Ezekiel 32:3Thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will spread out my net on you with a company of many peoples; and they shall bring you up in my net.
The setting
Babylon, ~586 BC. Ezekiel speaks to Jewish exiles watching Egypt's downfall from afar, modern-day Iraq. The prophet uses fishing metaphors familiar to Nile fishermen to describe Pharaoh's coming defeat by Nebuchadnezzar's coalition.
The emotion here: heartbroken over having to deliver devastating judgment
The original word
mikmoreti (מכמרתי) — a fishing net, specifically a large drag net requiring many people to pull
Why it matters
Nebuchadnezzar II actually invaded Egypt in 568 BC, 18 years after this prophecy
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ezekiel 32:3
The 'company of many peoples' refers to Babylon's multi-ethnic army — Egyptians would be defeated by the very foreigners they despised
Common misconceptionPeople think this is random divine wrath, but Ezekiel 32:2 shows Egypt's sin was comparing itself to a lion among nations — this is specifically about national pride and oppression of others.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ezekiel 32:3
Bible Genome reading
Ezekiel 32:3 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ezekiel 32:3 comes from the book of Ezekiel, written during the Exile period. These words are attributed to God. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine judgment, sovereign power. Notable phrases: spread out my net; company of many peoples. This verse contains a promise of God. This verse contains prophecy.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Ezekiel 32:3 mean to you, today?
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