A common misinterpretation of Ezekiel 29:20 is to view it as divine endorsement of imperial conquest or plunder as a righteous means of gain, ignoring the specific context of God's judicial use of Nebuchadnezzar to punish sinful nations like Egypt and Tyre; others erroneously apply it to justify modern wars or political aggressions as God's will, overlooking that the reward was temporary and earthly, not a blanket approval of the king's motives or methods, which elsewhere in Scripture are condemned.
Ezekiel 29:20
King James Version (1769)
20 I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord God.
In Ezekiel 29:20, God declares that He has sovereignly granted Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon as compensation for the king's exhaustive efforts in serving God's purposes against Tyre and other nations, even though Nebuchadnezzar was unaware of acting on divine behalf; this underscores God's absolute control over world empires, using pagan rulers as instruments of judgment while ensuring their labors are not unrewarded, highlighting divine justice and providence in history.