Ezekiel 32:27

they shall not lie LXX. Syr. omit the neg.: and they are laidwith the giants. Ew. would retain the neg., reading as an interrogation with an affirmative sense: and shall they not lie with …?, which is not very natural.

fallen of the uncircumcised LXX. fallen of old. This reading has considerable probability, although the other reading might stand. Some scholars would also alter "fallen" (nophelim) into Nephilim (cf. R. V. Genesis 6:4); an unnecessary change. For "hell" read Sheòl.

they have laid their swords they laid (indeterminate subj.) equivalent to the passive: and their swords were laid.

but their … shall be and their iniquities were. The reference is still to the "mighty;" to change the subject spoken of, making the clause refer to Meshech and Tubal, is most unnatural.

thoughthey were the terror because the terror of the mighty was in the land. The clause explains the preceding, as for ex. why their iniquities were upon their bones, and would certainly be easier if the reading had been: because the terror of their mightwas, as the Syr. reads, precisely as in Ezekiel 32:29. So Hitz. Corn. (Possibly geburamshould be read; cf. Hosea 13:2, and often with fem. nouns.)

Ezekiel 32:27 is difficult. The reading "they shall not lie with the mighty" suggests the idea that the mighty who fell of old, and went down to Sheòl in full armour, and had their swords laid under their heads, occupy a more honourable place in Sheòl than such a rout as Meshech and Tubal, who are counted unworthy to lie beside them. This idea is not probable in itself, and cannot be reconciled with other parts of the verse. The last clause "because the terror of the mighty (or, of their might) was in the land of the living" ascribes the same sin to these mighty as is charged against Asshur and the rest (Ezekiel 32:23, &c.), and for which they bear their shame. Again, the phrase "their iniquities were upon their bones" can have no other meaning than that their evil and violence were interred with their bones, and continued to cleave to them that they went down unhouselled, disappointed, unaneled, cut off in the blossom of their sin. The conjecture of Corn. "their shieldswere upon their bones" is altogether destitute of probability. LXX. renders "giants," as it does Genesis 6:4, and possibly it thought of the antediluvian race. The prophet may have had this race in his mind, but more probably his reference is a wider one (cf. Ezekiel 32:12; Ezekiel 39:18; Ezekiel 39:20). Even if he referred to the giants before the Flood, it is anything but likely, with Genesis 6 before him and with his moral temper, that he would assign an honourable place in Sheòl to those violent desperadoes. The weird touch "went down to Sheòl in their weapons of war, and had their swords laid under their heads," probably means that the manner of their death and burial was in keeping with the violence and bloodshed which was the occupation of their life. The usages and sentiments of chivalry were not yet known to Ezekiel. The clause should, therefore, probably be read positively.