What is the meaning of Ezekiel 29:3?

Speak to him and tell him

• Ezekiel is commanded to address Pharaoh directly, emphasizing that the prophet is only a mouthpiece (Jeremiah 1:7–9; 2 Peter 1:21).

• God still confronts rulers today through His Word proclaimed by faithful messengers (2 Samuel 12:1–7).

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This is what the Lord GOD says

• The oracle carries divine authority; it is not a political opinion (Isaiah 55:11).

• Every prophecy in Ezekiel rests on the covenant name “Lord GOD,” reminding hearers that Yahweh alone rules history (Exodus 3:14; Daniel 4:34-35).

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Behold, I am against you

• God openly declares hostility toward Pharaoh—terrifying words when spoken by the Almighty (Nahum 2:13; James 4:6).

• This stance reveals both God’s justice and His sovereignty over pagan nations (Psalm 2:1-5).

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O Pharaoh king of Egypt

• The indictment is personal; God names the earthly ruler (Exodus 9:16; Romans 9:17).

• Egypt’s political power never placed it beyond divine scrutiny (Isaiah 19:1).

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O great monster who lies among his rivers

• The “monster” (crocodile/dragon imagery) pictures Egypt’s might resting in the Nile (Psalm 74:13; Isaiah 51:9-10).

• Lying “among his rivers” hints at self-security and complacency—trust in geography rather than God (Jeremiah 46:7-8).

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Who says, ‘The Nile is mine; I made it myself.’

• Pharaoh’s boast claims both ownership and creatorship, a direct theft of God’s glory (Exodus 5:2; Acts 12:21-23).

• Such pride mirrors humanity’s ancient sin: asserting independence from the Creator (Genesis 11:4; Romans 1:21-23).

• The Lord will later humiliate this arrogance when Egypt is desolated and scattered (Ezekiel 29:9-12).

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summary

Ezekiel 29:3 confronts Pharaoh’s pride point-by-point: God sends His prophet, speaks with unrivaled authority, declares personal opposition, names the guilty ruler, exposes his false security in the Nile, and condemns his blasphemous self-deification. The verse warns every generation that earthly power cannot rival the Creator; boasting in achievements instead of worshiping God invites His judgment.