יחזקאל, פרק ל״ב, פסוק י״ח

A dark vision of collapse unfolds as a mighty power and its allies plunge into total destruction. The prophet is instructed to cry out and wail, delivering a message about the final fate of strong nations falling from greatness to death and oblivion [רש״י, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Yet, this command to mourn is not a genuine expression of sadness over Egypt's ruin, as the prophet will actually rejoice at its downfall. Rather, God instructs him to deliver the prophecy in the traditional style of a lament, adopting the tone and language of mourners to paint a vivid picture of the coming disaster [רד״ק, אברבנאל].

Through the very act of speaking, the prophet is tasked with bringing the nation down. By wielding the power of his prophecy, he strips Egypt of its greatness [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אברבנאל], mapping out its certain ruin within the story of the lament [מצודת דוד]. The kingdom of Egypt itself is the primary target of this downfall [ביאור שטיינזלץ], destined to be the first to fall into oblivion [מצודת דוד].

However, Egypt will not fall alone. It is joined by other communities and mighty kingdoms [רד״ק, מצודת ציון] that will also lose their legacy and fall from their heights of power [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The gathering of these nations points to a massive future war in the days of the Messiah. In this conflict, powerful empires will arrive to assist and avenge Egypt, but ultimately, they will all fall together as casualties on the battlefield [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל].

The final destination for these fallen empires is the lowest depths. The primary approach among commentators is that this refers to physical death, as the casualties descend into the grave and the world of the dead [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אברבנאל], losing their historical presence entirely [רד״ק]. Alongside this physical ruin, there is a deeper spiritual layer to their descent. God reveals to the prophet that this is not merely a military defeat. It is a profound punishment, a descent into Hell and ultimate destruction reserved for Egypt and for anyone who denies the truth of prophecy [רש״י].