Ezekiel 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.
a. NLT: Elam lies there surrounded by the graves of all its hordes, those who were slaughtered by the sword. They struck terror in the hearts of people everywhere, but now they have descended as outcasts to the world below. Now they lie in the pit and share the shame of those who have gone before them.
b. NIV: Elam is there, with all her hordes around her grave. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword. All who had spread terror in the land of the living went down uncircumcised to the earth below. They bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.
c. Septuagint: There is Ælam and all his host round about his tomb: all the slain that fell by the sword, and the uncircumcised that go down to the deep of the earth, who caused their fear to be upon the land of the living: and they have received their punishment with them that go down to the pit,
d. Amplified Bible: Elam [an auxiliary of Assyria] is there and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who have gone down uncircumcised into the netherworld, who caused their terror to spread in the land of the living and have borne their shame with those who go down to the pit.
e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: There are Elim and all her multitude around her grave, all of them slain, those fallen by the sword, who descended uncircumcised to the nethermost earth, because they instilled their terror in the Land of Life and they bore their shame with those who descend to the pit.
1. “There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave…”
a. There [is] [Strong: 8033 8033 sham shawm a primitive particle (rather from the relative pronoun, 834); there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence:--in it, + thence, there (-in, + of, + out), + thither, + whither.]
b. Elam [Strong: 5867 ʻÊylâm, ay-lawm'; or עוֹלָם ʻÔwlâm; (Ezra 10:2; Jeremiah 49:36), probably from H5956; hidden, i.e. distant; Elam, a son of Shem and his descendants, with their country; also of six Israelites:—Elam.]
1). Elam was located just northeast of the Persian Gulf in present day Iran. Elam is listed as one of the sons of Shem in Genesis 10:22.
a). Genesis 10:22 “The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram;”
b). Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Chapter 6.4: “Shem, the third son of Noah, had five sons, who inhabited the land that began at Eurphrates, and reached to the Indian Ocean; for Elam left behind him the Elamites, the ancestors of the Persians. Ashur lived at the city of Nineveh; and named his subjects Assyrians, who became the most fortunate nation, beyond others. Arphaxad named the Arphaxadites, who are now called Chaldeans. Aram the Aramites, which the Greeks call Syrians; as Laud founded the Laudites, which are now Lydians.”
c). Elam was a city named after Shem’s son. There is no doubt that the city/state of Elam was associated with the son of Shem. In the war of Genesis 14, Jewish tradition teaches that Chedorlaomer was none other than Elam, Shem’s son. Not only is this probability true, there is a good possibility that Abraham was known to Chedorlaomer and that Chedorlaomer was known to Abram. Ur the city where Abraham grew up is only about 150 miles more or less from Elam, the city and nation descended from Elam, the son of Shem. The point I’m making is that Abraham went to war and defeated an army partially made up of not only Shem’s grandchildren but possibly even his son! Those who were killed in the battle of Genesis 14 are included in this group.
d). Elam as a city/state/province continued into New Testament times. There were even Jewish Elamites at Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9).
c. [and] all [Strong: 3605 kol kole or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]
d. [her] multitude [Strong: 1995 hâmôwn, haw-mone'; or הָמֹן hâmôn; (Ezekiel 5:7), from H1993; a noise, tumult, crowd; also disquietude, wealth:—abundance, company, many, multitude, multiply, noise, riches, rumbling, sounding, store, tumult.]
e. round about [Strong: 5439 çâbîyb, saw-beeb'; or (feminine) סְבִיבָה çᵉbîybâh; from H5437; (as noun) a circle, neighbour, or environs; but chiefly (as adverb, with or without preposition) around:—(place, round) about, circuit, compass, on every side.]
f. [her] grave [Strong: 6900 qᵉbûwrâh, keb-oo-raw'; or קְבֻרָה qᵉburâh; feminine passive participle of H6912; sepulture; (concretely) a sepulchre:—burial, burying place, grave, sepulchre.]
2. “…all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth,
a. all [of them] [Strong: 3605 kol kole or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any (manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole, whoso(-ever).]
b. slain [Strong: 2491 châlâl, khaw-lawl'; from H2490; pierced (especially to death); figuratively, polluted:—kill, profane, slain (man), × slew, (deadly) wounded.]
c. fallen [Strong: 5307 nâphal, naw-fal'; a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):—be accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide (by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall (away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have (inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay (along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (× hast) lost, lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make to) rot, slay, smite out, × surely, throw down.]
d. [by the] sword [Strong: 2719 chereb, kheh'-reb; from H2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement:—axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.]
e. which [Strong: 834 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]
f. [are] gone down [Strong: 3381 yârad, yaw-rad'; a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications):—× abundantly, bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down, fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, × indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to, let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.]
g. uncircumcised [Strong: 6189 ʻârêl, aw-rale'; from H6188; properly, exposed, i.e. projecting loose (as to the prepuce); used only technically, uncircumcised (i.e. still having the prepuce uncurtailed):—uncircumcised (person).]
h. into [Strong: 413 413 'el ale (but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el}); a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).]
i. [the] nether parts [Strong: 8482 tachtîy, takh-tee'; from H8478; lowermost; as noun (feminine plural) the depths (figuratively, a pit, the womb):—low (parts, -er, -er parts, -est), nether (part).] [AMG, Complete Old Testament Word Study Dictionary: An adjective meaning lower, below, lowest…Used as a noun, it refers to what is in the lower parts of the earth.] [According to Blue Letter Bible this word is used 19 times in the Old Testament].
1). Ezekiel 26:20 When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the living;
2). Ezekiel 31:14 To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs, neither their trees stand up in their height, all that drink water: for they are all delivered unto death, to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit.
j. [of the] earth [Strong: 776 ʼerets, eh'-rets; from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):—× common, country, earth, field, ground, land, × natins, way, + wilderness, world.]
3. “…which caused their terror in the land of the living…”
a. which [Strong: 834 834 'aher ash-er' a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.:--X after, X alike, as (soon as), because, X every, for, + forasmuch, + from whence, + how(-soever), X if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), X though, + until, + whatsoever, when, where (+ -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, + whither(- soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.]
b. caused [Strong 5414 nâthan, naw-than'; a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.):—add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, × avenge, × be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, × doubtless, × without fail, fasten, frame, × get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), × have, × indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), lie, lift up, make, O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, × pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), sing, slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, × surely, × take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, weep, willingly, withdraw, would (to) God, yield.]
c. [their] terror [Strong: 2851 chittîyth, khit-teeth'; from H2865; fear:—terror.]
d. [in the] land [Strong: 776 ʼerets, eh'-rets; from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):—× common, country, earth, field, ground, land, × natins, way, + wilderness, world.]
e. [of the] living [Strong: 2416 chay, khah'-ee; from H2421; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively:— age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, merry, multitude, (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.]
1). The terror this army caused stretched for over 200 miles parallel with the Jordan valley and around the bottom of the Dead Sea area. They then exited north up through Dan
4. “…yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit.”
a. [yet they have] borne [Strong: 5375 nâsâʼ, naw-saw'; or נָסָה nâçâh; (Psalm 4:6 [7]), a primitive root; to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative:—accept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable ( man), lade, lay, lift (self) up, lofty, marry, magnify, × needs, obtain, pardon, raise (up), receive, regard, respect, set (up), spare, stir up, swear, take (away, up), × utterly, wear, yield.
b. [heir] shame [Strong: 3639 kᵉlimmâh, kel-im-maw'; from H3637; disgrace:—confusion, dishonour, reproach, shame.]
c. with [Strong: 854 'eth ayth probably from 579; properly, nearness (used only as a preposition or an adverb), near; hence, generally, with, by, at, among, etc.:--against, among, before, by, for, from, in(-to), (out) of, with. Often with another prepositional prefix.]
d. [them who go] down [Strong: 3381 yârad, yaw-rad'; a primitive root; to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications):—× abundantly, bring down, carry down, cast down, (cause to) come(-ing) down, fall (down), get down, go(-ing) down(-ward), hang down, × indeed, let down, light (down), put down (off), (cause to, let) run down, sink, subdue, take down.]
e. [to the] pit [Strong: 953 bôwr, bore; from H952 (in the sense of H877); a pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or a prison):—cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well.] [Blue Letter Bible: Strong's Number H953 matches the Hebrew בּוֹר (bowr),
which occurs 69 times in 64 verses in the Hebrew concordance of the KJV.] [In all of it uses it applies to all of its definitions, but is some instances it clearly refers to the pit in the center of the earth.]
1). The “pit” referred to in this verse is a subterranean chamber, far below the surface of the earth. It is where Korah and his followers went alive into as a judgment of God.
a). Numbers 16:28-33 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the Lord hath not sent me.
30 But if the Lord make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the Lord.
31And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:
32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
2). A portion of it refers to “hell” that Jesus referred to in his teaching concerning the rich man and Lazarus.
a). Luke 16:19-31 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
