלחם). Topical Lexicon Biblical SettingAll three uses of the verb appear in Ezekiel 32, a lament oracle against Pharaoh of Egypt delivered in the twelfth year of the exile (circa 585 B.C.). Ezekiel compares Pharaoh first to a proud lion and then to a great aquatic beast that agitates the Nile and its canals (Ezekiel 32:2). The same picture is revisited in verse 13, where the Lord vows to end the turbulent churning caused by human feet and cattle hooves. Imagery and Symbolism The Nile was Egypt’s lifeline. To “thrash about” or “muddy” its waters evoked both ecological ruin and social upheaval. In Scripture, clear water often symbolizes life, blessing, and divine provision (Psalm 23:2; Revelation 22:1). When Pharaoh “churns the waters,” he embodies a ruler who pollutes the very source of his nation’s prosperity, spreading disorder instead of peace. The image echoes the chaos–monster motif found elsewhere (Job 41:31; Isaiah 27:1), underscoring Egypt’s role as a hostile power resisting God. Divine Judgment Ezekiel 32:13 twice repeats the verb to declare Yahweh’s remedy: “Then I will destroy all its cattle beside its many waters. No longer will the foot of man muddy them or the hooves of cattle muddy them.” The repetition intensifies the promise that God Himself will still the commotion Pharaoh caused. The Lord’s judgment is corrective, restoring clarity where sin produced murkiness. The quieted waterways anticipate a broader eschatological hope in which creation is healed and peace prevails (Ezekiel 34:25–31; Isaiah 11:9). Intertextual Connections • Job 41:31 describes Leviathan making the deep “boil,” a close thematic parallel of chaotic waters tamed only by God. Together these passages portray God as the One who restrains evil, restores order, and safeguards His people’s sustenance. Historical Perspective Pharaoh Hophra (Apries) likely stands behind the prophecy. His reign (589–570 B.C.) was marked by military ventures that disrupted regional stability and ultimately drew Babylonian retaliation. Ezekiel frames those political convulsions as the thrashing of a monster soon to be subdued by the Lord of history. Ministry Significance 1. Accountability of Leaders Earthly power is answerable to the Creator. When rulers destabilize society, Scripture promises that God will intervene. 2. Purity of the Living Water The church proclaims Christ as the fountain of living waters (John 4:14). Believers are charged to keep that water clear—avoiding doctrines or behaviors that cloud the gospel’s simplicity (2 Corinthians 11:3). 3. Hope for Restoration God’s judgment is not capricious but redemptive. Just as He stilled Egypt’s muddy streams, He brings clarity to lives overwhelmed by sin’s turmoil, culminating in the ultimate peace secured through Jesus Christ, who “rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they were calm” (Luke 8:24). Practical Application • Examine personal influence: Do our words clarify or confuse? In Ezekiel’s terse verb lies a sweeping narrative: human pride stirs chaos, but God’s sovereign grace restores order and purity, assuring His people of untroubled waters both now and forever. Forms and Transliterations וַתִּדְלַח־ ותדלח־ תִדְלָחֵ֤ם תִדְלָחֵֽם׃ תדלחם תדלחם׃ ṯiḏ·lā·ḥêm tidlaChem ṯiḏlāḥêm vattidlach wat·tiḏ·laḥ- wattiḏlaḥ-Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 32:2 HEB: וַתָּ֣גַח בְּנַהֲרוֹתֶ֗יךָ וַתִּדְלַח־ מַ֙יִם֙ בְּרַגְלֶ֔יךָ NAS: in your rivers And muddied the waters KJV: with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters INT: burst your rivers and muddied the waters your feet Ezekiel 32:13 Ezekiel 32:13 3 Occurrences |
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