Ezekiel 29:13 (KJV)

What does Ezekiel 29:13 mean?

Ezekiel 29:13 says that after forty years, God will bring the Egyptians back from the places where they were scattered. This verse promises that Egypt’s time of hardship and exile will not last forever, but will end after a set period.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Ezekiel to announce what will happen to Egypt after a time of judgment. The context is a prophecy against Egypt, where God declares that the Egyptians will be scattered among other nations, but after forty years, He will gather them again. This shows both a warning of coming trouble and a hint of future restoration for Egypt.

The Hebrew behind Ezekiel 29:13

• "gather" (קָבַץ, qavats): This word means to collect or bring together. Here, it emphasizes that God Himself will actively bring the Egyptians back from their scattered places, not just allow them to return on their own.
• "scattered" (פָּרַץ, parats): This word is about being dispersed or spread out. It highlights the severity of Egypt’s coming exile, showing that the people will be widely dispersed among many nations.
• "forty" (אַרְבָּעִים, arba‘im): The number forty often represents a period of testing or judgment in the Bible. Its use here suggests that Egypt’s scattering is not random but has a set, meaningful duration.

Why Ezekiel 29:13 matters

• This verse clarifies that God’s judgment on Egypt is not permanent; there is a set limit, showing both justice and mercy.
• The mention of forty years links Egypt’s experience to other biblical periods of testing, like Israel’s forty years in the wilderness, helping readers see a pattern in how God deals with nations.
• Ezekiel 29:13 sets up the following verses, where the nature of Egypt’s restoration is described in more detail, showing that their return will be humble and not a full return to former glory.