complete verse (Ezekiel 32:28)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Ezekiel 32:28:

  • Kupsabiny: “This is how that king of Egypt was crushed made to fall down into the world of the dead to meet with those who did not have the true religion those who had been killed in battle.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “‘And you, king of Egipto, will-be-destroyed also and will-lie-down-in-full-view with the ones who did not believe in God who died in battle.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “You king of Egypt, you also be killed and will lie there with other godless people who have been killed by their enemies’ swords.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Ezekiel 32:28

This verse is not part of the list of formerly great and powerful nations in the underworld. Instead it is addressed to Egypt (or its king), contrasting the fate of Egypt with the relatively good situation of the ancient heroes.

So you shall be broken: Many translations include something to make it clear who this verse is addressed to by beginning with “You too, Egypt” (New Living Translation), “You Egyptians” (Contemporary English Version), “You too, O Pharaoh” (New International Version; similarly New International Reader’s Version, Revised English Bible, Moffatt), or “You, king of Egypt” (New Century Version). Earlier in this prophecy Egypt was not addressed directly, so Good News Translation changes the second person reference to Egypt to third person by beginning with “That is how the Egyptians,” which other languages may find helpful. For the Hebrew verb rendered broken, see the comments on 30.8. Here it means Egypt will be “crushed” (Good News Translation, New Living Translation), totally and “cruelly defeated” (Contemporary English Version), “shattered” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). This is a passive verb and an active clause with an agent will be more natural in many languages, for example, “I will break you” or “I will make your enemies break you.” Many translations omit this clause in line with the Septuagint, but it is not necessary to do so.

And lie among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword: See verses 19 and 21. The Egyptians’ fate, when they are totally defeated, is to be in the lowest part of the underworld. This clause may be rendered “and you will lie with the people who did not know God, who were killed in battle.”

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 .