Ezekiel – Chapter 29

Old Testament21 Verses

Chapter Summary

Ezekiel 29 opens with the words: "In the tenth year, the tenth month, the eleventh day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying:" The chapter centers on Nebuchadnezzar and Pharaoh. Across its 21 verses, two threads run through the text: God's kingdom and kingship and family and covenant relationships. The Church invites us to read this chapter within the whole sweep of salvation history, where every page points toward Christ.

1In the tenth year, the tenth month, the eleventh day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

2Son of man, set thy face against Pharao king of Egypt: and thou shalt prophesy of him, and of all Egypt:

3Speak, and say: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I come against thee, Pharao king of Egypt, thou great dragon that liest in the midst of thy rivers, and sayest: The river is mine, and I made myself.

4But I will put a bridle in thy jaws: and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick to thy scales: and I will draw thee out of the midst of thy rivers, and all thy fish shall stick to thy scales.

5And I will cast thee forth into the desert, and all the fish of thy river: thou shalt fall upon the face of the earth, thou shalt not be taken up, nor gathered together: I have given thee for meat to the beasts of the earth, and to the fowls of the air.

6And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord: because thou hast been a staff of a reed to the house of Israel.

7When they took hold of thee with the hand thou didst break, and rent all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brokest, and weakenest all their loins.

8Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will bring the sword upon thee: and cut off man and beast out of thee.

9And the land of Egypt shall become a desert, and a wilderness: and they shall know that I am the Lord, because thou hast said: The river is mine, and I made it.

10Therefore, behold I come against thee, and thy rivers: and I will make the land of Egypt utterly desolate, and wasted by the sword, from the tower of Syene, even to the borders of Ethiopia.

11The foot of man shall not pass through it, neither shall the foot of beasts go through it: nor shall it be inhabited during forty years.

12And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the lands that are desolate, and the cities thereof in the midst of the cites that are destroyed, and they shall be desolate for forty years: and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.

13For thus saith the Lord God: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the people among whom they had been scattered.

14And I will bring back the captivity of Egypt, and will place them in the land of Phatures, in the land of their nativity, and they shall be there a low kingdom:

15It shall be the lowest among other kingdoms, and it shall no more be exalted over the nations, and I will diminish them that they shall rule no more over the nations.

16And they shall be no more a confidence to the house of Israel, teaching iniquity, that they may flee, and follow them: and they shall know that I am the Lord God.

17And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year in the first month, in the first of the month: that the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

18Son of man, Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon hath made his army to undergo hard service against Tyre: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled and there hath been no reward given him, nor his army for Tyre, for the service that he rendered me against it.

19Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will set Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon in the land of Egypt: and he shall take her multitude, and take the booty thereof for a prey, and rifle the spoils thereof: and it shall be wages for his army.

20And for the service that he hath done me against it: I have given him the land of Egypt, because he hath laboured for me, saith the Lord God.

21In that day a horn shall bud forth to the house of Israel, and I will give thee an open mouth in the midst of them: and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Important Verses in Ezekiel 29

Speak, and say: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I come against thee, Pharao king of Egypt, thou great dragon that liest in the midst of thy rivers, and sayest: The river is mine, and I made myself.

Ezekiel 29:3

Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will bring the sword upon thee: and cut off man and beast out of thee.

Ezekiel 29:8

For thus saith the Lord God: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the people among whom they had been scattered.

Ezekiel 29:13

And they shall be no more a confidence to the house of Israel, teaching iniquity, that they may flee, and follow them: and they shall know that I am the Lord God.

Ezekiel 29:16

Historical Context

As a Old Testament book, Ezekiel was written with the exiles in Babylon, moved from despair to hope of restoration in view. Chapter 29 of 48 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 21 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Nebuchadnezzar and Pharaoh appear at the center of the events recorded here. It opens with the line: "In the tenth year, the tenth month, the eleventh day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying:" The final verse reads: "In that day a horn shall bud forth to the house of Israel, and I will give thee an open mouth in the midst of them: and…" In terms of historical background, Ezekiel was deported to Babylon in 597 BC and prophesied among the exiles through astonishing visions: God's throne-chariot, the departure of His glory from the Temple, the valley of dry bones brought to life, and a new… The book's material reflects the era summarized as follows: About 593-571 BC, in Babylon.

Who Wrote It

The prophet Ezekiel, priest and exile

When It Was Written

About 593-571 BC, in Babylon

Catholic Commentary

At the literal level, this oracle names the sins, judgments, or promises relevant to its original hearers. A pivotal line is verse 3: "Speak, and say: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I come against thee, Pharao king of Egypt, thou great dragon that liest in the midst of thy rivers, and…" The passage repeatedly touches on God's kingdom and kingship.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 355). Here, Ezekiel's visions inform Catholic understanding of heaven and liturgy (CIC 1137). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize God's kingdom and kingship as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • True conversion means turning away from sin and returning to God with our whole heart.

People in This Chapter

Nebuchadnezzar2 mentionsPharaoh2 mentions

Reflection for Today

The central section of Ezekiel—Chapter 29 of 48—opens a particular moment in the story of judgment, restoration, and God's glory.

According to Catholic teaching, Ezekiel's visions inform Catholic understanding of heaven and liturgy (CIC 1137). This chapter especially highlights the role of the sacraments in sanctification, a theme the Catechism develops in relation to the whole of revelation (CIC 2466).

Let Ezekiel Chapter 29 deepen your love for the Eucharist, where the Word made flesh continues to feed His people. The same Christ who speaks in Scripture offers Himself sacramentally on the altar.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ezekiel Chapter 29 about?

Ezekiel 29 contains 21 verses. It opens with "In the tenth year, the tenth month, the eleventh day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying:" and closes with "In that day a horn shall bud forth to the house of Israel, and I will give thee an open mouth in the midst of them: and…". The book as a whole is prophetic visions and oracles.

What is a key verse in Ezekiel 29?

One of the most significant verses is verse 3: "Speak, and say: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I come against thee, Pharao king of Egypt, thou great dragon that liest in the midst of thy rivers, and sayest: The river is mine,…" It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Ezekiel Chapter 29?

This chapter mentions Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh.

Who wrote Ezekiel and when?

The prophet Ezekiel, priest and exile. About 593-571 BC, in Babylon.

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