God’s Word Translation
Ezekiel 29:18
18“Son of man, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made his army fight hard against Tyre. Every soldier’s head was worn bald, and every soldier’s shoulder was rubbed raw. Yet, he and his army got no reward for their hard-fought battle against Tyre.
Ezekiel 29:18 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it:
- New International Version (NIV)“Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon drove his army in a hard campaign against Tyre; every head was rubbed bare and every shoulder made raw. Yet he and his army got no reward from the campaign he led against Tyre.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre. Every head was made bald, and every shoulder was rubbed bare, yet neither he nor his army got anything from Tyre to pay for the labor that he had performed against her.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to labor strenuously against Tyre; every head was made bald, and every shoulder rubbed raw; yet neither he nor his army received wages from Tyre, for the labor which they expended on it.
Context of Ezekiel 29:18
16The nation of Israel will never trust Egypt again. The people of Israel will remember how wrong they were whenever they turned to Egypt ⌞for help⌟. Then they will know that I am the Almighty Lord.’ ” 17On the first day of the first month in the twenty-seventh year, the Lord spoke his word to me. He said, “Son of man, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon made his army fight hard against Tyre. Every soldier’s head was worn bald, and every soldier’s shoulder was rubbed raw. Yet, he and his army got no reward for their hard-fought battle against Tyre. 19This is what the Almighty Lord says: I’m going to give Egypt to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He will carry off its wealth, take its prized possessions, and loot it. That will be the pay for his army. 20I have given him Egypt as pay for what he has done. Nebuchadnezzar and his army worked for me, declares the Almighty Lord.
Read all of Ezekiel 29Ezekiel 29:18 word by word
בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּ֠בֶל הֶעֱבִ֨יד אֶת־חֵיל֜וֹ עֲבֹדָ֤ה גְדֹלָה֙ אֶל־צֹ֔ר כָּל־רֹ֣אשׁ מֻקְרָ֔ח וְכָל־כָּתֵ֖ף מְרוּטָ֑ה וְ֠שָׂכָר לֹא־הָ֨יָה ל֤וֹ וּלְחֵילוֹ֙ מִצֹּ֔ר עַל־הָעֲבֹדָ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־עָבַ֥ד עָלֶֽיהָ׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- Nebuchadrezzarנְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּר, נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּרנבוּכדרא צּור נבוּכדראצּר · NebuchadnezzarH5019
- kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
- causedעָבַד‛âbad · to serveH5647
- his armyחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
- a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- serviceעֲבֹדָה‛ăbôdâh ‛ăbôdâh · service: workH5656
- against Tyrusצֹרtsôr tsôr · TyreH6865
- every headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- made baldקָרַחqârach · to make baldH7139
- and every shoulderכָּתֵףkâthêph · shoulderH3802
- peeledמָרַטmâraţ · to smoothH4803
- yet had he no wagesשָׂכָרώâkâr · wagesH7939
Cross-references for Ezekiel 29:18
- Ezekiel 26:7“This is what the Almighty Lord says: From the north I’m going to bring King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon against you, Tyre. He is the greatest king. He will bring horses, chariots, war horses, many people, and many troops.
- Jeremiah 25:9so I’m going to send for all the families from the north. I will also send for my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, declares the Lord. I will bring the families from the north to attack this land, its people, and all these surrounding nations. I’m going to destroy them and turn them into something terrible, something ridiculed, and something permanently ruined.
- Jeremiah 27:6Now I have handed all these countries over to my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I have even made wild animals serve him.
Commentaries on Ezekiel 29:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus - He was thirteen years employed in the siege. See Joseph. Antiq. lib. 10 c. 11. In this siege his soldiers endured great hardships. Being continually on duty, their heads became bald by wearing their helmets; and their shoulders bruised and peeled by carrying baskets of earth to the fortifications, and wood, etc., to build towers, etc. Yet had he no wages, nor his army - The Tyrians, finding it at…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17-21Verses 17-21 The prophet places this prediction out of chronological order, that he may point out what had not been stated in the foregoing prophecy, namely, that the agent who should strike the first blow on Egypt should be the Chaldaean king, Nebuchadnezzar. Ezekiel 29:18 Yet had he no wages - It is not improbable that the Tyrians before they surrendered their island-citadel managed to remove much of their treasure; but others exlplain the verse; that…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-21Verses 17-21 The besiegers of Tyre obtained little plunder. But when God employs ambitious or covetous men, he will recompense them according to the desires of their hearts; for every man shall have his reward. God had mercy in store for the house of Israel soon after. The history of nations best explains ancient prophecies. All events fulfil the Scriptures. Thus, in the deepest scenes of adversity, the Lord sows the seed of our future prosperity. Happy…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-20Nebuchadnezzar attacked Tyre (Ezekiel 26–28). His army worked very hard but gained little wealth from the city. The Lord said that workers deserve their wages. So he would give Egypt to Babylon as payment for their work. Egypt would become their reward.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. every head ... bald, ... shoulder ... peeled--with carrying baskets of earth and stones for the siege works. no wages ... for the service--that is, in proportion to it and the time and labor which he expended on the siege of Tyre. Not that he actually failed in the siege (Jerome expressly states, from Assyrian histories, that Nebuchadnezzar succeeded); but, so much of the Tyrian resources had been exhausted, or transported to her colonies in ships…Read the comment
Topics related to Ezekiel 29:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Ezekiel 29
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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