Ezekiel 29:5-15

5 I will cast you forth into the wilderness, you and all the fish of your rivers: you shall fall on the open field; you shall not be brought together, nor gathered; I have given you for food to the animals of the eretz and to the birds of the sky.

6 All the inhabitants of Mitzrayim shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Yisra'el.

7 When they took hold of you by your hand, you did break, and did tear all their shoulders; and when they leaned on you, you broke, and mad all their loins to be at a stand.

8 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will bring a sword on you, and will cut off from you man and animal.

9 The land of Mitzrayim shall be a desolation and a waste; and they shall know that I am the LORD. Because he has said, The river is mine, and I have made it;

10 therefore, behold, I am against you, and against your rivers, and I will make the land of Mitzrayim an utter waste and desolation, from Migdol to Seven even to the border of Kush.

11 No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of animal shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.

12 I will make the land of Mitzrayim a desolation in the midst of the countries that are desolate; and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be a desolation forty years; and I will scatter the Mitzrim among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.

13 For thus says the Lord GOD: At the end of forty years will I gather the Mitzrim from the peoples where they were scattered;

14 and I will bring back the captivity of Mitzrayim, and will cause them to return into the land of Patros, into the land of their birth; and they shall be there a base kingdom.

15 It shall be the base of the kingdoms; neither shall it any more lift itself up above the nations: and I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.

Ezekiel 29:5-15 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.