Ezekiel 30

A Lament for Egypt

1 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 “Son of man, prophesy and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says: Wail, ‘Alas for that day!’

3 For the day is near, the Day of the LORD is near. It will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. ^[a]

4 A sword will come against Egypt, and there will be anguish in Cush ^[b] when the slain fall in Egypt, its wealth is taken away, and its foundations are torn down.

5 Cush, Put, and Lud, ^[c] and all the various peoples, as well as Libya and the men of the covenant land, will fall with Egypt by the sword.

6 For this is what the LORD says: The allies of Egypt will fall, and her proud strength will collapse. From Migdol to Syene ^[d] they will fall by the sword within her, declares the Lord GOD.

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 shattered.

9 On that day messengers will go out from Me in ships to frighten Cush out of complacency. Anguish will come upon them on the day of Egypt’s doom. ^[e] For it is indeed coming.

10 This is what the Lord GOD says: I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

11 He and his people with him, the most ruthless of the nations, will be brought in to destroy the land. They will draw their swords against Egypt and fill the land with the slain.

12 I will make the streams dry up and sell the land to the wicked. By the hands of foreigners I will bring desolation upon the land and everything in it. I, the LORD, have spoken.

13 This is what the Lord GOD says: I will destroy the idols and put an end to the images in Memphis. ^[f] There will no longer be a prince in Egypt, and I will instill fear in that land.

14 I will lay waste Pathros, set fire to Zoan, and execute judgment on Thebes. ^[g]

15 I will pour out My wrath on Pelusium, ^[h] the stronghold of Egypt, and cut off the crowds of Thebes.

16 I will set fire to Egypt, Pelusium will writhe in anguish, Thebes will be split open, and Memphis will face daily distress.

17 The young men of On and Pi-beseth ^[i] will fall by the sword, and those cities will go into captivity.

18 The day will be darkened in Tahpanhes when I break the yoke of Egypt and her proud strength comes to an end. A cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity.

19 So I will execute judgment on Egypt, and they will know that I am the LORD.”

Pharaoh’s Power Broken

20 In the eleventh year, on the seventh day of the first month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. See, it has not been bound up for healing, or splinted for strength to hold the sword.

22 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break his arms, both the strong one and the one already broken, and will make the sword fall from his hand.

23 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands.

24 I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king and place My sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, who will groan before him like a mortally wounded man.

25 I will strengthen the arms of Babylon’s king, but Pharaoh’s arms will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I place My sword in the hand of Babylon’s king, and he wields it against the land of Egypt.

26 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”

Ezekiel 30 Commentary

Chapter 30

A prophecy against Egypt. (1-19) Another. (20-26)

Verses 1-19 The prophecy of the destruction of Egypt is very full. Those who take their lot with God's enemies, shall be with them in punishment. The king of Babylon and his army shall be instruments of this destruction. God often makes one wicked man a scourge to another. No place in the land of Egypt shall escape the fury of the Chaldeans. The Lord is known by the judgments he executes. Yet these are only present effects of the Divine displeasure, not worthy of our fear, compared with the wrath to come, from which Jesus delivers his people.

Verses 20-26 Egypt shall grow weaker and weaker. If lesser judgments do not prevail to humble and reform sinners, God will send greater. God justly breaks that power which is abused, either to put wrongs upon people, or to put cheats upon them. Babylon shall grow stronger. In vain do men endeavour to bind up the arm the Lord is pleased to break, and to strengthen those whom he will bring down. Those who disregard the discoveries of his truth and mercy, shall know his power and justice, in the punishment for their sins.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew does not include of doom.
• [b]. That is, the upper Nile region; also in verses 5 and 9
• [c]. Or Lydia
• [d]. That is, Aswan; see Isaiah 49:12
• [e]. Hebrew the day of Egypt
• [f]. LXX; Hebrew Noph; also in verse 16
• [g]. Hebrew No; also in verses 15 and 16
• [h]. Hebrew Sin; also in verse 16
• [i]. That is, Heliopolis and Bubastis, as in LXX; Hebrew Aven and Pi-beseth

Chapter Summary

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.