Ezekiel 32

“And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.

“Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the…” Naming Egypt and Pharaoh keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Thus saith the Lord GOD ; I will therefore spread out my net over thee with a company of many people; and they shall…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the…” The line’s distinctive content terms include beasts, cause, earth. Its relationship to verses 3 and 5 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with thy height.” The line’s distinctive content terms include fill, flesh, height. Its relationship to verses 4 and 6 shows what work it does in this passage.

“I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD .” Naming All keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“For thus saith the Lord GOD ; The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from beside the great waters; neither shall the foot of man trouble them…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Then will I make their waters deep, and cause their rivers to run like oil, saith the Lord GOD .” The verse names Lord rather than leaving the action without a source. Watch whether the next line continues, answers, or contrasts that action.

“When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate, and the country shall be destitute of that whereof it was full, when I…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her: the daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“It came to pass also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me…” The line’s distinctive content terms include fifteenth, LORD, month. Its relationship to verses 18 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, and the daughters of the famous nations…” Naming Egypt and Son keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised.” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the sword: she is delivered to the sword: draw her and all her…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Asshur is there and all her company: his graves are about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword:” Naming Asshur keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her grave: all of them slain, fallen by…” Naming Whose keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down…” Naming Elam keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them…” The line’s distinctive content terms include slain, midst, borne. Its relationship to verses 26 shows what work it does in this passage.

“There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by…” Naming Meshech and Tubal keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Yea, thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, and shalt lie with them that are slain with the sword.” Naming Yea keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“There is Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with their might are laid by them that were slain by the sword…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“There be the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain; with their…” Naming Zidonians keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army slain by the…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“For I have caused my terror in the land of the living: and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.