Ezekiel 30:25
New International Version
I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he brandishes it against Egypt.

New Living Translation
I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, while the arms of Pharaoh fall useless to his sides. And when I put my sword in the hand of Babylon’s king and he brings it against the land of Egypt, Egypt will know that I am the LORD.

English Standard Version
I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall. Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt.

Berean Standard Bible
I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king, but Pharaoh’s arms will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I place My sword in the hand of Babylon’s king, and he wields it against the land of Egypt.

King James Bible
But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt.

New King James Version
Thus I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; they shall know that I am the LORD, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt.

New American Standard Bible
So I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fail. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he reaches out with it against the land of Egypt.

NASB 1995
‘Thus I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt.

NASB 1977
‘Thus I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt.

Legacy Standard Bible
Thus I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall. Then they will know that I am Yahweh, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt.

Amplified Bible
But I will strengthen and hold up the arms of the king of Babylon and the arms of Pharaoh will fall down. Then the people [of Egypt] will know that I am the LORD, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt.

Christian Standard Bible
I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king, but Pharaoh’s arms will fall. They will know that I am the LORD when I place my sword in the hand of Babylon’s king and he wields it against the land of Egypt.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king, but Pharaoh’s arms will fall. They will know that I am Yahweh when I place My sword in the hand of Babylon’s king and he wields it against the land of Egypt.

American Standard Version
And I will hold up the arms of the king of Babylon; and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt.

English Revised Version
And I will hold up the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but Pharaoh's arms will fall. Then they will know that I am the LORD, because I will put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon. He will strike Egypt with it.

Good News Translation
Yes, I will weaken him and strengthen the king of Babylonia. When I give him my sword and he points it toward Egypt, everyone will know that I am the LORD.

International Standard Version
When I strengthen the military might of Babylon, the military might of Pharaoh will fail, and then they will learn that I am the LORD when I place my own sword in the hand of the king of Babylon. He will attack the land of Egypt.

Majority Standard Bible
I will strengthen the arms of Babylon?s king, but Pharaoh?s arms will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I place My sword in the hand of Babylon?s king, and he wields it against the land of Egypt.

NET Bible
I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the LORD when I place my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon and he extends it against the land of Egypt.

New Heart English Bible
I will hold up the arms of the king of Babylon; and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out on the land of Egypt.

Webster's Bible Translation
But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt.

World English Bible
I will hold up the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall down. Then they will know that I am Yahweh when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he stretches it out on the land of Egypt.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And I have strengthened the arms of the king of Babylon, "" And the arms of Pharaoh fall down, "" And they have known that I [am] YHWH, "" In My giving My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, "" And he has stretched it out toward the land of Egypt.

Young's Literal Translation
And I have strengthened the arms of the king of Babylon, And the arms of Pharaoh do fall down, And they have known that I am Jehovah, In My giving My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, And he hath stretched it out toward the land of Egypt.

Smith's Literal Translation
And I strengthened the arms of the king of Babel, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall; and they knew that I am Jehovah in my giving my sword into the hand of the king of Babel; and he stretched it out against the land of Egypt.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharao shall fall: and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have given my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall have stretched it forth upon the land of Egypt.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon. And the arms of Pharaoh will fall. And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I will have given my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and when he will have extended it over the land of Egypt.

New American Bible
When I strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh collapse, they shall know that I am the LORD, because I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon to wield against the land of Egypt.

New Revised Standard Version
I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon. He shall stretch it out against the land of Egypt,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall put my sword into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will draw it out against the land of Egypt.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And I shall strengthen the arms of the King of Babel, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall, and they shall know that I AM LORD JEHOVAH, when I have given my sword into the hands of the King of Babel, and he has drawn it against the land of Egypt
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And I will hold up the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Yea, I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharao shall fail: and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have put my sword into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out over the land of Egypt.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Pharaoh's Power Broken
24I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king and place My sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, who will groan before him like a mortally wounded man. 25I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king, but Pharaoh’s arms will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I place My sword in the hand of Babylon’s king, and he wields it against the land of Egypt. 26I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”…

Cross References
Ezekiel 30:24
I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king and place My sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, who will groan before him like a mortally wounded man.

Ezekiel 29:19-20
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will carry off its wealth, seize its spoil, and remove its plunder. This will be the wages for his army. / I have given him the land of Egypt as the reward for his labor, because it was done for Me, declares the Lord GOD.

Isaiah 45:1
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut:

Jeremiah 46:25-26
The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh. / I will deliver them into the hands of those who seek their lives—of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But after this, Egypt will be inhabited as in days of old, declares the LORD.

Daniel 2:37-38
You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given sovereignty, power, strength, and glory. / Wherever the sons of men or beasts of the field or birds of the air dwell, He has given them into your hand and has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.

Isaiah 10:5-6
Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger; the staff in their hands is My wrath. / I will send him against a godless nation; I will dispatch him against a people destined for My rage, to take spoils and seize plunder, and to trample them down like clay in the streets.

Jeremiah 25:9
behold, I will summon all the families of the north, declares the LORD, and I will send for My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, whom I will bring against this land, against its residents, and against all the surrounding nations. So I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and contempt, an everlasting desolation.

Isaiah 19:4
I will deliver the Egyptians into the hands of a harsh master, and a fierce king will rule over them,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.

Jeremiah 27:6
So now I have placed all these lands under the authority of My servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. I have even made the beasts of the field subject to him.

Isaiah 14:5-6
The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, the scepter of the rulers. / It struck the peoples in anger with unceasing blows; it subdued the nations in rage with relentless persecution.

Jeremiah 50:23
How the hammer of the whole earth lies broken and shattered! What a horror Babylon has become among the nations!

Isaiah 41:2
Who has aroused one from the east and called him to his feet in righteousness? He hands nations over to him and subdues kings before him. He turns them to dust with his sword, to windblown chaff with his bow.

Jeremiah 51:20-23
“You are My war club, My weapon for battle. With you I shatter nations; with you I bring kingdoms to ruin. / With you I shatter the horse and rider; with you I shatter the chariot and driver. / With you I shatter man and woman; with you I shatter the old man and the youth; with you I shatter the young man and the maiden. ...

Isaiah 13:5
They are coming from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens—the LORD and the weapons of His wrath—to destroy the whole country.

Jeremiah 21:7
‘After that,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will hand over Zedekiah king of Judah, his officers, and the people in this city who survive the plague and sword and famine, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who seek their lives. He will put them to the sword; he will not spare them or show pity or compassion.’


Treasury of Scripture

But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out on the land of Egypt.

they shall know

Ezekiel 30:19,26
Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt: and they shall know that I am the LORD…

Ezekiel 29:16,21
And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord GOD…

Ezekiel 32:15
When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate, and the country shall be destitute of that whereof it was full, when I shall smite all them that dwell therein, then shall they know that I am the LORD.

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Arms Babylon Egypt Fall Hand Hold Limp Pharaoh Strengthen Stretch Stretches Sword
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Arms Babylon Egypt Fall Hand Hold Limp Pharaoh Strengthen Stretch Stretches Sword
Ezekiel 30
1. The desolation of Egypt and her helpers
20. The arm of Babylon shall be strengthened to break the arm of Egypt.














I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon
This phrase signifies God's sovereign control over the nations and His use of them to fulfill His purposes. The Hebrew word for "strengthen" is "חָזַק" (chazaq), which means to make strong or firm. In the context of Ezekiel, God is empowering Babylon as an instrument of judgment against Egypt. Historically, Babylon was a dominant power in the ancient Near East, and this strengthening indicates divine endorsement of Babylon's military campaigns. This reflects the biblical theme that God raises and lowers nations according to His will.

but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp
The contrast here is stark and intentional. The Hebrew word for "fall limp" is "נָפַל" (naphal), which means to fall or collapse. This imagery of weakness and defeat is a direct judgment against Egypt, a nation that had long been a symbol of power and pride. In the biblical narrative, Egypt often represents worldly strength and opposition to God's people. The historical context shows that Egypt's power was waning during this period, and this prophecy underscores the futility of relying on human strength against divine will.

Then they will know that I am the LORD
This phrase is a recurring theme in Ezekiel, emphasizing the purpose behind God's actions. The Hebrew word for "know" is "יָדַע" (yada), which implies an intimate, experiential knowledge. God's judgments are not arbitrary; they are designed to reveal His identity and sovereignty to the nations. This acknowledgment of God as "the LORD" (YHWH) is central to the biblical message, calling people to recognize His ultimate authority and to turn to Him in repentance and faith.

when I place My sword in the hand of the king of Babylon
The "sword" symbolizes judgment and warfare, and its placement in Babylon's hand indicates that Babylon is acting as God's agent. The imagery of the sword is prevalent throughout Scripture as a tool of divine justice. Historically, Babylon's conquests were seen as fulfilling God's purposes, even though Babylon itself was not a godly nation. This demonstrates the biblical principle that God can use even ungodly powers to accomplish His divine plans.

and he wields it against the land of Egypt
The act of wielding the sword against Egypt signifies the execution of God's judgment. The historical context is the Babylonian invasion of Egypt, which was part of the larger geopolitical struggles of the time. This action fulfills the prophecy and serves as a tangible demonstration of God's word coming to pass. It reminds believers of the certainty of God's promises and the reality of His intervention in human history.

Verses 25, 26. - The imagery is slightly varied. The arms of the Egyptian king are described, not as broken, but as feeble. They hang down by his side instead of wielding the sword. I will scatter, etc. The prophet dwells once more, repeating the very words of Ver. 23 and Ezekiel 29:12 with all the emphasis of iteration, on the dispersion which was the almost inevitable sequel of an Oriental conquest. There in the land of exile they should see that they had been fighting against God; and so the prophet ends the chapter with his ever-recurring formula, They shall know that I am Jehovah (Ezekiel 28:26; Ezekiel 29:21).



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I will strengthen
וְהַחֲזַקְתִּ֗י (wə·ha·ḥă·zaq·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 2388: To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer

the arms
זְרֹעוֹת֙ (zə·rō·‘ō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 2220: The arm, the foreleg, force

of Babylon’s
בָּבֶ֔ל (bā·ḇel)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 894: Babylon -- an eastern Mediterranean empire and its capital city

king,
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

but Pharaoh’s
פַּרְעֹ֖ה (par·‘ōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6547: Pharaoh -- a title of Egypt kings

arms
וּזְרֹע֥וֹת (ū·zə·rō·‘ō·wṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 2220: The arm, the foreleg, force

will fall limp.
תִּפֹּ֑לְנָה (tip·pō·lə·nāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

Then they will know
וְֽיָדְע֞וּ (wə·yā·ḏə·‘ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3045: To know

that
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

I
אֲנִ֣י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

am the LORD,
יְהוָ֗ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

when I place
בְּתִתִּ֤י (bə·ṯit·tî)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

My sword
חַרְבִּי֙ (ḥar·bî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

in the hand
בְּיַ֣ד (bə·yaḏ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3027: A hand

of Babylon’s
בָּבֶ֔ל (bā·ḇel)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 894: Babylon -- an eastern Mediterranean empire and its capital city

king,
מֶֽלֶךְ־ (me·leḵ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

and he wields
וְנָטָ֥ה (wə·nā·ṭāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5186: To stretch out, spread out, extend, incline, bend

it against
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

the land
אֶ֥רֶץ (’e·reṣ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 776: Earth, land

of Egypt.
מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (miṣ·rā·yim)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4714: Egypt -- a son of Ham, also his descendants and their country in Northwest Africa


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OT Prophets: Ezekiel 30:25 I will hold up the arms (Ezek. Eze Ezk)
Ezekiel 30:24
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