What is the meaning of Ezekiel 32:17? In the twelfth year • Ezekiel dates this oracle twelve years after King Jehoiachin was taken to Babylon (Ezekiel 1:2), placing it about 585 BC, shortly after Jerusalem’s fall. • The timeline roots the prophecy in verifiable history, reminding us that God’s dealings are not vague but anchored in real time (Luke 2:1–2). • By linking the message to Judah’s exile, the verse shows God still speaking to His people even while they suffer discipline (Jeremiah 29:10–14). on the fifteenth day of the month • Scripture often records precise days—Genesis 7:11 notes the very day the flood began; Ezra 6:19 pinpoints the Passover restoration. Such detail underscores God’s sovereign control over specific moments. • Mid-month dating hints at a period when the moon was full and nights were bright, symbolically fitting for a vision that would expose Egypt’s pride (Ezekiel 32:18–32). • The exact date assures readers that future promised events will also unfold on God’s timetable (Acts 17:31). the word of the LORD came to me • This familiar refrain (Ezekiel 1:3; Jeremiah 1:4) stresses that Ezekiel is merely the conduit; the real speaker is the LORD Himself (2 Peter 1:21). • God’s word arrives, not Ezekiel’s speculation, highlighting the inerrancy and authority of Scripture (Psalm 19:7–9). • Because the word “came,” it carries divine initiative—He pursues His people with truth even when nations rise and fall (Hebrews 1:1–2). saying • The single participle introduces the substance that follows: a lament over Egypt descending to the pit (Ezekiel 32:18–32). • By prefacing the lament with careful dating, God frames His judgment as deliberate, not impulsive (Isaiah 19:1; Jeremiah 46:25–26). • The verse therefore functions as a doorway: readers step from the factual timestamp into a vision that will affirm the LORD’s supremacy over every empire. summary Ezekiel 32:17 is more than a timestamp; it is God’s precise marker in history announcing a fresh revelation. The twelfth year and fifteenth day root the oracle in real time, assuring us of Scripture’s reliability. The phrase “the word of the LORD came to me” underscores that the message originates with the sovereign, covenant-keeping God, not human opinion. Finally, “saying” invites us to listen expectantly as He unfolds His just verdict on Egypt—proof that every nation’s destiny is ultimately in His hands. |
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