Ezekiel 30:21

21 "Son of man, I have broken the powerful arm of Pharaoh Hophra, the king of Egypt. No bandages have been put on his arm to heal it. It has not been put in a cast. So his arm will not be strong enough to use a sword.

Ezekiel 30:21 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 30:21

Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt,
&c.] Not Pharaohnecho, king of Egypt, whose army was overthrown at Carchemish by the king of Babylon, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim; when the latter took from the former all that belonged to him between the river of Egypt and the river Euphrates; by which he was so weakened and dispirited, that he could not stir any more out of his own land, ( Jeremiah 46:2 ) ( 2 Kings 24:7 ) and of him Jarchi and Kimchi interpret it; but Pharaohhophra, or Apries, who was defeated by the Cyreneans, and saved himself by flight; (See Gill on Ezekiel 29:4): and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind
it;
a metaphor taken from chirurgeons, who, having set broken bones, put on a bandage or rollers of linen, or such like stuff, to keep them tight; but nothing of this kind should be done; hereby suggesting that Egypt should receive such a blow or wound as would be incurable; see ( Jeremiah 46:11 ) : to make it strong to hold the sword;
which it should not be able to do, or to make war any more, at least with success, or to defend itself.

Ezekiel 30:21 In-Context

19 So I will punish Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord."

20 It was the 11th year since King Jehoiachin had been brought to Babylon as a prisoner. On the seventh day of the first month, a message came to me from the Lord. He said,

21 "Son of man, I have broken the powerful arm of Pharaoh Hophra, the king of Egypt. No bandages have been put on his arm to heal it. It has not been put in a cast. So his arm will not be strong enough to use a sword.

22 I am against Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. I will break both of his arms. I will break his healthy arm and his broken one. His sword will fall from his hand.

23 I will scatter the people of Egypt among the nations. I will send them to other countries.