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Pharaoh: a Lion or a Dragon?

32 On the first day of the twelfth month in the twelfth year of exile,[a] the word of the Lord came to me. He said, “Son of man,[b] sing this sad song about Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Say to him:

“‘You thought you were like a powerful young lion walking proud among the nations.
    But really, you are like a dragon[c] in the lakes.
You push your way through the streams.
    You make the water muddy with your feet
    and stir up the rivers of Egypt.’”

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 32:1 twelfth year of exile This was early spring, 585 B.C. Also in verse 17.
  2. Ezekiel 32:2 Son of man This was usually just a way of saying “a person” or “a human being.” Here, it is a way of addressing Ezekiel. Also in verse 18.
  3. Ezekiel 32:2 dragon This might be a crocodile or a giant sea creature. The giant sea creature represented the power of the sea, and the Nile River made Egypt a powerful nation.

A Lament Over Pharaoh

32 In the twelfth year, in the twelfth month on the first day, the word of the Lord came to me:(A) “Son of man, take up a lament(B) concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt and say to him:

“‘You are like a lion(C) among the nations;
    you are like a monster(D) in the seas(E)
thrashing about in your streams,
    churning the water with your feet
    and muddying the streams.(F)

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