Ezekiel 30

A Song of Sadness About Egypt

1 A message came to me from the Lord. He said,

2 "Son of man, prophesy. Say, 'The LORD and King says, " ' "Cry out, 'A terrible day is coming!'

3 The day is near. The day of the LORD is coming. It will be a cloudy day. The nations have been sentenced to die.

4 I will send Nebuchadnezzar's sword against Egypt. Cush will suffer terribly. Many will die in Egypt. Then its wealth will be carried away. Its foundations will be torn down.

5 The people of Cush, Put, Lydia, Libya and the whole land of Arabia will be killed with swords. So will the Jews who live in Egypt. They went there from the covenant land of Israel. And the Egyptians will die too." ' "

6 The LORD says, "Those who were going to help Egypt will die. The strength Egypt was so proud of will fail. Its people will be killed with swords from Migdol all the way to Aswan," announces the LORD and King.

7 "Egypt will be more empty than any other land. Its cities will be completely destroyed.

8 I will set Egypt on fire. All those who came to help it will be crushed. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

9 "At that time I will send messengers out in ships. They will terrify the people of Cush who are so contented. Cush will suffer greatly when Egypt falls. And you can be sure it will fall."

10 The LORD and King says, "I will put an end to the huge armies of Egypt. I will use Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia, to do it.

11 He and his armies will attack the land and destroy it. They will not show its people any pity at all. They will use their swords against Egypt. They will fill the land with dead bodies.

12 I will dry up the streams of the Nile River. I will sell the land to evil men. I will use the powerful hands of strangers to destroy the land and everything in it. "I have spoken. I am the Lord."

13 The LORD and King says, "I will destroy the statues of Egypt's gods. I will put an end to the gods the people in Memphis worship. Egypt will not have princes anymore. I will spread fear all through the land.

14 I will completely destroy Upper Egypt. I will set Zoan on fire. I will punish Thebes.

15 I will pour out my burning anger on Pelusium. It is a fort in eastern Egypt. I will cut off the huge army of Thebes.

16 I will set Egypt on fire. Pelusium will groan with terrible pain. Thebes will be ripped apart. Memphis will suffer greatly because of everything that happens.

17 The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis will be killed with swords. Their people will be taken away as prisoners.

18 I will break Egypt's power over other lands. That will be a dark day for Tahpanhes. There the strength Egypt was so proud of will come to an end. Egypt will be covered with clouds. The people in its villages will be taken away as prisoners.

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.

24 "I will make the arms of the king of Babylonia stronger. I will put my sword in his hand. But I will break the arms of Pharaoh. And he will groan in front of Nebuchadnezzar. He will cry out like someone dying from his wounds.

25 I will make the arms of the king of Babylonia stronger. But the arms of Pharaoh will not be able to help Egypt. I will put my sword in Nebuchadnezzar's hand. He will get ready to use it against Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

26 "I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations. I will send them to other countries. 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.

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.