Ezekiel 30:1-10

A Lament Over Egypt

1 The word of the LORD came to me:

2 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “ ‘Wail and say, “Alas for that day!”

3 For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near— a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations.

4 A sword will come against Egypt, and anguish will come upon Cush.^[a]When the slain fall in Egypt, her wealth will be carried away and her foundations torn down.

5 Cush and Libya, Lydia and all Arabia, Kub and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.

6 “ ‘This is what the LORD says: “ ‘The allies of Egypt will fall and her proud strength will fail. From Migdol to Aswan they will fall by the sword within her, declares the Sovereign LORD.

7 “ ‘They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities.

8 Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I set fire to Egypt and all her helpers are crushed.

9 “ ‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush out of her complacency. Anguish will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come.

10 “ ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: “ ‘I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

Ezekiel 30:1-10 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 30

This chapter is a continuation of the prophecy against Egypt, both against the country and the king of it. It is introduced with expressions of lamentation, because of the destruction coming on, Eze 30:1-3, and not only Egypt, and the cities thereof, should be destroyed, but all her friends, associates, and allies; the Ethiopians, Lydians, Lybians, and others, Eze 30:4-9. Nebuchadnezzar and his army were to be the instruments of her ruin, Eze 30:10-12, particular cities are mentioned by name, which should suffer much, and become desolate, Eze 30:13-19 and then Pharaoh king of Egypt himself is threatened with broken arms, and his people to be scattered among the nations, Eze 30:20-23, and the king of Babylon is again mentioned, whose arms should be strengthened to do all this, Eze 30:24-26.

Cross References

• 1. S Isaiah 13:6; James 5:1
• 2. S Ezekiel 7:7; Joel 1:15; Joel 2:1,11; Obadiah 1:15
• 3. ver 18; S Ezekiel 7:12,19; Ezekiel 32:7; Ezekiel 34:12
• 4. Jeremiah 25:19; Daniel 11:43
• 5. S Genesis 10:6; S Ezekiel 29:10
• 6. S Ezekiel 29:19
• 7. S Ezekiel 27:10
• 8. S 2 Chronicles 9:14
• 9. Jeremiah 25:20
• 10. Nahum 3:9
• 11. Ezekiel 29:10
• 12. S Ezekiel 29:12
• 13. S Jeremiah 49:27; Ezekiel 39:6; Am 1:4,7,10; Nahum 1:6
• 14. S Ezekiel 29:9
• 15. S Genesis 10:6; Isaiah 18:1-2
• 16. Isaiah 23:5
• 17. Ezekiel 32:9-10; Zephaniah 2:12
• 18. Jeremiah 39:1
• 19. S Ezekiel 29:19

Footnotes

• [a]. That is, the upper Nile region; also in verses 5 and 9