Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezekiel 32:24

"There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, who caused their terror in the land of the living, and have borne their shame with them that go down to the pit." — Ezekiel 32:24 (ASV)

There is Elam.— Jeremiah had already prophesied against Elam twelve years before (Jeremiah 49:34). Elam is substantially equivalent to Persia, and had been repeatedly conquered by Assyria and Chaldea. It was a fierce and warlike nation, and its soldiers had long served in Nebuchadnezzar’s army. It was by the aid of Persia that he had succeeded in overthrowing Assyria. It was by a subsequent union of the same Power with the Medes that the Babylonian power was overthrown. Not until after that union did Persia become a very prominent nation.

It continued a great Power until its conquest by Alexander. The prophet is therefore anticipating the events of the future when he represents Elam as already in the pit. But, as stated before, his thought looks on to the ultimate result, without making prominent the comparative dates of the future. It is possible, however, to separate Elam from Persia to such an extent as to view the former as one of those nations from whose ruins the latter arose, and in this case Elam was already past. The former interpretation seems preferable.