Yechezkel 29

1 9 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the Devar Hashem came unto me, saying,

2 Ben adam, set thy face against Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim, and prophesy against him, and against all Mitzrayim:

3 Speak, and say, Thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Hineni, I am against thee, Pharaoh Melech Mitzrayim, the great monster that lieth in the midst of his channels, which hath said, My Nile is mine own, and I have made it for myself.

4 But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the dag (fish) of thy channels to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy river channels, and all the dag (fish) of thy channels shall stick unto thy scales.

5 And I will throw thee out into the midbar, thee and all the dag (fish) of thy river channels; thou shalt fall upon the open sadeh; thou shalt not be picked up together, nor gathered; I have given thee for food to the beasts of ha’aretz and to the oph HaShomayim.

6 And all the inhabitants of Mitzrayim shall know that I am Hashem, because they have been mishenet kaneh (a staff of reed) to Bais Yisroel.

7 When they took hold of thee by thy palm, thou didst splinter, and tear all their katef (shoulder); and when they leaned upon thee, thou broke, and madest all their loins unsteady.

8 Therefore thus saith Adonoi Hashem: Hineni, I will bring a cherev upon thee, and cut off adam and behemah from thee.

9 And Eretz Mitzrayim shall be desolate and in ruins; and they shall know that I am Hashem; because he hath said, The Nile is Mine, and I have made it.

10 Hineni, therefore I am against thee, and against thy river channels, and I will make Eretz Mitzrayim utterly ruins and desolate, from Migdol to Aswan even unto the border of Kush.

11 No regel of adam shall pass through it, nor regel of behemah shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited arba’im shanah.

12 And I will make Eretz Mitzrayim desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her towns among the towns that are laid waste shall be desolate arba’im shanah; and I will scatter the Mitzrayim among the Goyim, and will disperse them through the countries.

13 Yet thus saith Adonoi Hashem: At the end of arba’im shanah will I gather Mitzrayim from the peoples where they were scattered;

14 And I will bring back the captives of Mitzrayim, and will cause them to return into Eretz Patros, into the land of their ancestry; and they shall be there a lowly mamlachah.

15 It shall be the shefalah (lowliest) of the mamlechot; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the Goyim; for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the Goyim.

16 And it shall be no more the confidence of Bais Yisroel, but shall bring their avon to remembrance, when they turned toward them; but they shall know that I am Adonoi Hashem.

17 And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the Davar Hashem came unto me, saying,

18 Ben adam, Nevuchadretzar Melech Bavel caused his army to avodah gedolah (labor strenuously) against Tzor (Tyre); every rosh was rubbed bare, and every katef (shoulder) was rubbed raw; yet had he no sachar (pay), nor his army, from Tzor (Tyre), for the avodah that he had served against it;

19 Therefore thus saith Adonoi Hashem; Hineni, I will give Eretz Mitzrayim unto Nevuchadretzar Melech Bavel; and he shall take her wealth, and take her plunder, and pillage her booty; and it shall be the sachar (wages) for his army.

20 I have given him Eretz Mitzrayim as his pay for which he worked, because they worked for Me, saith Adonoi Hashem.

21 In that day will I cause the keren (horn, strength) of Bais Yisroel to atzmiach (branch, sprout), and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am Hashem.

Yechezkel 29 Commentary

Chapter 29

The desolation of Egypt. (1-16) Also a promise of mercy to Israel. (17-21)

Verses 1-16 Worldly, carnal minds pride themselves in their property, forgetting that whatever we have, we received it from God, and should use it for God. Why, then, do we boast? Self is the great idol which all the world worships, in contempt of God and his sovereignty. God can force men out of that in which they are most secure and easy. Such a one, and all that cleave to him, shall perish together. Thus end men's pride, presumption, and carnal security. The Lord is against those who do harm to his people, and still more against those who lead them into sin. Egypt shall be a kingdom again, but it shall be the basest of the kingdoms; it shall have little wealth and power. History shows the complete fulfilment of this prophecy. God, not only in justice, but in wisdom and goodness to us, breaks the creature-stays on which we lean, that they may be no more our confidence.

Verses 17-21 The besiegers of Tyre obtained little plunder. But when God employs ambitious or covetous men, he will recompense them according to the desires of their hearts; for every man shall have his reward. God had mercy in store for the house of Israel soon after. The history of nations best explains ancient prophecies. All events fulfil the Scriptures. Thus, in the deepest scenes of adversity, the Lord sows the seed of our future prosperity. Happy are those who desire his favour, grace, and image; they will delight in his service, and not covet any earthly recompence; and the blessings they have chosen shall be sure to them for ever.

Chapter Summary

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.