How can we lament for each and every loss, beyond our family and friends circle? Can we?
This is our ambitious human invitation - to transcend tribal ties, if only through grief - and lean into love of all who suffer.
Ezekiel devotes the entire midsection of his book of prophecies to chapters that rebuke the nations surrounding Judea, including these long chapters that promise Egypt the worst punishments possible.
This chapter concludes these harsh words to the world, and today’s chapter echoes with keening and lamentation - beyond words. Even as Ezekiel pours wrath about Egypt for its arrogance and failure to support Jerusalem - he does not gloat or celebrate their future deaths, but rather, he invites the world - esp. the women - to join the dirge and lamentation.
Why does he not celebrate the destruction of his enemy? What is the purpose for lamenting the loss of those who stood by as your people were destroyed?
The date of this prophecy helps unpack some of the context -- it is happening just as Jerusalem is in its final days before Babylonian conquest. Perhaps the rage here is covered up with horror, and perhaps the need to lament the tragic fate of war transcends tribal fidelity?
בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם שָׂ֤א קִינָה֙ עַל־פַּרְעֹ֣ה מֶלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֔יִם וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֔יו כְּפִ֥יר גּוֹיִ֖ם נִדְמֵ֑יתָ וְאַתָּה֙ כַּתַּנִּ֣ים בַּיַּמִּ֔ים וַתָּ֣גַח בְּנַהֲרוֹתֶ֗יךָ וַתִּדְלַח־מַ֙יִם֙ בְּרַגְלֶ֔יךָ וַתִּרְפֹּ֖ס נַהֲרוֹתָֽם׃ {ס}
O mortal, intone a dirge over Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Say to him: O great beast among the nations, you are doomed! You are like the dragon in the seas,
Thrusting through their streams, Stirring up the water with your feet And muddying their streams!
קִינָ֥ה הִיא֙ וְק֣וֹנְנ֔וּהָ בְּנ֥וֹת הַגּוֹיִ֖ם תְּקוֹנֵ֣נָּה אוֹתָ֑הּ עַל־מִצְרַ֤יִם וְעַל־כׇּל־הֲמוֹנָהּ֙ תְּקוֹנֵ֣נָּה אוֹתָ֔הּ נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃
“ This is a lament, and it shall be lamented;
The women of the nations shall lament it,
They shall intone it over Egypt and all her multitude
—YHWH declares.”
Hear the voices of the women, weeping, keening, lamenting and mourning the loss of Egypt - and the loss of so many lives. The expression ‘slain by sword’ shows up twelve times in this chapter, as the multitude of corpses pile up in the underworld.
Does Ezekiel suggest human empathy even with one’s enemy? Perhaps.
Vincent Calabrese suggests that there is more here to explore, especially in the context of war:
Once again, the words of Ezekiel, whatever their “Ezekiel leaves no doubt that these deaths were necessary — the defeat of these warriors who “struck terror in the land of the living” is what makes possible the new, messianic society to which the last part of the book is dedicated. One thing which is striking, though, about these prophecies, is the lack of any note of celebration in this catalogue of death and destruction. Indeed, again and again Ezekiel’s visions are described in tones which are explicitly mournful: “This is a dirge, and it shall be intoned; the women of the nations shall intone it, they shall intone it over Egypt and all her multitude —declares the Lord GOD” (32:16). Though destruction may be in some sense necessary, it is a cause for sorrow in the eyes of God, and ought to be so in our eyes as well...Though destruction may sometimes be necessary, we should never forget that death is always a cause for mourning.”
original intent may have been, meet our tragic reality, as so many new losses and heartbreaking deaths continue to complicate the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palstinians. Ezekiel does not stop at the border when it comes to grief. And yet it is important to notice that he does not leave us any words of criticism against Babylon - the empire that controls his daily being and his fate.
Ezekiel did not just say these words to terrify the Egyptians - if they even heard them at all. He is first and foremost talking to his people - reminding them of the role Egypt played in Jerusalem’s fall - convincing them to trust in Babylon -- but also reminding them and us of the human dimensions of these bloody wars.
He reminds us of the importance of devoting time to the sacred healing art of grief.
And also: However we handle our empathy and solidarity, loyalties and fidelity to tribe and family, nation and home -- maybe Ezekiel is telling us something important here, and especially as we begin to wrap up Hanukkah: The duty of the human heart is to love and to grieve, to care and to grow, to add light in the world -- beyond borders and nationalities, finding the words and the tunes, gestures and acts to help us lament all loses, and together, work for healing, consolation, hope and peace.
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