For he spread terror in the land of the living: See verse 24. The pronoun he refers to the king of Egypt. Revised Standard Version follows the Targum in understanding the subject of this clause to be the king (also New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, Jerusalem Bible/New Jerusalem Bible, Moffatt). This reading results in the meaning that the Egyptian king and all his people had done the same things as all the other nations they saw in the underworld, that is, they terrified everyone while they were alive. As a result, they will suffer the same punishment as the others before them. This reading makes excellent sense, but Good News Translation and many other translations follow the Hebrew for this clause, which is literally “For [or, Indeed] I have put his terror in the land of the living.” This is the preferred reading (so Hebrew Old Testament Text Project). Good News Translation says “I caused the king of Egypt to terrorize the living,” and Contemporary English Version is similar with “I sent him to terrify people all over the earth.” In the Hebrew text God, not the king, was the ultimate cause for the terror. He used the Egyptians to terrorize others. Despite this, they were still going to be punished in the world of the dead for what they did.

Therefore he shall be laid among the uncircumcised: The Hebrew waw conjunction rendered therefore (literally “and”) is better translated “but” (Good News Translation) if translators follow the Hebrew for the previous clause. Even though God caused the Egyptians to terrorize others, he will punish them for doing it. For he shall be laid among the uncircumcised, see the comments on verses 19 and 21. This clause may be rendered “but he will lie with the people who did not know God.”

With those who are slain by the sword: See verse 20.

Pharaoh and all his multitude: The Egyptian king and all his people will suffer the same fate. For Pharaoh see Ezek 32.2; for all his multitude, see verse 12.

Says the Lord GOD: See Ezek 32.8. The prophecy finally ends with the same solemn formal declaration of God’s message as in the previous verse.

Quoted with permission from Gross, Carl & Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Ezekiel. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .