Ezekiel 30:9

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.)

Ezekiel 30:9 Meaning and Commentary

Ezekiel 30:9

In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships
Either by the river Nile, or by the Red sea, to Arabia Felix, which some think is meant by Ethiopia. Cush or Ethiopia was encompassed about with water, so that there was no coming to it but by ships; see ( Genesis 2:13 ) , compare with this ( Isaiah 18:1 Isaiah 18:2 ) , the messengers here were either such who under a divine impulse, or however by the providence of God, were directed to go to Ethiopia, and tell them the news of the destruction of Egypt; or these were messengers sent by the king of Babylon, to demand a surrender of their country to him; or it may design him himself, and his army, who marched thither to subdue that country also, after the conquest of Egypt. So the Targum,

``at that time messengers shall go forth from before me with legions;''

and because all this was by the appointment and providence of God, they are represented as messengers sent by him: to make the careless Ethiopians afraid;
with the news of the fall of Egypt their confederate, and of a mighty army coming against them; who had dwelt securely and confidently, at ease and unconcerned, without any sense of danger, or fear of any enemy: and great pain shall come upon them, as in the day of Egypt;
either as of old, when the plagues were on Egypt, and especially when they were drowning in the Red sea; or as of late, when the sword was in Egypt, and ravaging there: for, lo, it cometh;
the same day was coming on them as came on Egypt, the day of the Lord, a cloudy one, and the time of the Heathen; it was certain, just at hand, and there was no escaping it; see ( Ezekiel 30:3 Ezekiel 30:4 ) .

Ezekiel 30:9 In-Context

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.)