Chapter 32 of Yechezkel concludes the series of prophecies of destruction concerning Egypt, and it is divided into two prophecies: the first is a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt, filled with parables and imagery drawn from the animal kingdom and the realm of Egyptian belief; and the second, from verse 17 onward, is an enigmatic prophecy concerning the End of Days, the War of Gog and Magog, and the downfall of all the nations that will come to wage war against Jerusalem. We will follow the order of the pesukim according to the commentary of the Malbim.
וַֽיְהִי בִּשְׁתֵּי עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה בִּשְׁנֵי־עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הָיָה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹר׃ - And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first of the month, that the word of Hashem came to me, saying:
This refers to the twelfth year of the reign of Tzidkiyahu, which is to say, one year after the Churban.
בֶּן־אָדָם שָׂא קִינָה עַל־פַּרְעֹה מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַיִם וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו כְּפִיר גּוֹיִם נִדְמֵיתָ וְאַתָּה כַּתַּנִּים בַּיַּמִּים וַתָּגַח בְּנַהֲרוֹתֶיךָ וַתִּדְלַח־מַיִם בְּרַגְלֶיךָ וַתִּרְפֹּס נַהֲרוֹתָם׃ - Son of man, take up a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him: You were likened to a young lion among the nations, yet you are like a monster in the seas; you burst forth in your rivers, muddied the waters with your feet, and fouled their rivers.
The prophecy is stern and rich in imagery: a young lion, a sea monster, and one who muddies the water with his feet. The Malbim explains that Pharaoh resembles a young lion on the one hand, and a sea monster on the other. The Malbim explains in several places the difference between a mature lion (*aryeh*) and a young lion (*kefir*): a mature lion roams far and wide to hunt prey; a young lion lacks the boldness to venture far in search of prey, and instead lurks in its lair, waiting for an animal to pass by, pouncing upon it, and dragging it inside.
Therefore, the prophet tells him: In the eyes of the nations, you are considered a young lion, as it is not your way to venture out and conquer distant lands, nor do you cause widespread damage far away. Yet despite this, you still do harm, harming all your neighbors, and in this you are like a monster in the seas. The Egyptians believed that the great sea monster - that is, the crocodile - was sacred and ruled over the waters, and we have already seen Pharaoh referred to by this name throughout an entire prophecy. They believed that when it churns up the water with its feet, it causes all the rivers to surge and empty their waters into the Nile. Thus Pharaoh, who is allegorized as the crocodile in the Nile, believed that he was a god and that this power was under his control.
And the message behind the parable: Although on land you are like a young lion that does not venture beyond its borders, in the seas you have wrought great damage. You conquered the nations dwelling along the Euphrates River and the seacoast, drawing all their abundance to yourself, just as the Nile draws to itself the flow of the rivers. Consequently, those rivers were depleted and their waters fouled, for when there is upheaval and churning in the waters, the silt at the bottom rises to the surface. "You burst forth" (*vatagach*) - the Malbim explains this as related to *gachon* (belly): you lie on your belly in your rivers, stamping with your feet and roiling the waters, so that all the bounty flows into the river of Egypt.
And why does the pasuk say "like a monster in the seas" and not in the Nile? The Malbim explains that the Egyptians believed the deity governing the sea was in conflict with the deity governing the Nile. The prophet comes and says: You consider yourself a monster that rules even over the seas, not just over the rivers, and from this assumption you took license to seize control over all the nations surrounding you.
כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה וּפָרַשְׂתִּי עָלֶיךָ אֶת־רִשְׁתִּי בִּקְהַל עַמִּים רַבִּים וְהֶעֱלוּךָ בְּחֶרְמִי׃ - Thus said the Lord Hashem: I will spread My net over you with an assembly of many peoples, and they shall haul you up in My dragnet.
What is the difference between a reshet (net) and a cherem (snare or dragnet)? The Targum explains cherem as related to a woven mesh, which is also a type of net. However, the Malbim explains: a standard net (reshet) was spread across the surface of the water to impede the fish from swimming forward, and spreading it required many people to stretch it from several directions. Yet a large fish cannot be caught in an ordinary net, for it simply tears through it without paying it any heed. Therefore, to capture a large fish one needs a cherem, and the Malbim explains that a cherem is a deadly trap that destroys and kills it. In plain terms, it refers to a giant hook or harpoons hurled at the giant fish to kill it, and it is more likely referring to a massive baited hook cast to hook the fish, pull it, and draw it out. The lesson is clear: through stratagems, Pharaoh will be drawn out of his land to do battle with the king of Babylon, and this is the meaning of "and they shall haul you up in My net (cherem)."
וּנְטַשְׁתִּיךָ בָאָרֶץ עַל־פְּנֵי הַשָּׂדֶה אֲטִילֶךָ וְהִשְׁכַּנְתִּי עָלֶיךָ כׇּל־עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהִשְׁבַּעְתִּי מִמְּךָ חַיַּת כׇּל־הָאָרֶץ׃ - And I will cast you upon the land; I will hurl you upon the face of the field, and I will cause all the birds of the heavens to settle upon you, and I will sate the beasts of the entire earth from you.
You are comparable to a fish that dies the moment it reaches dry land. There is no need for any action to kill it; its very arrival on dry land brings its death. So too, when I abandon you upon the open field, you will die there on your own. Afterwards, just as when a whale is beached on the shore and dies, the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth come to feed upon its flesh. The meaning is straightforward: when Pharaoh falls, everyone will swoop down upon the spoil, rushing to seize the plunder of Egypt. Although Egypt is currently regarded as a mighty empire, once it lies as a defeated carcass, the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth will come to feast upon its remains.
וְנָתַתִּי אֶת־בְּשָׂרְךָ עַל־הֶהָרִים וּמִלֵּאתִי הַגֵּאָיוֹת רָמוּתֶךָ׃ - And I will lay your flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with your height.
"Your flesh" - the Radak explains: the flesh of your slain soldiers, for the prophecy addresses Pharaoh and his armies. And how will the flesh of the slain end up upon the mountains? Some explain that they will try to flee to the mountains to hide, and the enemy will pursue them and slaughter them there. Others explain in continuation of the previous imagery: the birds of prey take the flesh and carry it off to the mountains, devouring it there.
And what is the meaning of "ramutekha"? The Radak explains that the ravines and valleys will be so filled with the flesh of the slain that they will become as elevated as a plateau or a mountain (ramah). Others interpret it from the root of loftiness and arrogance (romemut): you took pride in your vast legions and mighty army, so I will fill the valleys with those in whom you exalted and took pride, and you will see their corpses filling the gorges. Rashi explains it as "your casting down," from the same root as "ramah vayam" (cast into the sea), an expression of hurling, as in the Talmudic expressions "raminan ahadadi" and "ureminhu", which describe casting one thing against another. (Note: in almost all printed editions of Rashi, the word appears erroneously as "השכלתך", which is a clear typographical transposition of letters; the correct reading is "השלכתך" - your casting down). Another explanation, cited by Rashi and also adopted by the Malbim: "ramutekha" is related to "rimotekha", from the word for maggots and worms (rimah vetole'ah), as in "vayarom tola'im vayiv'ash" ("and it bred worms and rotted"). That is, your flesh will be cast upon the mountains, and the valleys will be filled with the maggots and worms that consume the corpses of your slain.
וְהִשְׁקֵיתִי אֶרֶץ צָפָתְךָ מִדָּמְךָ אֶל־הֶהָרִים וַאֲפִקִים יִמָּלְאוּן מִמֶּךָּ׃ - And I will water the land of your overflow with your blood, even to the mountains, and the riverbeds shall be filled from you.
The blood will flow toward the mountains, and it will be so abundant that it will drench the earth and even fill the channels - the beds through which streams flow - rushing through them like mighty waters. The Malbim explains that Pharaoh will suffer several downfalls, and here the first downfall is described: his fall outside his land. This corresponds to what was stated earlier in chapter 29, "And I will put hooks in your jaws... and I will leave you in the wilderness," indicating that they will draw him out beyond his borders, and there his first defeat will take place.
וְכִסֵּיתִי בְכַבּוֹתְךָ שָׁמַיִם וְהִקְדַּרְתִּי אֶת־כֹּכְבֵיהֶם שֶׁמֶשׁ בֶּעָנָן אֲכַסֶּנּוּ וְיָרֵחַ לֹא־יָאִיר אוֹרוֹ׃ - And when I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens and darken their stars; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon will not shed its light.
Rashi explains: When your fire is extinguished, just like an extinguished candle produces smoke, smoke will rise and cover the heavens and darken the luminaries. The meaning of this is that everyone who hears of your downfall will mourn and be astonished. Each one will say in his heart: If Pharaoh has fallen, what will become of us? If a flame has caught among the cedars, their world will turn dark at the news, for if they succeeded in conquering Pharaoh, the king of Babylon will surely come against them as well.
The Malbim explains that here we move to Pharaoh's second downfall, which occurs inside his own land, as explained in chapter 29, verse 8. In order to understand the allegory, one must understand the religious belief of Egypt: they believed that their light and star ruled the heavens, being the head of all stars and luminaries, and the strongest of all. We have already explained previously that they believed the lamb was a deity, and that through its power they would defeat all their enemies. Therefore, the Exodus from Egypt took place specifically in the month of Nisan, whose astrological sign is Aries (the Ram), and specifically on the fifteenth of the month, which is the time when Aries is at the height of its elevation and its power is at its peak, like the full moon - to demonstrate that even at the very height of their foolish belief, the Holy One, blessed be He, redeems Israel.
So too here: they believed that the light of their star would never be extinguished, and that if a cloud were to obscure it, not only would their star be darkened, but a great smoke would rise and dim all the luminaries of heaven. In simple terms: if we are here, then the world exists; and if we are not, no one exists. This perception persisted among them, says the Malbim, because in Egypt the stars of their twilight were never dimmed, since there are no clouds or rain there, so they could boast that their star would shine forever.
And according to their imagination, the prophet speaks to them: "And when I extinguish you, I will cover the heavens" - an allegory for the first destruction in the land of Egypt, when their light was dimmed somewhat. Where is your star? Where is the god that is supposed to save you? Look, you have fallen. And then, according to their belief, smoke, mist, and cloud emerge, the stars darken, and the sun and moon are covered and do not shine below. He also hinted that the darkness does not affect only you, but also all those whom you thought would be your helpers and allies - their light was also darkened, and they will not be able to help you.
כׇּל־מְאוֹרֵי אוֹר בַּשָּׁמַיִם אַקְדִּירֵם עָלֶיךָ וְנָתַתִּי חֹשֶׁךְ עַל־אַרְצְךָ נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה׃ - All the bright luminaries in the heavens I will darken over you, and I will place darkness upon your land, says the Lord God.
In the next stage, the light will be extinguished completely. Not merely a cover of clouds blocking the light from below, but "in the heavens I will darken them" - absolute darkness at the very source, so that even in heaven they will have no light. And then, "and I will place darkness upon your land", not like a cloud where some light still remains, for a cloudy day is not night, but total darkness. This is an allegory for the final destruction of Egypt, which was darkness and gloom, utter ruin and desolation.
וְהִכְעַסְתִּי לֵב עַמִּים רַבִּים בַּהֲבִיאִי שִׁבְרְךָ בַּגּוֹיִם עַל־אֲרָצוֹת אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יְדַעְתָּם׃ - And I will anger the heart of many peoples when I bring your ruin among the nations, unto lands that you have not known.
The Malbim mentions here a distinction he has repeated several times: a *goy* generally refers to the lesser nations, which are not organized with a kingdom and a king; while an *am* is a populace with an organized monarchy, a king, ruler, and leader. At first, the *amim* who have a king will be angered, because the ruin of Egypt spread further and also reached the lesser *goyim* that were under Egypt, and they too fell and their land was destroyed. From there the matter spread to "lands that you have not known", as the Chaldean army, after arriving in Egypt, continued with an appetite for additional lands, and they too were stricken by the blow of their arm. Thus, not only Egypt will be stricken, but many peoples along with it.
וַהֲשִׁמּוֹתִי עָלֶיךָ עַמִּים רַבִּים וּמַלְכֵיהֶם יִשְׂעֲרוּ עָלֶיךָ שַׂעַר בְּעוֹפְפִי חַרְבִּי עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם וְחָרְדוּ לִרְגָעִים אִישׁ לְנַפְשׁוֹ בְּיוֹם מַפַּלְתֶּךָ׃ - And I will make many peoples appalled at you, and their kings will shudder with horror over you when I brandish My sword before their faces; and they will tremble every moment, each man for his own life, on the day of your downfall.
The peoples, who have a king - their kings will be angered, and not with an internal anger that remains in the heart, but with a tempest and desolation. And what is "My sword"? The king of Babylon is the sword of the Holy One, blessed be He, just as it says, "Woe, Assyria, the rod of My anger", where Assyria is the staff with which the Holy One, blessed be He, strikes in His time of anger. So too here, when Hashem wishes to strike Egypt, Babylon is the sword in His hand. And when the sword is brandished over them and before their faces, they will tremble at every moment, each man for his own life, lest the downfall reach him as well and the sword strike him too.
כִּי כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה חֶרֶב מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל תְּבוֹאֶךָ׃ - For thus said the Lord God: The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon you.
Notice the vocalization: the letters of Beged-Kefet at the beginning of a word ordinarily take a dagesh, so it would properly be "koh" with a dagesh. However, when preceded by a conjunct open syllable ending in an Ahvi vowel letter, the dagesh drops, which is why in most places we read "ki choh amar". But this applies only when the words are connected conjunctively; here, the word "ki" carries a disjunctive accent mark (a ta'am mafsik), so the default rule returns and the word "koh" receives a dagesh.
As for the substance, here begins the nimshal, the historical reality behind the parable. "The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon you" corresponds to the first poetic image, where the king of Babylon attacks Pharaoh while he is outside his own country, and there, after drawing him into the net, slaughters his armies.
בְּחַרְבוֹת גִּבּוֹרִים אַפִּיל הֲמוֹנֶךָ עָרִיצֵי גוֹיִם כֻּלָּם וְשָׁדְדוּ אֶת־גְּאוֹן מִצְרַיִם וְנִשְׁמַד כׇּל־הֲמוֹנָהּ׃ - By the swords of the mighty will I cause your multitude to fall, all of them the most ruthless of nations; and they shall plunder the pride of Egypt, and all its multitude shall be destroyed.
"By the swords of the mighty will I cause your multitude to fall" is the second stage, when the king of Babylon enters Egypt itself and slaughters vast numbers there, bringing down the multitude within Egypt. "And all its multitude shall be destroyed" is the culmination, the final devastation that leaves nothing of them behind, which the prophet now goes on to describe.
וְהַאֲבַדְתִּי אֶת־כׇּל־בְּהֶמְתָּהּ מֵעַל מַיִם רַבִּים וְלֹא תִדְלָחֵם רֶגֶל־אָדָם עוֹד וּפַרְסוֹת בְּהֵמָה לֹא תִדְלָחֵם׃ - I will also destroy all its beasts from beside the many waters; no foot of man shall muddy them anymore, nor shall the hooves of beasts muddy them.
The reality following the destruction: the Malbim explains that Egypt remained desolate for forty years, the Nile ran dry, and neither the foot of man nor beast traversed it, as described in chapter 29. There was no one left to roil the river - neither the great crocodile lying within it and fouling the water with its feet, nor the feet of man and beast from the outside. And when there is no one to roil the waters - that is, to stir them up and churn the silt from the bottom - the waters flow in tranquility.
אָז אַשְׁקִיעַ מֵימֵיהֶם וְנַהֲרוֹתָם כַּשֶּׁמֶן אוֹלִיךְ נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה׃ - Then will I cause their waters to settle, and lead their rivers like oil, says the Lord God.
I will cause the waters of the rivers to settle and make them flow like oil, which glides along gently and quietly, free of turbulence, thick and clear of silt and impurities. The meaning behind the metaphor: the king of Egypt will no longer plunder the bounty of the surrounding nations. Until now, the Nile churned up the silt from below and drew into itself the wealth of every river and stream; henceforth, the rivers will rest and flow peacefully, no longer funneling their resources into the Nile. They will find rest, and the king of Egypt will neither rule over them nor hold them in servitude.
בְּתִתִּי אֶת־אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׁמָמָה וּנְשַׁמָּה אֶרֶץ מִמְּלֹאָהּ בְּהַכּוֹתִי אֶת־כׇּל־יוֹשְׁבֵי בָהּ וְיָדְעוּ כִּי־אֲנִי יְהֹוָה׃ - When I make the land of Egypt desolate, and the land is stripped of all that fills it, when I strike down all who dwell in it, then they shall know that I am Hashem.
"Desolate" (neshammah) is another expression for desolation, even more severe than the first, indicating two stages: first desolation (shemamah), and then, in the final destruction, total desolation (neshammah). The land will be empty, devoid of inhabitants to fill it. Regarding "a land of its fullness," Rashi explains that a land presently filled with all good things will become a wasteland. And then, "and they shall know that I am the Lord" - that I am faithful to repay all who caused anguish and all who did evil.
קִינָה הִיא וְקוֹנְנוּהָ בְּנוֹת הַגּוֹיִם תְּקוֹנֵנָּה אוֹתָהּ עַל־מִצְרַיִם וְעַל־כׇּל־הֲמוֹנָהּ תְּקוֹנֵנָּה אוֹתָהּ נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה׃ - This is a lamentation, and they shall lament her; the daughters of the nations shall lament her; they shall lament her over Egypt and over all her multitude, says the Lord God.
The word for lamentation (kinah) is mentioned here three times. The Malbim explains that over the entire episode from start to finish - the downfall of Egypt in three stages - they will compose a lament, with weeping and mourning as one mourns over the dead. Over the first downfall, when Pharaoh and his armies were drawn out of their land and cast down into the wilderness, it is said: "This is a lamentation, and they shall lament her." They will lament over the young lion and the monster of the seas, over the sea monster cast out into the wilderness while all the birds of the heavens and beasts of the earth settle upon it.
Over the second downfall, when the Chaldeans actually entered their land, it is said: "The daughters of the nations shall lament her." At that point, Egypt did not fall alone; many other nations fell with her, all her allies and helpers, resulting in a collective lament. "Daughters" does not necessarily mean female daughters; rather, it is used in the sense of "Judah and its daughters" or "let the daughters of Judah rejoice," referring to surrounding towns and villages, as the Targum translates, "its villages." Alternatively, it can be understood literally, as it was customary for women to serve as mourners. The primary point, following the Malbim, is that the sword struck the surrounding regions as well, which is why the daughters of the nations lament. There, they mourned over the stars, the sun, and the moon covered by cloud, for the great luminary - Egypt - was obscured.
Over the third destruction, when all of Egypt was devastated and remained a desolate wilderness for forty years, it is said: "They shall lament her over Egypt and over all her multitude." Then they lamented that all the luminaries of the heavens were darkened, and over the gloom and darkness that settled upon Egypt. The Malbim makes a precise observation: why is it that in the third destruction as well, those who lament are the daughters of the nations and not Egypt itself? Because Egypt ceases to exist. As we have seen, it was to be utterly wiped out and left completely desolate; no one from the Egyptian multitude remained to lament, leaving only the other nations to witness their downfall and lament over them.
וַיְהִי בִּשְׁתֵּי עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר לַחֹדֶשׁ הָיָה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹר׃ - And it came to pass in the twelfth year, on the fifteenth of the month, that the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
The Malbim notes that this prophecy is deeply obscure, and its intent is difficult to discern. The Abarbanel already pointed out that it is a future prophecy concerning the End of Days, during the era of Gog and Magog, when all the nations will gather against Jerusalem; and indeed, this is true. However, the Abarbanel's approach to the era of Gog is different, and the Malbim explains it according to his own path.
The Malbim explains as follows: When Israel returns to its land, the nations are destined to gather to conquer Jerusalem. Gog, the prince of Meshech and Tubal, will come from the lands of the north and west - these are the uncircumcised known as Edom. Meshech and Tubal are descendants of Japheth living in Europe, as Yosippon wrote some two thousand years ago. Alongside them will be Persia, Cush, and Put, as well as the house of Togarmah; these are affiliated with Ishmael, all of whom are circumcised and adhere to the faith of Islam. They will assemble together with the children of Edom to conquer the land from Israel. However, upon their arrival, pandemonium will break out among them and they will turn against one another - Edom and Ishmael against each other - because their faiths are divided. There Hashem will judge them with sword and blood, as will be explained in chapter 38 and in Zechariah chapter 14.
Consider how astonishing this is: Two hundred years ago, when the Malbim wrote this, who spoke of religious wars between world powers? That was not the subject of discussion at all. Yet today, precisely in an era of peak modern progress, wars are religious wars. What are the Arab nations fighting Europe and America over? At its core, it is a religious war. The banner carried by Bin Laden was the banner of religion, and he labeled the Americans "the infidels." A clash between the supposedly enlightened world and what is represented by them as a world of darkness, which is the faith of the children of Ishmael. "Their faiths are divided," exactly as the Malbim phrased it.
From this point onward, beginning in verse 18, the prophet describes what will become of those who come to this war: how they will all go to perdition, stumble, and fall here on the soil of the Land of Israel, exacting vengeance upon one another. For us, this represents retribution against both sides, for both oppressed us - Ishmael as well as Edom, the Greeks and the descendants of Japheth who destroyed the Beis HaMikdash, the Assyrians who devastated the First Temple era, and all the afflictions they caused us throughout the generations. Here they will pay the price, warring with one another and destroying each other.
בֶּן־אָדָם נְהֵה עַל־הֲמוֹן מִצְרַיִם וְהוֹרִדֵהוּ אוֹתָהּ וּבְנוֹת גּוֹיִם אַדִּרִם אֶל־אֶרֶץ תַּחְתִּיּוֹת אֶת־יוֹרְדֵי בוֹר׃ - "Son of man, wail over the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, her and the daughters of mighty nations, to the netherworld, with those who descend into the pit."
"Wail" means to prophesy over them, and cast them down against their will. "And the daughters of mighty nations" refers to the children of Edom, who are the mighty ones. Even today, the descendants of Edom are the mighty: the greatest superpower in the world is America. Numerically, China is larger, as is India, but when speaking of a superpower, of weapons and strength, America is considered the leading superpower, and it stems from Edom. "The multitude of Egypt" refers to Egypt and their allies, Assyria and Elam, who are associated with the circumcised, the Ishmaelites. And all of them will descend to the netherworld, to the grave; they will all end up in graves, and neither side will emerge victorious in the war.
מִמִּי נָעָמְתָּ רְדָה וְהׇשְׁכְּבָה אֶת־עֲרֵלִים׃ - "Whom are you more pleasant than? Go down and lie with the uncircumcised."
Whom are you more pleasant or important than, that you should imagine you will have a pleasant and fine end and not descend into the pit? Go down and lie there in the grave with the uncircumcised.
בְּתוֹךְ חַלְלֵי־חֶרֶב יִפֹּלוּ חֶרֶב נִתָּנָה מָשְׁכוּ אוֹתָהּ וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנֶיהָ׃ - "They shall fall in the midst of those slain by the sword; she is delivered to the sword; they dragged her away and all her multitudes."
They too will fall with you in the war between you, and you will lie together with them in the grave. And the meaning of "they dragged her away and all her multitudes" is that the slain of the sword will drag down into the grave all those who started the war. That is to say, both sides will perish - a battle in which they kill one another. Simply speaking, one could say this is the principle of nuclear war. In a war fought with swords, it is uncommon for both sides to die; one prevails while the other falls. But if one side launches an atomic bomb and the other side sees it and launches back, both sides are obliterated, and there are no victors in such a war. This is what is meant by falling and dragging others along: "If I fall, I will drag him down into the pit after me so that he dies with me."
יְדַבְּרוּ־לוֹ אֵלֵי גִבּוֹרִים מִתּוֹךְ שְׁאוֹל אֶת־עֹזְרָיו יָרְדוּ שָׁכְבוּ הָעֲרֵלִים חַלְלֵי־חָרֶב׃ - "The mightiest of warriors shall speak to him out of the midst of the underworld with his helpers: 'They have gone down, they lie still, the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.'"
"The mightiest of warriors" refers to the powerful leaders, as in the phrase "the mighty of the land" (eilei ha'aretz). And from within the underworld, they will drag them down and draw the slain of the sword inside along with them.
שָׁם אַשּׁוּר וְכׇל־קְהָלָהּ סְבִיבוֹתָיו קִבְרֹתָיו כֻּלָּם חֲלָלִים הַנֹּפְלִים בֶּחָרֶב׃ - "Assyria is there and all her assembly, its graves around it, all of them slain, fallen by the sword."
They too will be slain, falling together with those Ishmaelites - who are Egypt and all its multitude - and together with Edom. All the allies and helpers will share in those graves destined for all the nations that come to wage war.
אֲשֶׁר נִתְּנוּ קִבְרֹתֶיהָ בְּיַרְכְּתֵי־בוֹר וַיְהִי קְהָלָהּ סְבִיבוֹת קְבֻרָתָהּ כֻּלָּם חֲלָלִים נֹפְלִים בַּחֶרֶב אֲשֶׁר־נָתְנוּ חִתִּית בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים׃ - Whose graves are set in the uttermost parts of the pit, and her assembly is round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who cast their terror in the land of the living.
Assyria already came here once before, in the days of Sennacherib, and one hundred and eighty-five thousand troop commanders were killed, and their burial was around Jerusalem. And this is the meaning of "Whose graves are set in the uttermost parts of the pit": historically, the graves of Assyria were already placed in the corner of the pit. Your grandfather already lies there, and you who have come once again to war will join him and become part of those very graves, gathering around that same burial site of Sennacherib's army.
And what is the meaning of "who cast their terror in the land of the living"? Our Sages use this expression for someone who casts excessive fear, and it is even said of a community leader that he is forbidden to cast his terror in the land of the living - for even if he is a leader, he must guide his people with lovingkindness. These nations, however, cast their dread and terror across the land of the living, and therefore they will arrive here to be judged for it.
שָׁם עֵילָם וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנָהּ סְבִיבוֹת קְבֻרָתָהּ כֻּלָּם חֲלָלִים הַנֹּפְלִים בַּחֶרֶב אֲשֶׁר־יָרְדוּ עֲרֵלִים אֶל־אֶרֶץ תַּחְתִּיּוֹת אֲשֶׁר נָתְנוּ חִתִּיתָם בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים וַיִּשְׂאוּ כְלִמָּתָם אֶת־יוֹרְדֵי בוֹר׃ - There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who have gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, who caused their terror in the land of the living; and they bore their shame with those who go down to the pit.
Elam is Persia, Persia and Media. They will gather around its burial ground to take their vengeance; after seeing what happened to Egypt, they will come to fight and avenge Egypt. In the end, however, they will all be slain; even those who came to help and avenge the fallen will die as well. And why will so many of Elam be killed? The Malbim explains that this comes upon them because they cast their terror in the land of the living, for they destroyed the Second Temple, and for this their punishment will come.
בְּתוֹךְ חֲלָלִים נָתְנוּ מִשְׁכָּב לָהּ בְּכׇל־הֲמוֹנָהּ סְבִיבוֹתָיו קִבְרֹתֶהָ כֻּלָּם עֲרֵלִים חַלְלֵי־חֶרֶב כִּי־נִתַּן חִתִּיתָם בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים וַיִּשְׂאוּ כְלִמָּתָם אֶת־יוֹרְדֵי בוֹר בְּתוֹךְ חֲלָלִים נִתָּן׃ - 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 uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for their terror was cast in the land of the living, and they bore their shame with those who go down to the pit; he is placed in the midst of the slain.
Here the Malbim notes something very interesting: it is well known that among circumcised people, being buried alongside the uncircumcised is considered a disgrace. In the eyes of the Ishmaelites as well, Edomites are considered contemptible because they are uncircumcised and unrectified. And this is why it is said that by being buried alongside them, "they bore their shame." They were placed among the slain of Edom, whom they view as base and defiled, and they will be buried together with them. It is known that among the Ishmaelites, when they wish to prevent a dead person from reaching their concept of paradise, they wrap him in pigskin. If that is so with pigskin, all the more so is burial alongside the uncircumcised - whom they view as ritually unclean - a great disgrace for them. This is the meaning of "and they bore their shame with those who go down to the pit; he is placed in the midst of the slain" - they will share the same pit with the uncircumcised slain.
שָׁם מֶשֶׁךְ תֻּבַל וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנָהּ סְבִיבוֹתָיו קִבְרוֹתֶיהָ כֻּלָּם עֲרֵלִים מְחֻלְלֵי חֶרֶב כִּי־נָתְנוּ חִתִּיתָם בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים׃ - There is Meshech, Tuval, and all her multitude, her graves are round about him, all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; though they caused their terror in the land of the living.
And who are these uncircumcised peoples with whom Egypt, Assyria, and Elam will fight? Meshech and Tuval and all their multitude - that is the army of Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tuval, and all its surroundings. These are the additional uncircumcised nations in the coalition coming to war against Ishmael. And all of them are "slain by the sword" (mechullei cherev), from the root chalalim, like those pierced by the sword, because they cast their terror in the land of the living and brought grief upon the people of Israel.
וְלֹא יִשְׁכְּבוּ אֶת־גִּבּוֹרִים נֹפְלִים מֵעֲרֵלִים אֲשֶׁר יָרְדוּ־שְׁאוֹל בִּכְלֵי־מִלְחַמְתָּם וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת־חַרְבוֹתָם תַּחַת רָאשֵׁיהֶם וַתְּהִי עֲוֺנֹתָם עַל־עַצְמוֹתָם כִּי־חִתִּית גִּבּוֹרִים בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים׃ - And they shall not lie with the fallen warriors of the uncircumcised, who descended to the Netherworld with their weapons of war, who placed their swords beneath their heads, but their iniquities were upon their bones, for the terror of the mighty was in the land of the living.
The Malbim explains that the nations had a custom: whenever a warrior succeeded in battle, triumphed, and then fell during the fighting, his sword would be placed beneath his head at his burial as a sign of honor, declaring that he died a hero's death in war, not an ordinary demise. Here, however, it is foretold that this will not be their fate: they will not lie with the heroes, nor will a sword be placed beneath their heads for glory, because they will lie with the uncircumcised and be buried alongside them. Furthermore, "their iniquities were upon their bones," because they struck terror in the land of the living. Thus, they will suffer great disgrace, and their death itself comes as punishment for their deeds, for having oppressed the people of Israel.
וְאַתָּה בְּתוֹךְ עֲרֵלִים תִּשָּׁבַר וְתִשְׁכַּב אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חָרֶב׃ - And you, among the uncircumcised you shall be broken, and you shall lie with those slain by the sword.
The prophecy was originally directed toward Pharaoh - "Lament over the multitude of Egypt," "Whom do you surpass in beauty?" - as the prophet addresses the king and his entire horde. Now he turns back to him: you too, Pharaoh, will be cast among the uncircumcised, among Meshech and Tuval, who are nations of Edom, and with them you shall lie, buried right beside them, suffering that very same humiliation.
שָׁמָּה אֱדוֹם מְלָכֶיהָ וְכׇל־נְשִׂיאֶיהָ אֲשֶׁר־נִתְּנוּ בִגְבוּרָתָם אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חָרֶב הֵמָּה אֶת־עֲרֵלִים יִשְׁכָּבוּ וְאֶת־יֹרְדֵי בוֹר׃ - There is Edom, her kings and all her princes, who in their might are laid with those slain by the sword; they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with those who descend into the pit.
Here the text speaks of another stage of the war: Edom and its kings will advance to fight and take vengeance for what happened earlier, for what the Ishmaelites did to the nations of Europe, seeking to retaliate and restore their honor. Yet the very same fate will befall them as the others: "they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with those who descend into the pit."
The Malbim summarizes that three wars will take place here, across three distinct stages: the first consists of Egypt, Meshech, and Tuval; then Assyria wages war against Edom; and the third war is fought by Elam against the princes of the north, who likewise refer to Europe. This explains the teaching of Chazal that Gog will come three separate times, for we clearly observe three rounds of battle here. However, we have no definitive knowledge of how this will play out: whether in distinct intervals or in rapid succession. It may be that one campaign concludes and the second begins immediately, followed swiftly by the third, or it may unfold over a longer span of time. Yet the specific count of three is derived from here, from these three cycles of warfare.
שָׁמָּה נְסִיכֵי צָפוֹן כֻּלָּם וְכׇל־צִדֹנִי אֲשֶׁר־יָרְדוּ אֶת־חֲלָלִים בְּחִתִּיתָם מִגְּבוּרָתָם בּוֹשִׁים וַיִּשְׁכְּבוּ עֲרֵלִים אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חֶרֶב וַיִּשְׂאוּ כְלִמָּתָם אֶת־יוֹרְדֵי בוֹר׃ - There are all the princes of the north, and all the Tzidonians, who have descended with the slain; in the terror caused by their might they are ashamed, and they lie uncircumcised with those slain by the sword, and bear their shame with those who descend into the pit.
Next will come the princes of the north and the Tzidonians, who will be struck down by the camp of Elam. They will not fight with valor, which is the meaning of "in the terror caused by their might they are ashamed" - they will face deep humiliation on the battlefield for failing to fight heroically. They will lie among the uncircumcised, fallen by the sword of the camp of Elam, perishing there in battle as well.
אוֹתָם יִרְאֶה פַרְעֹה וְנִחַם עַל־כׇּל־הֲמוֹנֹה חַלְלֵי־חֶרֶב פַּרְעֹה וְכׇל־חֵילוֹ נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה׃ - Pharaoh shall see them and be consoled for all his multitude, Pharaoh and all his army slain by the sword, says the Lord Hashem.
Pharaoh will see all these slain, and he will find consolation over his multitude. For initially Pharaoh and his people will suffer a massive defeat, but when he sees that the opposing side has also fallen, he will be comforted. If the opposing side triumphs valiantly while the first side flees for its life, it is a disgrace; but when the opposing side also falls and falters just like him, his mind is somewhat at ease. This is the meaning of "he will be consoled over all his multitude" - that he will take comfort in the death of his multitude upon seeing that those who fought against him also fall.
כִּי־נָתַתִּי אֶת־חִתִּיתִי בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים וְהֻשְׁכַּב בְּתוֹךְ עֲרֵלִים אֶת־חַלְלֵי־חֶרֶב פַּרְעֹה וְכׇל־הֲמוֹנֹה נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה׃ - For I have set My terror in the land of the living, and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with those slain by the sword, Pharaoh and all his multitude, says the Lord Hashem.
As it were, the Holy One, Blessed is He, comes and says: Until now you, the nations, struck your terror in the land of the living; but now, when Hashem comes to judge them, "I have set My terror in the land of the living" - I will demonstrate My power in the land of the living. Through this, the Name of Hashem will be magnified and sanctified in the world, as the prophecy concludes in chapter 38.
Chapter 32 opens with a lamentation over Pharaoh, who is depicted as a young lion that does not venture beyond its borders, yet like a sea-monster that draws into itself the abundance of all the rivers. The Holy One, Blessed is He, spreads a net over him and hauls him up in a dragnet, removes him from his land, and casts him down, and then strikes his land into complete desolation through three blows corresponding to three laments. The second part of the chapter, an enigmatic prophecy regarding the end of days, depicts the War of Gog and Magog according to the Malbim: a coalition of the uncircumcised nations of Edom alongside the circumcised nations of Ishmael, which will come to conquer Jerusalem from Israel, and will fall in an internal war that erupts between them due to their conflicting faiths. All of them will descend to the underworld, laid in disgrace among the uncircumcised rather than dying the death of warriors, their iniquity remaining upon their bones for having struck their terror in the land of the living and tormenting Israel. In the end, the ultimate purpose of it all is revealed: "For I have set My terror in the land of the living" - that the Holy One, Blessed is He, will reveal His power in the world, and His Name will be magnified and sanctified.