יחזקאל, פרק ל״ב, פסוק כ׳

A prophecy of absolute ruin foresees the complete downfall of Egypt, sealing its fate to share the tragic end of other nations defeated in battle. The Egyptian people are destined to fall as casualties alongside the rest of those killed in war. This repetition of impending death is a common feature of prophetic poetry [מצודת דוד, רד״ק]. There is widespread agreement that the nation of Egypt has been entirely handed over and surrendered to the sword.

Within this vision of destruction, a specific command is issued, though there are different perspectives on the action required [רד״ק, מנחת שי]. One approach suggests that the order is directed at the killers, instructing them to drag Egypt and its massive crowds directly to the sword [מצודת דוד], or to pull the fallen nation down into the depths of the underworld [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Conversely, a different perspective shifts the focus away from dragging the people. Instead, the command is interpreted as an order to simply draw and pull out the sword itself [מלבי״ם].