Ezekiel 29:17-21

17 It came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first [month], in the first [day] of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

18 Son of man, Nevukhadretztzar king of Bavel caused his army to serve a great service against Tzor: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was worn; yet had he no wages, nor his army, from Tzor, for the service that he had served against it.

19 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will give the land of Mitzrayim to Nevukhadretztzar king of Bavel; and he shall carry off her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.

20 I have given him the land of Mitzrayim as his recompense for which he served, because they worked for me, says the Lord GOD.

21 In that day will I cause a horn to bud forth to the house of Yisra'el, and I will give you the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 29:17-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 29

This chapter contains a prophecy against Pharaoh king of Egypt; and of the destruction of the land of Egypt; and of the restoration of it after a certain time. The time of prophecy is noted, Eze 29:1, the order to prophesy against Pharaoh, who is described as a large fish, lying in his rivers, and boasting of them, Eze 29:2,3, his destruction and the manner of it, Eze 29:4,5, the reason of it, his treachery to the Jews, Eze 29:6,7, hence the whole land of Egypt is threatened with desolation, from one end to the other, so as to be uninhabited by man or beast for the space of forty years, Eze 29:8-14, but shall not arrive to their former glory as a kingdom, nor be any more the confidence of the house of Israel, Eze 29:15,16, then follows a prophecy seventeen years after this, showing the reason why Egypt was given to the king of Babylon, Eze 29:17-20, and the chapter is closed with a promise of happiness to Israel, Eze 29:21.