Ezekiel 32:24

Eze 32:24 There [is] Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit.

Ver. 24. There is Elam.] The Persians, who in the reign of Cyaxares had been subdued by the Scythians, and slain in great number. {Jer 49:34, &c.}

Into the nether parts of the earth.] Into hell, as that rich glutton in Luk 16:23, where our Saviour seemeth to allude to this place, {a}

Yet have they borne their shame.] Carried the matter of it to hell with them, where is perpetual shame and confusion, beside the vexing snuff they have left behind them upon earth.

{a} Jun.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Eze 32:24-25. There is Elam and all her multitude — Which was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar: see note on Jer 49:36. The nations mentioned in this and the following verse were probably confederates with the Assyrians, and fell when they did. Which caused terror — yet have they borne their shame — They have been shamefully subdued, and have lost their lives and glory together, as Asshur did before them. They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain, &c. — Elam and her people have gone down to the state of the dead, among those who have fallen by the sword. The word bed is used for the grave, Isa 57:2, and may, in both places, allude to the costly monuments, or sepulchres, which used to be erected for persons of great quality. Her graves are round about him — The king and people are involved in the same common destruction.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Whom in his life all the world feared.

Meaning, the Persians.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Elam--placed next, as having been an auxiliary to Assyria. Its territory lay in Persia. In Abraham's time an independent kingdom (Gen 14:1). Famous for its bowmen (Isa 22:6).

borne their shame--the just retribution of their lawless pride. Destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar (Jer 49:34-38).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 24. There is Elam] The Elamites, not far from the Assyrians; others think that Persia is meant. It was invaded by the joint forces of Cyaxares and Nebuchadnezzar.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(24) There is Elam.—Jeremiah had already prophesied against Elam twelve years before (Jer_49:34). Elam is substantially equivalent to Persia, and had been repeatedly conquered by Assyria and Chaldæa. It was a fierce and warlike nation, and its soldiers had long served in Nebuchadnezzar’s army. It was by the aid of Persia that he had succeeded in overthrowing Assyria. It was by a subsequent union of the same Power with the Medes that the Babylonian power was overthrown. Not until after that union did Persia become a very prominent nation. It continued a great Power until its conquest by Alexander. The prophet is therefore anticipating the events of the future when he represents Elam as already in the pit. But, as before said, his thought looks on to the ultimate result, without making prominent the comparative dates of the future. It is possible, however, so far to separate Elam from Persia as to look upon the former as one of those nations out of whose ruins the latter arose, and in this case Elam was already past. The former interpretation seems preferable.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

24, 25. Elam.

Elam, said to mean Highlands, lay E. of the Tigris, and touched Assyria and Media on the N., Media and Persia on the E., and on the S. the Persian Gulf. An early expedition of Elam into the land of the Jordan is referred to Gen_14:1 seq. The country was incorporated into the Assyrian empire, in the armies of which it served (Isa_22:6; cf. Isa_11:11), and on the fall of this empire it probably asserted its independence. It appears independent in the time of Jeremiah, who threatens it with destruction at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar (Jer_49:34; Jer_49:39).

yet have they borne] and have borne. Their shame is that which adheres to them as slain with the sword and unhonoured. The consequences of their life shewed themselves in the manner of their death, and abode upon them. Cf. Eze_36:6-7.

them that go down] that are gone down.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave,.... The kingdom of the Medes and Persians lying in ruin, and the potent kings thereof in the state of the dead; with their army, as the Arabic version, slain and destroyed, and placed round about the grave of the king of Persia; for of him rather it is to be understood than of the king of Assyria, or of Egypt, as some:

all of them slain, fallen by the sword; either of the Scythians in the reign of Cyaxares; or of Nebuchadnezzar a few years before this, in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah; see Jer 49:34,

which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth; unholy persons, profane sinners, destitute of the grace of God; who were gone down into the grave, and even into hell and everlasting destruction, as their sins deserved:

which caused their terror in the land of the living; made a great noise in the world, and struck a panic in neighbouring nations, invaded and conquered by them; this they did while living, but now, being in the state of the dead, nothing was to be feared from them: yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit; were obliged to submit to death, and a shameful one, by the hands of their conquerors, and to be laid with ignominy in the grave with others, without any mark of distinction; all being upon a level, cast into the same pit of destruction, and into the lower parts of it; though their king might have a magnificent sepulchre erected for him, as follows:

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

See the marginal referenc. Elam answers to the country known to the Greeks and Romans as Elymais, near Persia and Media. The Elamites were a fierce and warlike people. In the records of Assurbanipal his final triumph over Elam seems to have been one of his proudest boasts. Elam no doubt in the decline of Assyrian power again asserted its independence and was again crushed by the Chaldaean conqueror.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Shame. They are buried without any distinction.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Elam; the Persians, and their great, famous kings, who lived in former days. All her multitude: see Eze 32:22,23.

All of them slain: see Eze 32:22.

Gone down: Eze 32:21.

Uncircumcised: see Eze 32:21.

The nether parts of the earth: see Eze 32:18.

Their terror: see Eze 32:23.

Their shame God and man poured contempt upon them, and punished them for their pride, and turned their glory into shame, whose vices and miscarriages are more remembered than their noble facts and glorious achievements.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

There is Elam etc. The nation so named appears grouped with Asshur in Gen_10:22; in Isa_11:11 it stands between Cush and Shinar; in Isa_22:6 its warriors form part of the host ofSennacherib; in Ezr_4:9 they are named as having been among the settlers in Samaria; in Isa_21:2 as joining with the Medes in the attack on Babylon; in Jer_25:25 again coupled with the Medes among the enemies of Nebuchadnezzar; in Dan_8:2 as the province in which Shushan was situated, and therefore subject to Babylon. Jeremiah (Jer_49:34-39) had uttered a special prophecy against it. From Ezekiel"s point of view it might well take its place among the powers that had received their death-blow at the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. Yet have they borne their shame; sc. the disgrace of being uncircumcised, and therefore taking their place with the lower circles of the dead.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Elam - The Persians, and their famous kings, who lived in former days. Their shame - God, and man poured contempt upon them, and turned their glory into shame.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Yahweh continues speaking to Ezekiel about nations in Sheol.

Elam is there

Here "Elam" refers to the people of that country. AT: "The people of Elam are also there in Sheol" (See: Metonymy)

her multitudes

Possible meanings are 1) her many people or 2) her army.

Her graves surround her

See how you translated this in Ezekiel 32:22.

all of them were killed

This can be put in active form. AT: "Her enemies killed them all" (See: Active or Passive)

Those who fell by the sword

Translate "who fell by the sword" as in Ezekiel 32:23.

by the sword

Here "the sword" is a metonym for soldiers who use swords to kill people. AT: "in battle" (See: Metonymy)

who have gone down uncircumcised

"who were uncircumcised when they went down"

to the lowest parts of the earth

"to places deep down in the ground" or "to the land deep down in the ground." See how you translated "in the lowest realms of the earth" in Ezekiel 26:20.

who brought their terrors

The abstract noun "terrors" can be stated as "afraid." See how you translated "brought terror" in Ezekiel 32:23. AT: "those who, when they were still alive, caused people to be extremely afraid" (See: Abstract Nouns)

the land of the living

This represents the people who were alive. See how you translated "the land of the living" in Ezekiel 32:23. (See: Metonymy)

who carry their own shame

Shame is spoken of as if it were an object that one could carry where he goes. AT: "who feel ashamed" or "who are now disgraced" (See: Metaphor)

the pit

"The pit" refers to the grave; because the grave was thought to be the entrance to the world of the dead, the pit also represents that world. See how you translated this in Ezekiel 32:23. (See: Metonymy)

They set a bedroll for Elam and all her multitudes

Space being made in Sheol for the dead is spoken of as if the dead were given beds to lie on. AT: "They gave beds to Elam and all its people" (See: Metaphor)

in the midst of the slain

"with all the other people who were killed"

All of them are uncircumcised

The Israelites did not respect people who were not circumcised. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

pierced by the sword, because

The word "pierced" here is a metonym for "killed." This can be translated in active form. AT: "their enemies have killed them with swords because" (See: Metonymy)

Elam is among all those who were killed

This is very similar to the first part of the verse. AT: "The dead people gave Elam a place to lie among themselves"

translationWords

Elam

grave

sword

circumcise

terror

shame

pit

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.