All of Ezekiel 32:22 can be summarized in one sentence by noting that it shows how even a mighty empire like Assyria is ultimately laid low in judgment and gathered among the dead.
“Assyria is there and all her company; their graves are round about her. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword,” (v.22). Here, the prophet Ezekiel describes Assyria’s presence among the dead, emphasizing that this once-mighty empire has shared the fate of those it conquered. Assyria, whose main region lay in what is now northern Iraq around the Tigris River, dominated much of the Near East from the 900s BC and conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722 BC. Its great capital, Nineveh, ultimately fell in 612 BC to the Babylonians. In this lament, the prophet pictures Assyria as lying in the realm of the departed with its “graves” gathered around it, calling attention to how even the most powerful of nations cannot escape divine judgment.
By stating that “All of them are slain, fallen by the sword,” (v.22) Ezekiel conveys that military might and worldly renown offer no safeguard against God’s sovereign hand. Those who reign supreme through violence often meet the same end they have inflicted on others. The image of the fallen nation, situated eternally in death’s domain, recalls the broader symbolism in Ezekiel where destructive forces—like “jackals,” known as scavengers to be found in places of ruin—foreshadow the certainty of judgment for those who defy the LORD’s standards (see Ezekiel 32:2 cited in commentary on Micah 1:8, where jackals represent desolation).
Ezekiel’s prophecy thereby reminds us of the fleeting nature of earthly glory. Assyria’s downfall aligns with the biblical theme that pride and cruelty lead to swift downfall, as “pride goes before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18). The graves encircling the once-proud empire signal a dramatic reversal, encouraging all to place their trust not in earthly power but in the One who holds power over life and death.
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Ezekiel 32:22 meaning
“Assyria is there and all her company; their graves are round about her. All of them are slain, fallen by the sword,” (v.22). Here, the prophet Ezekiel describes Assyria’s presence among the dead, emphasizing that this once-mighty empire has shared the fate of those it conquered. Assyria, whose main region lay in what is now northern Iraq around the Tigris River, dominated much of the Near East from the 900s BC and conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722 BC. Its great capital, Nineveh, ultimately fell in 612 BC to the Babylonians. In this lament, the prophet pictures Assyria as lying in the realm of the departed with its “graves” gathered around it, calling attention to how even the most powerful of nations cannot escape divine judgment.
By stating that “All of them are slain, fallen by the sword,” (v.22) Ezekiel conveys that military might and worldly renown offer no safeguard against God’s sovereign hand. Those who reign supreme through violence often meet the same end they have inflicted on others. The image of the fallen nation, situated eternally in death’s domain, recalls the broader symbolism in Ezekiel where destructive forces—like “jackals,” known as scavengers to be found in places of ruin—foreshadow the certainty of judgment for those who defy the LORD’s standards (see Ezekiel 32:2 cited in commentary on Micah 1:8, where jackals represent desolation).
Ezekiel’s prophecy thereby reminds us of the fleeting nature of earthly glory. Assyria’s downfall aligns with the biblical theme that pride and cruelty lead to swift downfall, as “pride goes before destruction” (Proverbs 16:18). The graves encircling the once-proud empire signal a dramatic reversal, encouraging all to place their trust not in earthly power but in the One who holds power over life and death.