Yechezkel 29:6

6 And all the inhabitants of Mitzrayim shall know that I am Hashem, because they have been mishenet kaneh (a staff of reed) to Bais Yisroel.

Yechezkel 29:6 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 29:6

And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the Lord,
&c.] Who could eject their king from his kingdom, and deliver him into the hands of his enemy; though he thought no God could, as he boastingly said, before observed: because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel;
alluding to the country of Egypt, which abounded with reeds that grew upon the banks of the river Nile, and other rivers. This signifies that either the Egyptians were weak, and could not help the people of Israel when they applied to them; or rather that they were treacherous and deceitful, and would not assist them, according to agreement; and were even pernicious and hurtful to them, as a broken reed; see ( Isaiah 36:6 ) . The Targum renders it, ``the staff of a reed broken.''

Yechezkel 29:6 In-Context

4 But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the dag (fish) of thy channels to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy river channels, and all the dag (fish) of thy channels shall stick unto thy scales.

5 And I will throw thee out into the midbar, thee and all the dag (fish) of thy river channels; thou shalt fall upon the open sadeh; thou shalt not be picked up together, nor gathered; I have given thee for food to the beasts of ha’aretz and to the oph HaShomayim.

6 And all the inhabitants of Mitzrayim shall know that I am Hashem, because they have been mishenet kaneh (a staff of reed) to Bais Yisroel.

7 When they took hold of thee by thy palm, thou didst splinter, and tear all their katef (shoulder); and when they leaned upon thee, thou broke, and madest all their loins unsteady.

8 Therefore thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Hineni, I will bring a cherev upon thee, and cut off adam and behemah from thee.