Ezekiel 30:7-17

7 And they shall be destroyed in the midst of lands made desolate, and the cities thereof shall be in the midst of cities forsaken (and its cities shall be in the midst of deserted cities).
8 And they shall know, that I am the Lord God, when I shall give fire in Egypt (when I shall set Egypt on fire), and all the helpers thereof shall be all-broken.
9 In that day messengers shall go out from my face in ships with three orders of oars, to all-break, [or destroy,] the trust of Ethiopia; and dread shall be in them (as) in the day of Egypt, for without doubt it shall come. (On that day messengers shall go out from before me in ships with three orders of oars, to all-break, or to destroy, the confidence of Ethiopia; and fear shall be upon them like in the day of Egypt, for without doubt it shall come.)
10 The Lord God saith these things, And I shall make to cease the multitude of Egypt in the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. (The Lord God saith these things, And I shall make an end of the multitude of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon.)
11 He and his people with him, the strongest men of heathen men, shall be brought, to lose the land; and they shall draw out their swords on Egypt, and they shall fill the land with slain men. (He and his people with him, the strongest men of the heathen, shall be brought to destroy the land; and they shall draw out their swords against Egypt, and they shall fill the land with the slain.)
12 And I shall make dry the bottoms of floods, and I shall give the land in(to) the hand of the worst men; and I shall destroy the land, and the fullness thereof in the hand of aliens; I the Lord spake. (And I shall dry up the bottoms of the rivers, or the riverbeds, and I shall give the land into the hands, or into the power, of the worst people; and I shall destroy the land, and its fullness, by the hands of foreigners, or of strangers; I the Lord spoke.)
13 The Lord God saith these things, And I shall lose simulacra, and I shall make idols to cease from Memphis, and a duke of the land of Egypt shall no more be. And I shall give dread in the land of Egypt, (The Lord God saith these things, And I shall destroy the idols, and I shall make the idols to cease to exist in Noph, and a prince, or a leader, shall no more be in the land of Egypt. And I shall bring fear into the land of Egypt,)
14 and I shall lose, [or destroy,] the land of Pathros. And I shall give fire in Tanis, and I shall make my dooms in Alexandria. (and I shall destroy the land of Pathros. And I shall set fire to Zoan, and I shall bring in my judgements upon No.)
15 And I shall shed out mine indignation on Pelusium, the strength of Egypt; and I shall slay the multitude of Alexandria, (And I shall pour out my indignation upon Sin, the strength of Egypt; and I shall kill the multitude of No,)
16 and I shall give fire in Egypt. Pelusium, as a woman travailing of child, shall have sorrow, and Alexandria shall be destroyed, and in Memphis shall be each day's anguishes. (and I shall set fire to Egypt. Sin, like a woman labouring with child, shall have sorrow, and No shall be destroyed, and in Noph shall be each day's anguishes.)
17 The young men of Heliopolis and of Bubastis shall fall down by sword, and those cities shall be led captives (and these cities shall go into captivity).

Ezekiel 30:7-17 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.