EZEKIEL 30 COMMENTARYEDITED BY GLENN PEASE

A Lament Over Egypt

1 The word of the Lord came to me:

BARNES, "Third prophecy Ezek. 30:1-19 against Egypt, probably to be connected with the previous verses (compare Eze_30:10 with the Eze_29:17-21 note). Some consider it to belong to the earlier part of Ezek. 29 (compare Eze_29:10, Eze_29:12 with Eze_30:5-6).

GILL, "The word of the Lord came again unto me,.... Whether this prophecy was delivered about the time of that in the former part of the preceding chapter, namely, in the tenth year, tenth month, and twelfth day of it; or whether about the time that was which is recorded in the latter part of the chapter, in the seven and twentieth year of Jehoiachin's captivity, is not easy to say; I am inclined to think it was about the time of the latter, since the time of the fulfilment of it is said to be near, Eze_30:3,

HENRY, "The prophecy of the destruction of Egypt is here very full and particular, as well as, in the general, very frightful. What can protect a provoking people when the righteous God comes forth to contend with them?

JAMISON, "Eze_30:1-26. Continuation of the prophecies against Egypt.Two distinct messages:

(1) At Eze_30:1-19, a repetition of Eze_29:1-16, with fuller details of lifelike distinctness. The date is probably not long after that mentioned in Eze_29:17, on the eve of Nebuchadnezzar’s march against Egypt after subjugating Tyre.(2)A vision relating directly to Pharaoh and the overthrow of his kingdom; communicated at an earlier date, the seventh of the first

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month of the eleventh year. Not a year after the date in Eze_29:1, and three months before the taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar.

K&D 1-5, "Announcement of the judgment upon Egypt and its allies. -Eze_30:1. And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, Eze_30:2. Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Howl ye! Woe to the day! Eze_30:3. For the day is near, the day of Jehovah near, a day of cloud, the time of the heathen will it be. Eze_30:4. And the sword will come upon Egypt, and there will be pangs in Ethiopia, when the slain fall in Egypt, and they take her possessions, and her foundations are destroyed. Eze_30:5. Ethiopians and Libyans and Lydians, and all the rabble, and Chub, and the sons of the covenant land, will fall by the sword with them. - In the announcement of the judgment in Eze_30:2 and Eze_30:3, Ezekiel rests upon Joe_1:13, Joe_1:15, and Joe_2:2, where the designation already applied to the judgment upon the heathen world by Obadiah, viz., “the day of Jehovah” (Oba_1:15), is followed by such a picture of the nearness and terrible nature of that day, that even Isaiah (Isa_13:6, Isa_13:9) and Zephaniah (Zep_1:7, Zep_1:14) appropriate the words of Joel. Ezekiel also does the same, with this exception, that he uses הה instead of אהה, and adds to the force of the expression by the repetition of ב קר ם In Eze_30:3, the .יwords from ם י ענן to יהיה are not to be taken together as forming one sentence, “a day of cloud will the time of the nations be” (De Wette), because the idea of a “time of the nations” has not been mentioned before, so as to prepare the way for a description of its real nature here. ם י ענן and עת ים ג contain two co-ordinate affirmations concerning the day of Jehovah. It will be a day of cloud, i.e., of great calamity (as in Joe_2:2), and a time of the heathen, i.e., when heathen (ים ג without the article) are judged, when their might is to be shattered (cf. Isa_13:22). This day is coming upon Egypt, which is to succumb to the sword. Ethiopia will be so terrified at this, that it will writhe convulsively with anguish (חלחלה, as in Nah_2:11 and Isa_21:3). לקח המנה signifies the plundering and removal of the possessions of the land, like נשא המנה in Eze_29:19. The subject to לקחו is indefinite, “they,” i.e., the enemy. The foundations of Egypt, which are to be destroyed, are not the foundations of its buildings, but may be understood in a figurative sense as relating to persons, after the analogy of Isa_19:10; but the notion that Cush, Phut, etc. (Eze_30:9), i.e., the mercenary troops obtained from those places, which are called the props of Egypt in Eze_30:6, are intended, as Hitzig assumes, is not only extremely improbable, but decidedly erroneous. The announcement in Eze_30:6, that Cush, Phut, etc., are to fall by the sword along with the Egyptians (אתם), is sufficient of itself to show that these tribes, even if they were auxiliaries or mercenaries of Egypt, did not constitute the foundations of the Egyptian state and kingdom; but that, on the contrary, Egypt possessed a military force composed of native troops, which was simply strengthened by auxiliaries and allies. We there interpret

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תיה after the analogy of Psa_11:3 ,יסד and Psa_82:5, as referring to the real foundations of the state, the regulations and institutions on which the stability and prosperity of the kingdom rest.

The neighbouring, friendly, and allied peoples will also be smitten by the judgment together with the Egyptians. Cush, i.e., the Ethiopians, Phut and Lud, i.e., the Libyans and African Lydians (see the comm. on Eze_27:10), are mentioned here primarily as auxiliaries of Egypt, because, according to Jer_46:9, they served in Necho's army. By כל־הערב, the whole of the mixed crowd (see the comm. on 1Ki_10:15 - πάντες οἱ ἐπίμικτοι, lxx), we are then to understand the mercenary soldiers in the Egyptian army, which were obtained from different nations (chiefly Greeks, Ionians, and Carians, οἱ επίκουροι, as they are called by Herodotus, iii. 4, etc.). In addition to these, כוב ,eseht (ἁπ λεγ.) is also mentioned. Hävernick connects this name with the people of Kufa, so frequently met with on the Egyptian monuments. But, according to Wilkinson (Manners, etc., I 1, pp. 361ff.), they inhabited a portion of Asia farther north even than Palestine; and he ranks them (p. 379) among the enemies of Egypt. Hitzig therefore imagines that Kufa is probably to be found in Kohistan, a district of Media, from which, however, the Egyptians can hardly have obtained mercenary troops. And so long as nothing certain can be gathered from the advancing Egyptological researches with regard to the name Cub, the conjecture that כוב is a mis-spelling for לוב is not to be absolutely set aside, the more especially as this conjecture is naturally suggested by the לובים of Nah_3:9 and 2Ch_16:8, and the form לוב by the side of לובים is analogous to לוד by the side of לודים in Jer_46:9, whilst the Liby-Aegyptii of the ancients, who are to be understood by the term לובים (see the comm. on Gen_10:13), would be quite in keeping here. On the other hand, the conjecture offered by Gesenius (Thes. p. 664), viz., נוב, Nubia, has but a very weak support in the Arabic translator; and the supposition that לוב may have been the earlier Hebrew form for Nubia (Hitzig), is destitute of any solid foundation. Maurer suggests Cob, a city (municipium) of Mauretania, in the Itiner. Anton. p. 17, ed. Wessel. - The following expression, “sons of the covenant land,” is also obscure. Hitzig has correctly observed, that it cannot be synonymous with בעלי , their allies. But we certainly cannot admit that the covenant land (made definite by the article) is Canaan, the Holy Land (Hitzig and Kliefoth); although Jerome writes without reserve, de filiis terrae foederis, i.e., de populo Judaeorum; and the lxx in their translation, καὶ τῶν υιῶν τῆςδιαθήκης μου, undoubtedly thought of the Jews, who fled to Egypt, according to Theodoret's exposition, along with Jeremiah after the destruction of Jerusalem and the murder of the governor Gedaliah, for fear of the vengeance of the Chaldeans (Jer 42-43, and 44). For the application of the expression “land of the covenant” to the Holy Land is never met with either in the Old or New Testament, and cannot be inferred, as Hitzig supposes, from Psa_74:20 and Dan_11:28, or supported in any way from either the epithet “the land of promise” in Heb_11:9, or from Act_3:25, where Peter calls the Jews “the children of the prophets and of the covenant.” We

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therefore agree with Schmieder in regarding ארץ as signifying a definite region, though one unknown to us, in the vicinity of Egypt, which was inhabited by a tribe that was independent of the Egyptians, yet bound to render help in time of war.

COFFMAN, "Verse 1

ORACLES (3) Ezekiel 30:1-19 AND (4) Ezekiel 30:20-26 AGAINST EGYPT

We may outline this chapter thus:

A. Announcement of the Day of the Lord (Ezekiel 30:1-5)

B. Allies, Dependents also destroyed (Ezekiel 30:6-9)

C. Wealth of Egypt to be carried away (Ezekiel 30:10-12)

D. Princes and Cities to be destroyed (Ezekiel 30:13-19)

E. God breaks Pharaoh's arm (Ezekiel 30:20-26)

THE DAY OF THE LORD COMES TO EGYPT (Ezekiel 30:1-19)

Ezekiel 30:1-5

"The word of Jehovah came again unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy, and say, 4

Thus saith Jehovah: Wail ye, alas for the day! For the day is near, even the day of Jehovah is near; it shall be a day of clouds, a time of the nations. And a sword shall come upon Egypt, and anguish shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt; and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down. Ethiopia and Put and Lud, and all the mingled peoples, and Cub, and the children of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword."

The announcement here that the Day of Jehovah is near cannot be separated from its eschatological overtones relating to that final and Eternal Day of the Lord when his righteous judgments shall be executed upon the fallen and rebellious race of Adam, that day of Doom and Destruction mentioned in Genesis, upon which God said, "In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die!" (Genesis 2:17)

Regarding that particular day, upon which God promised the death of Adam and Eve in the case of their eating of the forbidden tree, it was the seventh day of creation, a day, which, according to Hebrews 4th chapter, is still going on and has not ended yet. The meaning of that sentence upon the sinful progenitors of our fallen race is that Adam and Eve in the person of their total posterity shall be totally destroyed, the redeemed of all dispensations and all ages "in Christ Jesus" being the sole exceptions to that universal destruction that shall at last terminate God's Operation Adam on that Day of Jehovah.

We have already written many comments relating to the Day of Jehovah, especially in Joel, Amos, and Zephaniah, etc. These will be found in the appropriate volumes of our commentaries under the following references: Isaiah 13:6-9; Joel 1:15; 2:1,11; 3:14; Amos 5:18-20; Obadiah 1:1:15; Zephaniah 1:7,14; Zechariah 14:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 2 Peter 3:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 9:27; Matthew 25:31-46, and many other references.

Many other signal judgments of God executed upon wicked nations, just like the one here prophesied for Egypt, are token judgments pointing forward to that great and final Day when, as John Milton expressed it:

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"God shall cast his throne in middle Air

And judge before Him all the nations there!"

As Feinberg wrote, "Thus we take God's judgment on Egypt here as identified in principle with that Day upon which he will call all nations to give an account."[1] As this same author declared, "We would not dare to interpret this chapter as if it were not related to the many other references in the Word of God to `The day of Jehovah.'"[2]

The prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem given by Christ himself in Matthew 24 is another example of an earthly judgment against a wicked city that promises also an ultimate fulfillment in the Final Judgment. We also believe that there are multiple examples of this in Amos 1-2.

One of the most impressive features of this chapter is the list of the principal cities of Egypt; but critics like Cooke have brought vigorous allegations against the list which he called "haphazard; three of the cities belong to Upper Egypt and five to Lower Egypt; but they are named without any sense of their geographical location, as though the writer knew them only by hearsay."[3] Like many another allegation of some radical critic, intent upon denying the passage to Ezekiel, this comment also is inaccurate, as indicated by the opinions of many able scholars. "All of the towns singled out for mention here, without exception, are of religious, political, or military importance."[4] "Every single center of cultural and political power in Egypt was mentioned."[5] "The listing here indicates an exact knowledge of the chief cities of Egypt for that period."[6] In this light, it is clear that Cooke's allegations should be rejected.

Some interpreters divide this oracle into four subdivisions, each of which begins with, "Thus saith the Lord," as in Ezekiel 30:2,6,10,13. However, we cannot see any necessity for such fragmentary divisions.

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It should be remembered that the necessity for God's destruction of the pagan nations of that period derived from their false view that God's punishment of Israel that resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of her people constituted a victory for their pagan gods over Jehovah. Upon the occasion of God's deliverance of Israel from Egyptian captivity, that matter of which God was really God had been settled in the great victory for Jehovah; but the apostasy of the Chosen People and God's ensuing destruction of them had changed all that; and it was very necessary for God, all over again, to demonstrate his own superiority over the pantheon of paganism.

Each one of the cities mentioned later in the chapter was the seat of some pagan god.

The allies and dependencies of Egypt would do her no good when the judgment fell.

"Put, Lud, and Cub ..." (Ezekiel 30:5). "Put and Lud were two tribes living west of Egypt in Africa;"[7] however, "Cub is an unknown name."[8] These peoples were allies of Egypt and were considered part of her strength (see Nahum 3:9). What is stressed here is that allies and dependents alike will experience destruction along with Egypt.

"The children of the land that is in league ..." (Ezekiel 30:5). The marginal reading in our version has "children of the land of the covenant"; and if this is allowed, the reference is to the Jews who, following the murder of Gedaliah had returned to Egypt contrary to the stern warnings of Jeremiah. Beasley-Murray denied that this reading should be followed; but, in any case, whether stated here or not, those Jews who had returned to Egypt would (and did) suffer the same destruction as that of Egypt.

PETT, "Introduction

Chapter 30 The Third and Fourth Oracles Against Egypt.

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The Third Oracle. Judgment on Egypt (Ezekiel 30:1-19).

This is an undated oracle which has been variously allocated. It divides into four sections, Ezekiel 30:2-19.

Verses 1-5

‘The word of Yahweh came to me again, saying, “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘Howl, alas the day, for the day is near, the day of Yahweh is near, a day of clouds, it will be the time of the nations. And a sword will come on Egypt, and anguish will be on Cush, when the slain will fall in Egypt. And they will take away large numbers of her, and the foundations will be broken down. Ethiopia and Put and Lud, and all the mingled people, and Cub and the children of the land which is in league will fall by the sword.”

That this refers primarily to the invasion by Nebuchadnezzar is made clear in Ezekiel 30:10. The ‘day of Yahweh’ is coming for Egypt. ‘The day of Yahweh’ is a phrase used of any time when God visits a nation or nations in judgment after they have incurred His anger. It finally came to signify the final day of Yahweh when he brings about His final purposes (Isaiah 2:12-21; Joel 3:14), but we must not read that into every usage. Here it refers to His day on Egypt.

The awfulness of what is shortly to come on Egypt is brought out by the introduction, ‘Howl, alas the day, for the day is near’. And along with her will suffer those who are in alliance with her. These alliances help to explain how an invasion of Egypt could drive Pharaoh and his forces out of Egypt into allied lands, only to be allowed to return once peace negotiations have succeeded. It would seem that there was defeat on Egyptian soil, with large numbers being taken captive and carried off to Babylon, followed by a withdrawal into allied lands as Egyptian administration collapsed, until peace terms were agreed.

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‘A day of clouds.’ Thick clouds were often seen as accompanying Yahweh when He visited in judgment (Judges 5:4; 2 Samuel 22:12; Psalms 18:11-12; Psalms 77:17; Psalms 97:2; Jeremiah 4:13; Joel 2:2; Zephaniah 1:15).

‘The time of the nations.’ That is the nations in alliance with Egypt who were about to be described.

‘A sword will come on Egypt.’ That is the sword of Yahweh as wielded through Nebuchadnezzar.

‘Anguish will be on Cush, when the slain will fall in Egypt.’ The allies gathered in Egypt to resist the forces of Nebuchadnezzar and many were slain of both Egyptians and their allies so that Cush (Nubia/Northern Sudan) wept.

‘Cush and Put and Lud, and all the mingled people, and Cub and the children of the land which is in league will fall by the sword.’ Cush is Nubia/Northern Sudan, Put is African, but whether Eastern Sudan or Libya is disputed. Babylonian puta became T’ Tmhw (Lybia) in Egyptian which supports the latter. Lud is a descendant of Ham in Genesis 10:13 and thus also an African nation. Cub may well be part of Lybia. These were seemingly in league with Egypt against the threat of Babylon, and many were slain in the invasion. ‘The mingled people’ (compare Jeremiah 25:20) refers to mercenaries.

2 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

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“‘Wail and say, “Alas for that day!”

CLARKE, "Howl ye, Wo worth the day! - My Old MS. Bible, - Soule gee, woo woo to the day! הילילו הה ליום heylilu, hah laiyom! “Howl ye, Alas for the day!” The reading in our present text is taken from Coverdale’s Bible, 1536. The expressions signify that a most dreadful calamity was about to fall on Egypt and the neighboring countries, called here the “time of the heathen,” or of the nations; the day of calamity to them. They are afterwards specified, Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, and Chub, and the mingled people, probably persons from different nations, who had followed the ill fortune of Pharaoh-hophra or Pharaoh-apries, when he fled from Amasis, and settled in Upper Egypt.

GILL, "Son of man, prophesy and say, thus saith the Lord God,.... Prophesy against Egypt's king and inhabitants, and in the name of the Lord thus speak against them: howl ye; ye Egyptians, and also ye Ethiopians, and all others after named, which should share in the destruction of Egypt; this is said to give them notice of it, and prepare them for it: woe worth the day! or, "alas for the day!" (d) O the unhappy day! what a sad dismal day is this! O that we should ever live to see such wretched times!

HENRY 2-3, " It shall be a very lamentable destruction, and such as shall occasion great sorrow (Eze_30:2, Eze_30:3): “Howl you; you may justly shriek now that it is coming, for you will be made to shriek and make hideous outcries when it comes. Cry out, Woe worth the day! or, Ah the day! alas because of the day! the terrible day! Woe and alas! For the day is near; the day we have so long dreaded, so long deserved. It is the day of the Lord, the day in which he will manifest himself as a God of vengeance. You have your day now, when you carry all before you, and trample on all about you, but God will have his day shortly, the day of the revelation of his righteous judgment,” Psa_37:13. It will be a cloudy day, that is, dark and dismal, without the shining forth of any comfort; and it shall threaten a storm - fire, and brimstone, and a horrible tempest. It shall be the time of the heathen, of reckoning with the heathen for all their heathenish practices, that time which David spoke of when God would pour out his fury upon the heathen (Psa_79:6), when they should sink, Psa_9:15.

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TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:2 Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD Howl ye, Woe worth the day!

Ver. 2. Woe worth the day.] Ah! de die ista. This shall be the voice much more of reprobates at that last "day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." [Romans 2:5] Enoch foretold this dreadful day before Noah predicted the deluge. That day is longer before it comes, but shall be more terrible when it is come.

WHEDON, "2. Woe worth the day — That is, Woe be to the day. This is not satire; it is real lamentation. There is no nation or people without a heavenly Father’s love and watch care. Just as Jehovah brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt, so did he bring up “the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir” (Amos 9:7; see also Psalms 87).PULPIT, "Howl ye. The words read like an echo of Isaiah 13:6, and find a parallel also in Joel 1:11, Joel 1:13; Zephaniah 1:7, Zephaniah 1:14. Woe worth the day! It may be well to note that the familiar phrase is a survival of the Anglo-Saxon verb weorthan (German werden), "to become," so that its exact meaning is "Woe be to the day""

3 For the day is near, the day of the Lord is near—a day of clouds,

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a time of doom for the nations.

BARNES, "The time of the pagan - The time when the pagan (Egyptians) shall be judged.

GILL, "For the day is near,.... The day of Egypt's destruction, the time fixed for it: even the day of the Lord is near; the day appointed by him, and in which he would make himself known by the judgments he executed: Kimchi observes, that, the same year this prophecy was delivered, Egypt was given into the hands of the king of Babylon: a cloudy day; or; "a day of cloud" (e); which was seldom seen in Egypt in a literal sense, rarely having any rain, their country being watered by the Nile; but now, in a figurative sense, the clouds would gather thick and black, and threaten with a horrible tempest of divine wrath, and of ruin and destruction: it shall be the time of the Heathen: both when the Heathen nation of the Chaldeans should distress and conquer others; and when Heathen nations, as the Egyptians, Ethiopians, and others, should be destroyed by them. The Targum is, "it shall be the time of the breaking or destruction of the people.''

JAMISON, "the time of the heathen — namely, for taking vengeance on them. The judgment on Egypt is the beginning of a world-wide judgment on all the heathen enemies of God (Joe_1:15; Joe_2:1, Joe_2:2; Joe_3:1-21; Oba_1:15).

COKE, "Ezekiel 30:3. The day is near— The day of the Lord implies a day of sacrifice and vengeance upon his enemies. The destruction of Babylon, described in such awful terms, as if all nature suffered by the shock, is represented as the day of the Lord, Isaiah 13:6. So is the destruction of Bozrah and Idumaea, Isaiah 34:8. See also Jeremiah 46:10. Joel 3:14. Zephaniah 2:2-3. When the figurative day is used in general to express the period of any one's existence, then it denotes time; but when it is used to express any particular thing or employ, then it signifies some characteristical circumstance. Thus that signal catastrophe in the fortunes of the Jews, both spiritual and temporal, is called their day, Hosea 1:11. See Div. Leg. vol. 4: Sharp on the Rise and Fall of Jerusalem; and Calmet.

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TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:3 For the day [is] near, even the day of the LORD [is] near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.

Ver. 3. A cloudy day.] Heb., A day of a cloud, which was rarely seen in Egypt.

POOLE, "Ezekiel 30:26 And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them among the countries; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.

Ver. 26. See Ezekiel 30:23. They would hardly believe it, and therefore are so often assured of it.PULPIT, "The day of the Lord. Here, as everywhere (see note on Ezekiel 13:5), the words stand for any time in which the Divine judgments manifest themselves in the world's history. Of it Ezekiel says, following in the footsteps of Joel (Joel 2:2), that it shall be a day of cloud, i.e. of darkness and trouble; a day of the heathen, i.e. a time in which the heathen who had exulted in the punishment of Israel should know that the Lord was their Judge also, that he had his "day" appointed for them.

4 A sword will come against Egypt, and anguish will come upon Cush.[a]When the slain fall in Egypt, her wealth will be carried away

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and her foundations torn down.

GILL, "And the sword shall come upon Egypt,.... The sword of the Chaldeans shall come upon the Egyptians, by which they should be cut off; it having a commission from the Lord for that purpose: and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt; Ethiopia being a neighbouring nation to Egypt, shall be in a panic when it shall hear of the sword of the Chaldeans being in Egypt, and of the ravages made by it, of the multitudes slain with it; fearing it will be their turn next to fall into the same hands, and in the same manner; and the rather, not only as they were neighbours, but allies: and they shall take away her multitude; that is, the Chaldeans shall carry captive vast numbers of the Egyptians; such as fell not by the sword should not escape the hand of the enemy, but be taken and carried into other lands. Egypt was a very populous country; according to Agrippa's speech in Josephus (f), there were in it 7,500,000 persons from Ethiopia to Alexandria, besides the inhabitants of the latter, as might be gathered from the tribute each person paid; hence they are compared to the trees of a forest that cannot be searched, and to grasshoppers innumerable, Jer_46:23, but now their numbers should be lesser: and her foundations shall be broken down; either in a literal sense, the foundations of the cities, towers, and fortified places in Egypt, should be undermined and destroyed, and consequently the buildings on them must sink and fall; or in a figurative sense, her king, princes, magistrates, laws, and government, which are the support of a state, should be removed, and be of no more service.

HENRY 4-5, "II. It shall be the destruction of Egypt, and of all the states and countries in confederacy with her and in her neighbourhood. 1. Egypt herself shall fall (Eze_30:4): The sword shall come upon Egypt, the sword of the Chaldeans, and it shall be a victorious sword, for the slain shall fall in Egypt, fall by it, fall before it. Is the country populous? They shall take away her multitude. Is it strong, and well-fixed? Her foundations shall be broken down, and then the fabric, though built ever so fine, ever so high, will fall of course. 2. Her neighbours and inmates shall fall with her. When the slain fall so thickly in Egypt great pain shall be in Ethiopia, both that in Africa, which is in the neighbourhood of Egypt on one side, and that in Asia, which is near to it on the other side. When their neighbour's house was on

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fire they could not but apprehend their own in danger; nor were their fears groundless, for they shall all fall with them by the sword, Eze_30:5. Ethiopia and Libya (Cush and Phut, so the Hebrew names are, two of the sons of Ham who are mentioned, and Mizraim, that is, Egypt, between them, Gen_10:6), and the Lydians (who were famous archers, and are spoken of as confederates with Egypt, Jer_46:9), these shall fall with Egypt and Chub (the Chaldeans, the inhabitants of the inner Libya); these and others were the mingled people; there were those of all these and other countries who upon some account or other resided in Egypt, as did also the men of the land that is in league, some of the remains of the people of Israel and Judah, the children of the covenant, or league, as they are called (Act_3:25), the children of the promise, Gal_4:28. These sojourned in Egypt contrary to God's command, and these shall fall with them. Note, Those that will take their lot with God's enemies shall have their lot with them, yea, though they be in profession the men of the land that is in league with God.

JAMISON, "pain — literally, “pangs with trembling as of a woman in childbirth.”

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:4 And the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down.

Ver. 4. Great pain.] Heb., Pain upon pain, as the throes in childbirth.

POOLE, " The sword: see Ezekiel 29:8.

In Ethiopia; next neighbour and ally to Egypt; they shall tremble at so great danger, so near, and they uncertain whether it will come on them, but very certain to be ruined if it does come, and as certain that they have cause to suspect it will come on them.

When the slain shall fall in Egypt; when the Egyptians, under the eye of the Ethiopians, shall fall in battle, and at the taking of their towns.

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They shall take away her multitude; in miserable captivity carry them to Babylon, by whole droves.

Her foundations, their government, laws, counsellors, strong holds, which are to a nation as foundations to a house, are destroyed.

PULPIT, "Great pain shall be in Ethiopia. The words point to the extension of the invasion of Egypt—by Nebuchadnezzar in the first instance, and afterwards by other conquerors—to the upper valley of the Nile. They shall take away her multitude. The word is taken by Keil, Smend, and others of things rather than persons, the multitude of possessions. Hengstenberg renders "tumult" in the sense of the stir of a crowded city. The foundations are probably to be taken figuratively of the bases of the prosperity of Egypt, its allies and mercenaries, rather than of actual buildings (comp. Psalms 11:3; Psalms 82:5).

5 Cush and Libya, Lydia and all Arabia, Kub and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.

BARNES, "Libya, and Lydia - Or, as in Eze_27:10, Phut and Lud.The mingled people - Foreigners, who settled in Egypt. The Saite dynasty of Egyptian kings were especially favorable to foreign immigrants. Hophra employed many of them in his armies, and in this way, according to Herodotus, lost the affections of his Egyptian subjects. See Jer_25:20 note.Chub - The word occurs here only. It was some tribe in alliance with Egypt, either of African race like Lud and Phut, or settlers like the “mingled people.” A not-improbable

suggestion connects it with Coptos, of which the Egyptian form was Qeb, Qebt or Qabt.The men of the land that is in league - Rather, the children of the land of the covenant, i. e., of Israel (see Eze_16:8). After the destruction of Jerusalem Jews withdrew into Egypt Jer_43:7. Many of them would naturally enough be found in the

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Egyptian armies. This is in favor of the later date assigned to this section.

CLARKE, "Lydia - This place is not well known. The Ludim were contiguous to Egypt, Gen_11:13.

Chub - The Cubians, placed by Ptolemy in the Mareotis. But probably instead of וכוב vechub, “and Chub,” we should read וכל vechol, “and All the men of the land,” etc. The Septuagint adds “the Persians and the Cretans.”

GILL, "Ethiopia, Lybia, and Lydia,.... Or, "Cush, Phut, and Lud". Cush and Phut were both sons of Ham, from whom Egypt is sometimes called the land of Ham; and Lud or Ludim was the son of Mizraim, the son of Ham, the common name of Egypt in Scripture, Gen_10:6. Cush is by us rendered Ethiopia; and is thought by some to be a part of Arabia, which lay near to Egypt. Phut and Lud are properly enough rendered Lybia and Lydia; and both these, with Ethiopia, are represented as the allies and confederates of Egypt, Jer_46:9. And all the mingled people; the Syriac version renders it, "all Arabia": and so Symmachus, according to Jerom; though others think they are the Carians, Ionians, and other Greeks, which Pharaohapries got together to fight with Amasis (g): and "Chub"; or "Cub"; the inhabitants of this piece are thought to be the Cobii of Ptolemy (h), who dwelt in Mareotis, a country of Egypt; though some, by a change of a letter, would have them to be the Nubians, a people in Africa; and so the Arabic version here reads it. Of these Strabo (i) says, on the left of the stream of the Nile dwell the Nubians, a large nation in Lybia; and which he afterwards mentions along with the Troglodytes, Blemmyes, Megabarians, and Ethiopians, that dwell above Syene: and so Ptolemy (k) speaks of them along with the Megabarians, and as inhabiting to the west of the Avalites: and Pliny (l) calls them Nubian Ethiopians, whom he places near the Nile: and a late traveller (m) in those parts informs us that the confines of Egypt and Nubia are about eight miles above the first cataract (of the Nile); Nubia begins at the villages of Ellkalabsche, and of Teffa; the first is to the east of the Nile, and the second to the west. And the men of the land that is in league shall fall with them by the sword; all the nations above mentioned, with whomsoever should be found that were confederates with Egypt, should share the same fate with them. The Septuagint render it, "and those of the children of my covenant"; as if the Jews were meant that were in Egypt, who are sometimes called "the children of the covenant", and of "the promise", Act_3:25, and so some interpret the place; but it takes in all the allies of Egypt, and does not design the Jews, at least not them only.

JAMISON, "the mingled people — the mercenary troops of Egypt from various lands, mostly from the interior of Africa (compare Eze_27:10; Jer_25:20, Jer_25:24; Jer_46:9, Jer_46:21).

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Chub — the people named Kufa on the monuments [Havernick], a people considerably north of Palestine [Wilkinson]; Coba or Chobat, a city of Mauritania [Maurer].men of the land that is in league — too definite an expression to mean merely, “men in league” with Egypt; rather, “sons of the land of the covenant,” that is, the Jewswho migrated to Egypt and carried Jeremiah with them (Jeremiah 42:1-44:30). Even they shall not escape (Jer_42:22; Jer_44:14).

COKE, "Ezekiel 30:5. Lybia and Lydia— Or, Mauritania and Abyssinia. All the mingled people, mean their mercenaries and auxiliaries; Chub means the Chubians, placed by Ptolemy in the Mareotis. "I do not know (says Calmet) whether the name of Egypt may not be derived from Cub, or Cubti, or Gubti;—Egubti." The men of the land that is in league, mean the neighbouring people, who were confederate with the Egyptians against the king of Babylon.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:5 Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.

Ver. 5. Chub.] Certain Africans, who shall be worse put to it than were those succeeding Africans, who had a prophecy (but not of like credit with this of Ezekiel), that when the Romans sent an army into their country, Mundus cum tota sua prole periret, which made them think the world should then be at an end. But afterwards the Romans sent an army thither under the conduct of one Mundus, who in battle was slain, together with his sons, by the Africans, and discovered the illusion of the devil. The Septuagint render Chub Spaniards, which I like the better, saith Lavater, (a) because Strabo saith Nebuchadnezzar came with his victorious army as far as Spain.

POOLE, " Ethiopia, Heb. Cush, which are commonly thought to be the Ethiopians in Africa, but some more inquisitive geographers have found them originally and chiefly in Arabia, which was either subject or ally to Egypt in its prosperity; and these were, as Ezekiel 30:4, in a panic that, lest the Babylonian should pass the sea, and take them in his way home.

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Libya, Heb. Phut; hence the Putaens or Phutaans, who afterwards were better known by Libyans, a part of whose country was near to Egypt.

Lydia; Lydians, not the Asiatic, but the Africans, placed between some part of Cyrene and Egypt.

All the mingled people; the hired soldiers from all parts, a confused mixture of nations, such as the Libyans had got together; or all Arabia, so the word 2 Chronicles 9:14 Isaiah 13:20; or all that ravenous sort of people, that like crows fly to slaughters; so soldiers of fortune follow the wars, and the Hebrew word is crow, Leviticus 11:15 Deuteronomy 14:14 Psalms 147:9, as well as mixed.

Chub; Ethiopians beyond Egypt south, the inhabitants of the inmost Libya, which reached to the Nigritae; perhaps they may be the Nubians at this day, a letter easily changed.

The men of the land that is in league; the sons of the land of the covenant: some refer to the Jews, children of the covenant, but this is forced; it is all the people of Egypt’s league, all the allies of the Egyptian kingdom. With them; with the Egyptians.By the sword; in war by the sword of Babylon.

WHEDON, " 5. Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia — R.V., “Ethiopia [or, Cush], and Put, and Lud.” (See notes Ezekiel 27:10; compare Ezekiel 38:5.) LXX. reads “Persia” for Ethiopia, but Ethiopia about this time had especial prominence in the world’s annals. The Assyrian monarch conquered Tirhakah of Egypt (about 671 B.C.), and called him on a stele of Senjerli “king of Ethiopia” (Kuss), and represented him on the tablet as a little negro with curly hair (B. and O. Record, July, 1891).

Mingled people — It is not known to what people this refers (compare Jeremiah 19

25:24), if indeed it does not refer to the mercenaries and allies in Hophra’s army.

Chub — R.V., “Cub.” Naville compares with the Egyptian Keneb, the name for the Ethiopians and negroes; Brugsch with Qeb, Qabt (Coptos); Smend reads Lub, with LXX., that is, “Libyans” (compare Nahum 3:9; 2 Chronicles 16:8), which is the most probable, with present knowledge.

Men of the land that is in league — Literally, the children of the land of the covenant, but probably not referring here to the Israelites. Toy reads “Cherethites.” (Compare Ezekiel 25:16.) One version reads “Cretans.” (Compare the khab-iri, “confederates,” mentioned in the Tel-el-Amarna tablets.)

PULPIT, "Libya. Here the Authorized Version gives (rightly enough, though inconsistently) the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Phut, which is reproduced in the Revised Version. The Lydians, in like manner, stand for Lud; but we have to remember, as before (Ezekiel 27:10), that they are the African, and not the Asiatic, people of that name. In Jeremiah 46:9 the two nations are named among the auxiliaries of Egypt. Possibly the similarity of name may have led to the term being used also for the Lydian and Ionian forces enlisted by Psam-metichus I. (Herod; Jeremiah 3:4); but there seems more reason for including these in the mingled people that are next mentioned. Chub, or Cub (Revised Version), is found here only, and has consequently given occasion to many guesses Havernick connects it with the Kufa, a district of Media, often named in Egyptian monuments; Michaelis, with Kobe on the Ethiopian coast of the Indian Ocean; Maurer, with Cob, a city of Mauretania; Gesenius, Ewald, and Bunsen suggest the reading Nub, and identify it with Nubia; Keil and Smend adopt the form Lub, found in the Lubim of 2 Chronicles 16:8 and Nahum 3:9. On the whole, there are no adequate data for the solution of the problem. The men of the land that is in league. Here, again, we are in a region of many conjectures.

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6 “‘This is what the Lord says:“‘The allies of Egypt will fall and her proud strength will fail.From Migdol to Aswan they will fall by the sword within her,declares the Sovereign Lord.

GILL, "Thus saith the Lord, they also that uphold Egypt shall fall,.... That is, by the sword; either their allies and auxiliaries without, that supported the Egyptians with men and money; or their principal people within, their nobles that supported their state with their estates, their counsellors with their wisdom, their soldiers with their valour and courage: and the pride of her power shall come down; or the power they were proud of, the dominion and grandeur they boasted of; the greatness of their king, and the largeness of their empire, with the wealth and riches of it: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord God; or rather, from "Migdol to Syene"; so the Septuagint and Arabic versions, from one end of Egypt to the other; the sword would ravage, and multitudes fall by it, in all cities and towns, between the one and the other; which denotes the general slaughter that should be made; See Gill on Eze_29:10.

HENRY 6-7, " All that pretend to support the sinking interests of Egypt shall come down under her, shall come down with her (Eze_30:6): Those that uphold Egypt shall fall, and then Egypt must fall of course. See the justice of God; Egypt pretended to uphold Jerusalem when that was tottering, but proved a deceitful reed; and now those that pretended to uphold Egypt shall prove no better. Those that deceive others are commonly paid in their own coin; they are themselves deceived. 1. Does Egypt think herself upheld by the absolute authority and dominion of her king? The pride of her power shall come down, Eze_30:6. The power of the king of Egypt was his pride; but that shall be broken, and humbled. 2. Is the multitude of her people her support? These

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shall fall by the sword, even from the tower of Syene, which is in the utmost corner of the land, from that side of it by which the enemy shall enter. Both the countries and the cities, the husbandmen and the merchants, shall be desolate, Eze_30:7, as before, Eze_29:12. Even the multitude of Egypt shall be made to cease, Eze_30:10. That populous country shall be depopulated. The land shall be even filled with the slain, Eze_30:11. 3. Is the river Nile her support, and are the several channels of it a defence to her? “I will make the rivers dry (Eze_30:12), so that those natural fortifications which were thought impregnable, because impassable, shall stand them in no stead.” 4. Are her idols a support to her? They shall be destroyed; those imaginary upholders shall appear more than ever to be imaginary, for so images are when they pretend to be deliverers and strongholds (Eze_30:13): I will cause their images to cease out of Noph. 5. Is her royal family her support? There shall be no more a prince in the land of Egypt; the royal family shall be extirpated and extinguished, which had continued so long. 6. Is her courage her support, and does she think to uphold herself by the bravery of her men of war, who have now of late been inured to service? That shall fail: I will put a fear in the land of Egypt. 7. Is the rising generation her support? is she upheld by her children, and does she think herself happy because she has her quiver full of them? Alas! the young men shall fall by the sword (Eze_30:17) and the daughters shall go into captivity (Eze_30:18), and so she shall be robbed of all her hopes.

K&D 6-9, "All the supports and helpers of Egypt will fall, and the whole land with its cities will be laid waste. - Eze_30:6. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Those who support Egypt will fall, and its proud might will sink; from Migdol to Syene will they fall by the sword therein, is the saying of the Lord Jehovah. Eze_30:7. And they will lie waste in the midst of waste lands, and its cities be in the midst of desolate cities. Eze_30:8. They shall learn that I am Jehovah, when I bring fire into Egypt, and all its helpers are shattered. Eze_30:9. In that day will messengers go forth from me in ships to terrify the confident Ethiopia, and there will be writing among them as in the day of Egypt; for, behold, it cometh. - ”Those who support Egypt” are not the auxiliary tribes and allies, for they are included in the term עזריה in Eze_30:8, but the idols and princes (Eze_30:13), the fortified cities (Eze_30:15), and the warriors (Eze_30:17), who formed the foundation of the might of the kingdom. ן גא , “the pride of its might,” which is an expression applied in Eze_24:21 to the temple at Jerusalem, is to be taken here in a general sense, and understood not merely of the temples and idols of Egypt, but as the sum total of all the things on which the Egyptians rested the might of their kingdom, and on the ground of which they regarded it as indestructible. For 'ממגדל .see the comm ,וגוon Eze_29:10. The subject to יפלו בה is the 'סמכי Eze_30:7 .מצר is almost a literal repetition of Eze_29:12; and the subject to נשמו is מצרים regarded as a country, though the number and gender of the verb have both been regulated by the form of the noun. The fire which God will bring into Egypt (Eze_30:8) is the fire of war. Eze_30:9. The tidings of this judgment of God will be carried by messengers to Ethiopia, and there awaken the most terrible dread of a similar fate. In the first hemistich, the prophet has Isa_18:2 floating before his mind. The messengers, who carry the tidings thither, are not the warlike forces of Chaldea, who are sent thither by God; for they would not be content with performing the service of messengers alone. We have rather to think of Egyptians, who flee by ship to Ethiopia. The messengers go, מלפני, from before Jehovah, who is

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regarded as being present in Egypt, while executing judgment there (cf. Isa_19:1). צים, as in Num_24:24 ציים = (Dan_11:30), ships, trieres, according to the Rabbins, in Hieron. Symm. on Isa_33:21, and the Targum on Num. (cf. Ges. Thes. p. 1156). בטח is attached to כוש, Cush secure or confident, equivalent to the confident Cush (Ewald, §287c). 'והיתה ם' .among the Ethiopians ,בהם .repeated from Eze_30:4 ,חלח כי as ,מצרin the day of Egypt, i.e., not the present day of Egypt's punishment, for the Ethiopians have only just heard of this from the messengers; but the ancient, well-known day of judgment upon Egypt (Exo_15:12.). Ewald and Hitzig follow the lxx in taking ם כי for ם ם' but this is both incorrect and unsuitable, and reduces ;בי בי מצר into a tame repetition of ם בי הנה The subject to .החוא באה is to be taken from the context, viz., that which is predicted in the preceding verses (Eze_30:6-8).

COFFMAN, ""Thus saith Jehovah: They also that uphold Egypt shall fall: and the pride of her powers shall come down: from the tower of Seveneh shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord Jehovah. And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate; and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted. And they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I have set a fire in Egypt, and all her helpers are destroyed; in that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid; and there shall be anguish upon them, as in the day of Egypt, for, lo, it cometh."

DESTRUCTION TO INCLUDE ALLIES AND DEPENDENTS

The meaning of this paragraph is stated both at the beginning and at the end of it. "They also that uphold Egypt shall fall." "All her helpers are destroyed." Fear and anguish are prophesied here as coming upon Egypt and all of her helpers.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:6 Thus saith the LORD They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD.

Ver. 6. They that uphold Egypt shall fall,] i.e., Their confederates; or, as some, their tutelar gods. Herodotus writeth that Cambyses wasted with the sword Egypt and

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Ethiopia, killed their god Apis, and defaced all their idols. This he did, doubtless, rather in scorn of all religion than hatred of idolatry.

And the pride of her power shall come down.] Tumbling down as a great and weighty bullet from a very high and steep mountain.

From the tower of Syene.] See Ezekiel 29:10.

POOLE, " They also that uphold Egypt; either the princes, counsellors, and martial men in Egypt, or those abroad, that favour her and help her.

The pride of her power; the glory of all her strength, of which she was proud.

Shall come down; be trodden under foot. From the tower; from Magdalum in the north-east part of Egypt, toward the Red Sea, to Syene in the most south-west part of Egypt. See Ezekiel 29:10.

PETT, "Verses 6-9

“Thus says the Lord Yahweh, They also who uphold Egypt will fall, and the pride of her power will come down, from Migdol to Seveneh will they fall in it by the sword, says the Lord Yahweh. And they will be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities will be in the midst of the cities which are wasted. And they will know that I am Yahweh, when I have set a fire in Egypt, and all her helpers are destroyed. In that day will messengers go forth from before me in ships to make the careless Cush afraid, and there will be anguish on them as in the day of Egypt. For lo, it comes.”

The message of gloom for Egypt continues. Their allies will also fall, and the ‘pride

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of their power’ (their powerful leadership or cities?) will come down, from northern border to southern border, smitten by the sword. All at the word of the Lord Yahweh. And their desolation will be shared by countries round about. It will be as though a fire has been lit in Egypt which will consume them and their allies. And when this happens all will know by experience that He is Yahweh, the One Who is what He wants to be.

Then Yahweh’s messengers (possibly referring to the Babylonians?) will go by ship up the Nile to Cush who thought they were safe, and they too will suffer anguish. These may be Yahweh’s messengers simply because they carry news of what Yahweh has done, or in the sense that troops are shipped with a ‘message’ of action and destruction.

We do not have external information on how far Nebuchadnezzar went in his invasion before, in the end, he accepted peace terms. But Egypt would not have surrendered easily.

‘Lo, it comes.’ What was to happen was inevitable. Nothing would prevent it.

PULPIT, "They that uphold Egypt. The words include the allies named in Ezekiel 30:5; but also embrace the rulers, generals, perhaps the idols, of Egypt itself. From the tower of Syene. As before, in Ezekiel 29:10, "from Migdol to Syene."

7 “‘They will be desolate among desolate lands,

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and their cities will lie among ruined cities.

CLARKE, "Shall be desolate - All these countries shall be desolated, and the places named shall be chief in these desolations.

GILL, "And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate,.... Or among them, shall be ranked with them, and be as desolate as they are; as Judea and other countries, ravaged by the same enemy: and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted; undergo the same fate as they have done, as Jerusalem and others. The cities of Egypt were very numerous; Diodorus Siculus (n) says, that in ancient times Egypt had cities and villages of note, more than 18,000. Herodotus (o) writes, that it was said, that under King Amasis there were 20,000 cities in it; and the first mentioned writer (p) says, under Ptolemy Lagus they were reckoned more than 30,000; and, according to Theocritus (q), under Ptolemy Philadelphus they were 33,339.

JAMISON, "in the midst of ... countries ... desolate — Egypt shall fare no better than they (Eze_29:10).

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:7 And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries [that are] desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities [that are] wasted.

Ver. 7. And they shall be desolate.] See Ezekiel 29:10.

POOLE, " They, all those before mentioned,

shall be desolate; as much wasted as any of them that are most wasted. Her cities, of Egypt, equally wasted with other cities that have been sacked, as Jerusalem, Tyre,

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Zidon, Rabbath, &c.

8 Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I set fire to Egypt and all her helpers are crushed.

GILL, "And they shall know that I am the Lord,.... The Egyptians shall know the Lord to be the true God, and acknowledge him to be omniscient and omnipotent, that should so exactly foretell their destruction, and accomplish it: when I have set a fire in Egypt: a war there; the heat of battle, very devouring and consuming, as well as very grievous and terrible, as fire is. The Targum is, "when I shall give (or set) people that are strong as fire against Egypt;'' the army of the Chaldeans: and when all her helpers shall be destroyed; her auxiliaries, the neighbouring nations in alliance with them, before mentioned.

HENRY, "IV. God shall inflict these desolating judgments on Egypt (Eze_30:8): They shall know that I am the Lord, and greater than all gods, than all their gods, when I have set a fire in Egypt. The fire that consumes nations is of God's kindling; and, when he sets fire to a people, all their helpers shall be destroyed. Those that go about to quench the fire shall themselves be devoured by it; for who can stand before him when he is angry? When he pours out his fury upon a place, when he sets fire to it (Eze_30:15, Eze_30:16), neither its strength nor its multitude can stand it in any stead.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:8 And they shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have set a 27

fire in Egypt, and [when] all her helpers shall be destroyed.

Ver. 8. And they shall know that I am the Lord.] Men will not take knowledge of this till they have paid for their learning, Vexatio dat intellectum. Smart makes wit. (a)

When I have set a fire in Egypt.] War is fitly compared to fire; it feeds upon the people. See Isaiah 9:19. {See Trapp on "Isaiah 9:19"}

POOLE, " They shall know; all that act, and all that suffer, in this tragedy, shall by the evidence of the things be enforced to own God’s hand, and ascribe justice, and truth, and glory to him.

A fire; that war, which like increasing fire consumeth all.

Shall be destroyed; the destruction of so many and powerful aids shall prove that it was God’s hand did it.

WHEDON, "8. The day of the Lord is near — The day when accounts shall be settled and punishment or reward meted out to the nations; a day of darkness to the wicked and rebellious, a day of triumph to the righteous (Ezekiel 7:7; Amos 5:8; Jeremiah 27). One of these times of divine settlement seemed near, and was near. (Compare Isaiah 2, 3, 13; Joel 2:1; Joel 2:12.)

9 “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush out of her complacency.

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Anguish will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come.

BARNES, "Careless Ethiopians - The Ethiopians, who were dwelling in fancied security Zep_2:15, shall tremble at Egypt’s ruin.

CLARKE, "Messengers go forth from me in ships - Ships can ascend the Nile up to Syene or Essuan, by the cataracts; and when Nebuchadnezzar’s vessels went up, they struck terror into the Ethiopians. They are represented here as the “messengers of God.”

GILL, "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 Gen_2:13, compare with this Isa_18:1, 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 Eze_30:3.

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JAMISON, "messengers ... in ships to ... Ethiopians — (Isa_18:1, Isa_18:2). The cataracts interposing between them and Egypt should not save them. Egyptians “fleeing from before Me” in My execution of judgment, as “messengers” in “skiffs” (“vessels of bulrushes,” Isa_18:2) shall go up the Nile as far as navigable, to announce the advance of the Chaldeans.

as in the day of Egypt — The day of Ethiopia’s “pain” shall come shortly, as Egypt’s day came.

K&D 10-12, "The executors of the judgment. - Eze_30:10. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, And I will put an end to the tumult of Egypt through Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. Eze_30:11. He and his people with him, violent of the nations, will be brought to destroy the land; they will draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with slain. Eze_30:12. And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of wicked men, and lay waste the land and its fulness by the hand of foreigners; I Jehovah have spoken it. - ן המ cannot be understood as signifying either the multitude of people only, or the abundance of possessions alone; for השבית is not really applicable to either of these meanings. They are evidently both included in the ן which signifies the ,המtumult of the people in the possession and enjoyment of their property (cf. Eze_26:13). The expression is thus specifically explained in Eze_30:11 and Eze_30:12. Nebuchadnezzar will destroy the land with his men of war, slaying the people with its possessions. עריצי, as in Eze_28:7. מובאים, as in Eze_23:42. 'הריק ,cf. Eze_12:14 ,וגוEze_12:28; 7. מלאו...חלל, as in Eze_11:6. יארים, the arms and canals of the Nile, by which the land was watered, and on which the fertility and prosperity of Egypt depended. The drying up of the arms of the Nile must not be restricted, therefore, to the fact that God would clear away the hindrances to the entrance of the Chaldeans into the land, but embraces also the removal of the natural resources on which the country depended. מכר, to sell a land or people into the hand of any one, i.e., to deliver it into his power (cf. Deu_32:30; Jdg_2:14, etc.). For the fact itself, see Isa_19:4-6. For 'השמתי ,וגוsee Eze_19:7.

COKE, "Ezekiel 30:9. In that day shall messengers go forth, &c.— In that day shall swift messengers go forth from me, who shall terrify the secure Ethiopian; and he shall have great fears concerning the day of Egypt, because it shall be nigh. Houbigant; who observes, that as the messengers are sent to Cush or Ethiopia, if the Arabians be meant, they were not to be gone to by ships: if the Ethiopians, properly so called, to the south of Egypt, it was not proper for messengers to be sent to them in ships, because the navigation was against the stream, and could not be so quick as

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it ought upon an approaching calamity.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:9 In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid, and great pain shall come upon them, as in the day of Egypt: for, lo, it cometh.

Ver. 9. In that day shall messengers go forth from me,] i.e., The Chaldeans, by an instinct from me to subdue Ethiopia also.

In ships.] For Nile was navigable:

“ Lene fluit Nile. ” - Claudian.

To make the careless Ethiopians.] Heb., Confident Cush. Security ushereth in calamity.

As in the day of Egypt.] That cloudy day, [Ezekiel 30:3] when clouds of blood were dissolved upon them. Or that dismal day of old, when they perished in the Red Sea. [Exodus 15:10]

POOLE, " In that day; the day of God’s severe but just judgments, and Egypt’s fatal desolation.

Messengers; such as having seen and escaped the sword, shall tell the dismal news.

From me; by my permission and providence they shall go, as if sent by me.

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In ships; ships that either carried them over into Pentapolis, crossing the river Nilus, or rather going down the river into the Mediterranean, and so to any part of those north parts of Africa, and others by ship through the Red Sea to Arabia Felix, which is that Ethiopia which is here meant; though it is possible in those days the African Ethiopia might, as once it did, extend quite to the mouth of the Red Sea. on whose shore their ancestors must needs first land out of Arabia, whence the Abyssinians, who are our present Ethiopians, do own their descent. So messengers by ships might carry the news to both the Ethiopian, Asian, and African, by the Red Sea.

The careless Ethiopians; in much security they had hitherto lived, the most potent and formidable neighbour having been their ancient ally, till the news of so mighty an enemy at their very doors.

Great pain; apprehensions of danger, that puzzles their wisdom, weakens their courage, makes them in perplexity, both sick and astonished.

As in the day of Egypt; either like that which, when their host was drowned in the Red Sea, seized all Egypt, or rather like this latter fear, which arose from the mighty havoc made by the Chaldean.

It cometh; a storm like that certainly cometh against you.

WHEDON, " 9. From me in ships — LXX, and Peshito, in haste; R.V., “from before me in ships.” (Compare Isaiah 18:2.)

As in the day — Omit “as.” The Ethiopians fear that Nebuchadnezzar will not stop at Syene, but will press on into their country (notes Ezekiel 29:10-11).PULPIT, "In that day shall messengers, etc. The whole passage seems an echo of Isaiah 18:2. The ships are those that bear the tidings of the conquest of Lower Egypt to the upper valley of the Nile. The careless Ethiopians are so named as confiding in

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their remoteness from the scene of action. They thought themselves safe, and were lulled into a false security (comp. Isaiah 32:9-11 and Zephaniah 2:15, for a like rendering of the verb). As in the day of Egypt. As Isaiah (Isaiah 9:4) refers to "the day of Midian," so Ezekiel points to the memorable time when like tidings of the judgments that fell on Egypt carried dismay into the hearts of the surrounding nations (Exodus 15:14, Exodus 15:15).

10 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

GILL, "Thus saith the Lord God, I will make the multitude of Egypt to cease,.... The vast numbers of people that inhabited Egypt; some of its cities were very populous, especially the city No, after mentioned; but now the numbers should be greatly lessened, and the whole land sadly depopulated: or the "noise" (r), "tumult", and hurry of it; which is very great where there are large numbers of people, and which ceases when they are cut off. The Syriac version renders it, the riches of Egypt. Now the instrument God would make use of to do all this is mentioned by name, as follows, by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; the then greatest monarch in the world.

HENRY 10-13, "The king of Babylon and his army shall be employed as instruments of this destruction: The multitude of Egypt shall be made to cease and be quite cut off by the hand of the king of Babylon, Eze_30:10. Those that undertook to protect Israel from the king of Babylon shall not be able to protect themselves. It is said of the Chaldeans,

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who should destroy Egypt, 1. That they are strangers (Eze_30:12), who therefore shall show no compassion for old acquaintance-sake, but shall behave strangely towards them. 2. That they are the terrible of the nations (Eze_30:11), both in respect of force and in respect of fierceness; and, being terrible, they shall make terrible work. (3.) That they are the wicked, who will not be restrained by reason and conscience, the laws of nature or the laws of nations, for they are without law: I will sell the land into the hand of the wicked. They do violence unjustly, as they are wicked; yet, so far as they are instruments in God's hand of executing his judgments, it is on his part justly done. Note, God often makes one wicked man a scourge to another; and even wicked men acquire a title to prey, jure belli - by the laws of war, for God sells it into their hands.

COFFMAN, ""Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease, by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. He and his people with him, the terrible of the nations, shall be brought in to destroy the land; and they shall draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with the slain. And I will make the rivers dry, and will sell the land into the hand of evil men; and I will make the land desolate, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I, Jehovah, have spoken it."

THE WEALTH OF EGYPT TO BE CARRIED AWAY

"And I will make the rivers dry ..." (Ezekiel 30:12). We have no historical record of such a drought falling upon the Nile; but that cannot mean that it never happened. The forty years of desolation that has been mentioned again and again with reference to God's judgment upon Egypt would indeed have followed such a disaster as the drying up of the Nile. There is also the possibility that the language here may be allegorical or figurative.

However, there is one overwhelmingly good reason for believing that all of the disasters here prophesied came to pass exactly as God's prophet said they would. Here is that reason: Egypt was steeped and settled into the most arrogant paganism. They worshipped dogs, cats, snakes, their king, the Nile river, etc. Why did they quit? Why did they renounce paganism? That they did so cannot be denied. Why? The only imaginable events that could have caused such a change are the very disasters mentioned in these prophecies. Why did they stop worshipping the Nile? It dried up for forty years!

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Alexander has given us an excellent summary of what is promised here against Egypt:

"Egypt's Day of the Lord is a day of doom (Ezekiel 30:9), a day of clouds (Ezekiel 30:3), a dark day in her history. The masses would fear as Egypt's proud strength ceases before the sword of Nebuchadnezzar. Many would be slain (Ezekiel 30:6,10,11,13, and 18). Not even a prince (leader) would be left in the country (Ezekiel 30:13). Many idolatrous statues of the Egyptian gods would be destroyed or carried away in the Babylonian quest for victory and wealth. All of Egypt's allies would fall to the sword: Ethiopia and Lydia in western Anatolia (modern Turkey), Arabia in the east, Lydia in the west (Ezekiel 30:5-7), Put and Lud in the west; and even those `people of the covenant land,' the Jews who fled to Egypt following the murder of Gedaliah would suffer the ravages of the Babylonian invasion. The judgment of God would be comprehensive; it would be awful; but the purpose of God would be accomplished."[9]

Egypt would learn that Jehovah is God! Did they really learn it? of course, they did! None of the silly old pagan gods has been worshipped in Egypt for millenniums of time.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon.

Ver. 10. I will also make the multitude.] Or, The great noise and hurry. They shall have no more cause to complain that they are too many of them, so that they cannot one live by another.

PETT, "Verse 10-11

“Thus says the Lord Yahweh, I will also make the multitude (of either people or 35

wealth) of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon. He and his people with him, the terrible of the nations, will be brought in to destroy the land, and they will draw their swords against Egypt and fill the land with the slain.”

Through Nebuchadnezzar God will ‘make the multitude of Egypt to cease’. This may refer to population or to wealth, but in this section of Ezekiel ‘multitude’ tends to mean people. So either the population would be decimated or their wealth would be. In fact in such a war it would happen to both as cattle were slaughtered or run off, spoils were seized and people were put to the sword. For ‘the terrible of the nations’ compare Ezekiel 28:7. Note that Nebuchadnezzar and his hordes ‘will be brought in’, that is by Yahweh. They are seen as under Yahweh’s command.

11 He and his army—the most ruthless of nations— will be brought in to destroy the land.They will draw their swords against Egypt and fill the land with the slain.

GILL, "He and his people with him,.... He and his army, consisting chiefly of Chaldeans; though there were of other nations among them, as were in his army when he besieged Jerusalem, as seems to be suggested in the next clause: the terrible of the nations shall be brought to destroy the land; the Chaldeans, the most fierce, cruel, and terrible of all people, and others the most terrible that could be collected out of all nations under the yoke of the king of Babylon; and all of them terrible to the nations against whom they came, as now against Egypt to destroy it; see

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Hab_1:6, and they shall draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with the slain; go through the land with their drawn swords, and kill all they meet; and not put them up till they have quite depopulated the land, and filled it with dead carcasses.

TRAPP. "Ezekiel 30:11 He and his people with him, the terrible of the nations, shall be brought to destroy the land: and they shall draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with the slain.

Ver. 11. The terrible of the nations.] Tyranni gentium. Homo homini lupus.

POOLE, " He; Nebuchadrezzar.

His people; his own subjects, not hired soldiers.

The terrible: this is the description of them, Habakkuk 1:7, a fierce and cruel people, as Psalms 137:8,9.

Shall be brought, by the hand of God, using means for that end, as before noted, Ezekiel 29:4.

Draw their swords against Egypt; readily, and with resolution not to sheath them till Egypt be filled with slain.

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12 I will dry up the waters of the Nile and sell the land to an evil nation;by the hand of foreigners I will lay waste the land and everything in it.

I the Lord have spoken.

CLARKE, "I will make the rivers dry - As the overflowing of the Nile was the grand cause of fertility to Egypt, the drying it up, or preventing that annual inundation, must be the cause of dearth, famine, etc. By rivers, we may understand the various canals cut from the Nile to carry water into the different parts of the land. When the Nile did not rise to its usual height these canals were quite dry.

GILL, "And I will make the rivers dry,.... Egypt was a country that abounded with rivers; however, with canals cut from the river Nile; its wealth and riches very much depended here on, partly on account of the multitude of fishes taken out of them, and the paper reeds that grew upon their banks; but chiefly because the whole land, was watered by them, and made exceeding fruitful, rain being not so common in it; so that to dry up the riven was in effect to take away their substance and dependence; besides, hereby the way was made easy and passable for the enemy; there was nothing to obstruct him, he could overrun and ravage the land at pleasure: and sell the land into the hand of the wicked; the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar, who were wicked idolaters, men of flagitious lives, and of merciless and cruel dispositions; who would show no favour to the inhabitants of the land, when delivered up to them, which is called a selling it; for, as things sold are delivered to the buyer, so should this land be to them; which though they had no right to it before, yet by the event of war, and disposal of divine Providence, came to have a property in it, given them by him who is the proprietor of all lands; and after them into the hands of the

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Persians, under Cambyses, and Ochus; who were very wicked and cruel princes, and may be reckoned among the terrible or violent ones of the nations in the preceding verse; and then into the hands of the Grecian, Romans, Saracen, Mamaluck, and now the Turks, all very wicked people: and I will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers; the Babylonians, people of another country and distant, of another language, and with whom they had no commerce, alliance, and friendship, and so would not spare them, and their land, when in their possession; and so all the rest above mentioned, into whose hands they successively fell: I the Lord have spoken it; determined it, prophesied of it; and it shall come to pass, as it did accordingly.

JAMISON, "rivers — the artificial canals made from the Nile for irrigation. The drying up of these would cause scarcity of grain, and so prepare the way for the invaders (Isa_19:5-10).

COKE, "Ezekiel 30:12. I will make the rivers dry, &c.— "I will destroy the strength of Egypt." The metaphor is taken from the decrease or falling of the Nile, upon the overflowings of which all the plenty and prosperity of Egypt depended. See 2 Kings 19:24 and Isaiah 37:25.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:12 And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked: and I will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I the LORD have spoken [it].

Ver. 12. And I will make the rivers dry.] The Chaldees shall drink them up; {as 2 Kings 19:24} or I will dry them up, for a punishment of your vain trust in them, and boasting of them. [Ezekiel 29:3; Ezekiel 29:9]

And sell the land.] Pass it away utterly from you. "The earth is the Lord’s"; he is the true proprietary.

POOLE, " I will make the rivers dry; either by some extraordinary drought, or rather by means of that mighty lake, which drew so much water from Nilus, that all

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their canals were ever after shallow, and the lake, as the oracle foretold, helped their enemy, and hurt their friends; or the Chaldeans might divert them, and so their fortified towns would want one great defence.

Sell the land: God gave it, here he sells; the one is proper, the other a borrowed expression; indeed God seems to pay wages with it, Ezekiel 29:19,20; but hereby is intimated, that as sellers deliver into the hand of the buyer, so God would deliver Egypt into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar, as surely as if he had bought it. arid we may conclude the Chaldean as a buyer will make the most of all he buys.

Of the wicked; not of just and compassionate, but of injurious and merciless men. Strangers, who leave nothing they can carry away, eat up, or spoil.

I the Lord have spoken it; it is the decree and edict of Heaven, which cannot be broken.

PETT, "Verse 12

“And I will make the rivers dry, and will sell the land into the hands of evil men. And I will make the land desolate, and all that is in it by the hand of strangers. I Yahweh have spoken it.”

Egypt would not only have to cope with invasion but with drought as the level of the Nile fell and many tributaries dried up. The irrigation canals, which required constant attention by the people, would be neglected and silt up. Furthermore as regularly happens in such a war there would be a rise of brigandage, to add to the people’s troubles as the desolation continued through visiting armies. All this would be seen as Yahweh’s doing.

PULPIT, "Ezekiel 30:12

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I will make the rivers dry. The rivers are the Nile-blanches of the Delta, and their being dried up points, perhaps, literally to a failure in the inundation of the Nile on which its fertility depended; figuratively to a like failure of all its sources of prosperity.

13 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:“‘I will destroy the idols and put an end to the images in Memphis.No longer will there be a prince in Egypt, and I will spread fear throughout the land.

BARNES, "Noph - Memphis Isa_19:13.CLARKE, "Their images to cease out of Noph - Afterwards Memphis, and now

Cairo or Kahira. This was the seat of Egyptian idolatry; the place where Apis was particularly worshipped.No more a prince of the land of Egypt - Not one, from that time to the present day. See the note on Eze_29:14.

GILL, "Thus saith the Lord God, I will also destroy the idols,.... With which Egypt abounded, making an idol of all sorts of creatures, rational and irrational, animate and inanimate, and in which they trusted; wherefore these being destroyed, they had nothing to put their confidence in:

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I will cause their images to cease out of Noph; called Moph, Hos_9:6 and which we there rightly render Memphis, as many versions do here, and was very famous for idolatry: here stood the temple of Serapis, and the temple of other idols; here Isis and Osiris were worshipped; and it was in Jerom's time, as he says, the metropolis of the Egyptian superstition. It was built by Menes (s), the Mizraim of the Scriptures, the first king of Egypt; though Diodorus Siculus (t) makes Uchoreus to be the founder of it. Some interpreters take this city to be the same with what is now called Alkair, or Grand Cairo; or, however, that this is built upon the same spot, or near the same place that was, in which I have followed them on Isa_19:13 whereas Cairo stands right over against old Memphis, the Nile being between them, on the east side of it, and Memphis on the west; as is clear from Herodotus (u), and from the charts of Dr. Shaw, and Mr. Norden; and who observe, that some take the place of it to have been where a village now stands, Dr. Shaw calls Geza, and Mr. Norden Gize: and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt; that is, a native of that country; or that should rule over the whole of it, and in that grandeur the kings of Egypt had before; or, however, not dwell in Memphis, which was the seat of the kings of Egypt, but now should be so no more: when Egypt was conquered by Nebuchadnezzar, it was under the Babylonians; and then under the Persians; and then under the Greeks; and afterwards under the Romans; since under the Saracens and Mamalucks; and now in the hands of the Turks; so that it never recovered its former glory; and indeed, after Nectanebus was driven out of it by Ochus, king of Persia, it never after had a king: and I will put a fear in all the land of Egypt; a panic in all the inhabitants of it; as soon as they shall hear of the king of Babylon entering into it, their courage, bravery, and fortitude, shall at once leave them, and they shall be dispirited, and have no heart to defend themselves, and oppose the enemy.

JAMISON, "Noph — Memphis, the capital of Middle Egypt, and the stronghold of “idols.” Though no record exists of Nebuchadnezzar’s “destroying” these, we know from Herodotus and others, that Cambyses took Pelusium, the key of Egypt, by placing before his army dogs, cats, etc., all held sacred in Egypt, so that no Egyptian would use any weapon against them. He slew Apis, the sacred ox, and burnt other idols of Egypt.

no more a prince — referring to the anarchy that prevailed in the civil wars between Apries and Amasis at the time of Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion. There shall no more be a prince of the land of Egypt, ruling the whole country; or, no independent prince.

K&D 13-19, "Further Description of the JudgmentEze_30:13. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah, I will exterminate the idols and cut off the deities from Noph, and there shall be no more a prince from the land of Egypt; and I put terror upon the land of Egypt. Eze_30:14. And I lay Pathros waste, and bring fire into Zoan, and execute judgments upon No; Eze_30:15. And I pour out my fury upon Sin, the stronghold of Egypt, and cut off the multitude of No; Eze_30:16. And I put fire in Egypt; Sin will writhe in pain, and No will be broken open, and Noph - enemies by day. Eze_30:17. The men of On and Bubastus will fall by the sword, and they themselves will go into captivity. Eze_30:18. At Tachpanches the day will be darkened when I shatter the yokes of Egypt there, and an end will be put to its proud

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haughtiness; cloud will cover it, and its daughters till go into captivity. Eze_30:19. And thus I execute judgments upon Egypt, that they may know that I am Jehovah. - Egypt will lose its idols and its princes (cf. Jer_46:25). גלולים and אלילים are synonymous, signifying not the images, but the deities; the former being the ordinary epithet applied to false deities by Ezekiel (see the comm. on Eze_6:4), the latter traceable to the reading of Isa_19:1. נף, contracted from נף Manoph ,מ or Menoph מף = in Hos_9:6, is Memphis, the ancient capital of Lower Egypt, with the celebrated temple of Ptah, one of the principal seats of Egyptian idolatry (see the comm. on Hos_9:6 and Isa_19:13). In Eze_30:13 מארץ 'מצר belongs to נשיא, there shall be no more a prince from the land of Egypt, i.e., a native prince. נתן to put fear upon (cf. Eze_26:17). From Lower ,יראהEgypt Ezekiel passes in Eze_30:14 to Upper Egypt (Pathros, see the comm. on Eze_29:14), which is also to be laid waste, and then names several more of the principal cities of Lower Egypt along with the chief city of Upper Egypt. צען, Egypt. Zane, Copt. Jane, is the Τανίς, Tanis, of the Greeks and Romans, on the Tanitic arm of the Nile, an ancient city of Lower Egypt; see the comm. on Num_13:22 and Isa_19:11. נא נא = ן אמ in Nah_3:8, probably “abode of Amon,” Egypt. P-amen, i.e., house of Amon, the sacred name of Thebes, the celebrated royal city of Upper Egypt, the Διὸς πόλις ἡ μεγάλη of the Greeks (see the comm. on Nah_3:8). סין (literally, mire; compare the Aram. סין) is Πηλούσιον, Pelusium, which derives its name from πηλός (ὠνόμασται ἀπὸ τοῦ πηλοῦ πηλός, Strab. xvii. p. 802), because there were swamps all round. It was situated on the eastern arm of the Nile, to which it gave its name, at a distance of twenty stadia from the sea. The Egyptian name Pehromi also signifies dirty, or muddy. From this the Arabs have made Elfarama; and in the vicinity of the few ruins of the ancient Pelusium there is still a castle called Arab. t{i=nh, Tineh (compare the Chaldee טינא, clay, in Dan_2:41). Ezekiel calls it the “fortress or bulwark of Egypt,” because, as Strabo (l.c.) observes, “Egypt is difficult of access here from places in the East;” for which reason Hirtius (de bell. Al. c.27) calls it “the key of Egypt,” and Suidas (s.v.) “the key both of the entrance and exit of Egypt.” On the history of this city, see Leyrer in Herzog's Encyclopaedia. In ן המ נאmany of the commentators find a play upon the name of the god ן אמ (Jer_46:25), the chief deity of Thebes, which is possible, but not very probable, as we should not expect to find a god mentioned again here after Eze_30:13; and הכרתי would be inappropriate. -In Eze_30:16 Sin (= Pelusium) is mentioned again as the border fortress, No (= Memphis) as the capital of Upper Egypt, as all falling within the range of the judgment. The expression נף צרי מם י has caused some difficulty and given occasion to various conjectures, none of which, however, commend themselves as either simple or natural explanations.

(Note: Ewald proposes to alter צרי into צדי (after the Aramaean), “rust,” and renders it: “Memphis will be eternal rust.” But to this Hitzig has very properly objected that in Eze_24:6, Eze_24:11, rust is called חלאה; and that even in Psa_6:3מם י does not mean perpetual or eternal. Hävernick proposes to explain צרים, from the Aramaean zerâ', to rend or tear in pieces, “Memphis shall become perpetual rents.” To this also it may be objected, that צרים in Hebrew has the standing meaning of oppressors; and that מם interdiu, is not equivalent to perpetual; and ,י

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still further, that the preposition ל could not be omitted before צרי.)As Hitzig has correctly observed, צרי מם י is the same as שדד הרים בצ in Jer_15:8,

and is the opposite of שדדי לילה in Oba_1:5. The enemy who comes by day, not in the night, is the enemy who does not shun open attack. The connection with נף is to be explained by the same rule as Jer_24:2, “the one basket - very good figs.” Memphis will have enemies in broad daylight, i.e., will be filled with them. און ן = ,in Gen_41:45 ,אן ,אGen_41:50 (Egyptian An, or Anu), is the popular name of Heliopolis in Lower Egypt (see the comm. on Gen_41:45); and the form און (a vain thing, or idol) is probably selected intentionally in the sense of an idol-city (see the comm. on Hos_4:15), because On-Heliopolis בית־שמש) in Jer_43:13) was from time immemorial one of the principal seats of the Egyptian worship of the sun, and possessed a celebrated temple of the sun, with a numerous and learned priesthood (see the comm. on Gen_41:45, ed. 2). פי־בסת, i.e., βουβαστός (lxx), or βουβαστίν (Herod. ii. 59), Egyptian Pi-Pasht, i.e., the place of Pasht, so called from the cat-headed Bubastis or Pasht, the Egyptian Diana, which was worshipped there in a splendid temple. It was situated on the royal canal leading to Suez, which was begun by Necho and finished under Ptolemy II, not far from its junction with the Pelusiac arm of the Nile. It was the chief seat of the Nomos Bubastites, was destroyed by the Persians, who demolished its walls (Diod. Sic. xvi. 51), and has entirely disappeared, with the exception of some heaps of ruins which still bear the name of TelBastah, about seven hours' journey from the Nile (compare Ges. Thes. pp. 1101ff., and Leyrer in Herzog's Encyclopaedia, s.v.). The Nomos of Bubastis, according to Herod. ii. 166, was assigned to the warrior-caste of Calasirians. The בחורים, the young military men, will fall by the sword; and הנה, not αἱ γυναῖκες (lxx and others), but the cities themselves, i.e., their civil population as distinguished from the military garrison, shall go into exile. This explanation of הנה is commended by תיה בנ in Eze_30:18. תחפנחס or תחפנחס (Jer_43:7., Eze_44:1; Eze_46:14), and תחפנס in Jer_2:16 (Chetib), is Τάφναι, Τάφνη (lxx), or Δάφναι (Herod. ii. 30. 107), a frontier city of Egypt in the vicinity of Pelusium, after the time of Psammetichus a fortification with a strong garrison, where a palace of Pharaoh was also to be found, according to Jer_43:9. After the destruction of Jerusalem, a portion of the Jews took refuge there, and to them Jeremiah predicted the punishment of God on the conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar (Jer_43:7., Eze_44:1.). In the case of השך the reading varies; the printed Masora at Gen_39:3 giving חש as the reading to be found in all the codices examined by the author of the Masora; whereas many of the codices and printed editions have חש, and this is adopted in all the ancient versions. This is evidently the correct reading, as חש does not furnish an appropriate meaning, and the parallel passages, Eze_32:8; Isa_13:10; Joe_3:4; Amo_8:9, all favour חש. The darkening of the day is the phenomenal prognostic of the dawning of the great day of judgment upon the nations (cf. Joe_2:10; Joe_3:4, Joe_3:15; Isa_13:10, etc.). This day is to dawn upon Egypt at Tachpanches, the border fortress of the land towards Syria and Palestine, when the Lord will break the yokes of Egypt. These words point back to Lev_26:13, where the deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt is called the breaking in pieces of its yokes (see also Eze_34:27). That which took place then is to be repeated here. The yokes which Egypt put upon the nations are to be broken; and all the proud might of that kingdom is to be brought to an

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end (ן גא which stands at the head in an ,היא ,as in Eze_30:6). In Eze_30:18 ,עזהabsolute form, points back to בתחפנחס. The city (Daphne) will be covered with cloud, i.e., will be overthrown by the judgment; and her daughters, i.e., the smaller cities and hamlets dependent upon her (cf. Eze_16:46 and Eze_26:6), will go into captivity in the persons of their inhabitants. It follows from this that Daphne was the chief city of a Nomos in Lower Egypt; and this is confirmed by the circumstance that there was a royal palace there. If we compare the threat in this verse, that in Tachpanches an end is to be put to the proud might of Pharaoh, with the threatening words of Jer_43:9., to the effect that Nebuchadnezzar would set up his throne at Tachpanches and smite Egypt, it is evident that the situation of Daphne must at that time have been such that the war between Egypt and Babylonia would necessarily be decided in or near this city. These prophetic utterances cannot be explained, as Kliefoth supposes, from the fact that many Jews had settled in Daphne; nor do the contents of this verse furnish any proof that Ezekiel did not utter this prophecy of his till after the Jews had settled there (Jer_43:1-13 and 44). Eze_30:19 serves to round off the prophecy.

COFFMAN, ""Thus saith the Lord, Jehovah: I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause the images to cease from Memphis; and there shall be no more a prince from the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt. And I will make Pathros desolate, and will set a fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments upon No. And I will pour my wrath upon Sin, the stronghold of Egypt; and I will cut off the multitude of No. And I will set a fire in Egypt: Sin shall be in great anguish, and No shall be broken up; and Memphis shall have adversaries in the day-time. The young men of Avert and of Pibeseth shall fall by the sword; and these cities shall go into captivity. At Tehaphnehes also the day shall withdraw itself, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt and the pride of her power shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity. Thus will I execute judgments upon Egypt; and they shall know that I am Jehovah."

THE CITIES TO BE DESTROYED

"Memphis ..." (Ezekiel 30:13) "This was the principal city of Lower Egypt, built on the left bank of the Nile 10 miles south of Cairo."[10] "This city was also called `Noph.'"[11]

"I will destroy the idols, and I will cause the images to cease ..." (Ezekiel 30:13).

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"The `idols' here were great men and princes, as indicated in NEB."[12] Since the Pharaohs themselves pretended to divine honors, the term "idols" is appropriate.

"Pathros, Zoan, and No ..." (Ezekiel 30:14) "Pathros was the native name of Upper, or Southern Egypt; Zoan, called `Tanis' by the Greeks, was mentioned by Moses in Numbers 13:22. It was an important city of the Eastern Delta."[13]

No was located some 400 miles south of Memphis; it was the capital of Upper Egypt, known to the Greeks as Thebes, and featured in the Book of Nahum under the name of No-Amon. There is nothing haphazard about this list of Egyptian cities. Memphis, the capital of Lower Egypt, and its supporting cities was named first, and then Thebes, or No, the capital of Upper Egypt was named next.

No was famous as a residential city for the Pharaohs between 1380,930 B.C.; and many of the greatest of the Pharaohs were buried there.[14] The sun-god Amon was worshipped there; and his name was often incorporated into that of the city, as in No-Amon (Nahum 3:8f).

Each one of the cities mentioned here, "was identified with a particular pagan deity; and therefore God's prophecies against these cities may be construed as a frontal assault upon the paganism of Egypt."[15]

"Sin ..." (Ezekiel 30:16). This place is called the "stronghold of Egypt." It is usually associated with Pelusium, but the actual location is disputed.

"Avert ..." (Ezekiel 30:17). "This word means `nothingness,' or 'wickedness,' and is a contemptuous rendition of On (Heliopolis), the words being spelled exactly alike in Hebrew. Joseph's father-in-law was Potiphera the high priest there (Genesis 41:45). It was the center of sun-worship.

"Pibeseth ..." (Ezekiel 30:17). At this place, "The cat-headed goddess Ubastet was 46

worshipped."[16]

Herodotus has the report of a Persian ruler, Cambyses, who won a victory over this city by deploying several thousand dogs and cats in front of the Persian army. The Egyptians would not attack through fear of killing some of the animals which were sacred to their god.

"Tehaphnehes ..." (Ezekiel 30:18). "This place is now Tel-Deffeneh, 10 miles west of E1-Kantara on the Suez Canal."[17] It is the place where Jeremiah prophesied that the king of Babylon would erect his throne (Jeremiah 43:8f).

The list of cities mentioned here has now been noted; and we appreciate Eichrodt's comment that, "This list provides a very suitable means of representing the almost inexhaustible resources of that kingdom on the Nile."[18]

"When I shall break there the yokes of Egypt ..." (Ezekiel 30:18). Some of the versions have "yokes and bars." "Both words are used as a figure of tyranny, and of Egyptian tyranny in particular."[19]

COKE, "Ezekiel 30:13. Noph— Or, Memphis; and so Ezekiel 30:16. There shall be no more a prince, &c. seems to mean that there shall be no more a natural prince of the Egyptian race, but it shall be subject to foreigners. It is probable, that these prophesies respect the time of Cambyses and Darius Ochus. See the note on chap. Ezekiel 29:15 and Usher's Annals, A.M. 3478 and 3653.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:13 Thus saith the Lord GOD I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause [their] images to cease out of Noph; and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt.

Ver. 13. I will also destroy their idols.] He did so by Cambyses. See on Ezekiel 30:6. He doth so still by the Turks. When they invade Popish countries, they break down

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their mawmets.

Out of Noph.] Called also Moph, [Hosea 9:6] afterwards Memphis (the metropolis of idolatry; Nazianzen calleth it ανοια, the mad city, because ειδωλομανης, madly set upon idols, Apis especially), afterwards Babylon, and now Alcair; famous for its incredible greatness, fair situation, pillars and pyramids. It was the seat royal of the sultans, till taken by the Turks from Camson Gaurus and the Mamelukes about the year 1515.

And there shall be no more a prince.] For forty years at least.

POOLE, " I will also destroy; God did it by the Babylonians; those proud and impious nations did triumph over the gods of the conquered, and out of contempt of them burnt them or broke them, as is well known; so Sennacherib threatened, 2 Chronicles 32:19 Isaiah 37:19,24, against the true God, as he did to idol gods.

The idols; dunghill gods, as the words, fitter to be trod under foot than to be decked and respected.

Their images; these nothings, as the word imports; whoever destroyed the image destroyed the god, for it was nothing but an image.

Noph; Memphis, now Grand Cairo, the chief city of the country, the seat of their kings first, of their priests by consequence, and of all their several gods too; but the Chaldeans destroyed the nest and birds too.

A prince; either an Egyptian horn, or independent, or over all Egypt, or that shall have the power, wealth, or honour like a former brave Egyptian king. A fear of consternation and cowardice, that should disable them for counsel and action in their most urgent affairs.

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WHEDON, " 13. Images — Hebrews, no-gods. By the omission of one syllable the LXX. reads, “great ones.”

Noph — LXX., Memphis, as Hosea 9:6; “Moph” (Assyrian, Mi-im-pi). Memphis, the splendid capital of the ancient empire, is to-day no more than a dust heap connected with the most magnificent cemetery on earth.

PETT, " “Thus says the Lord Yahweh, I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause the images to cease from Noph (Memphis). And there will be no more a prince out of the land of Egypt. And I will put a fear in the land of Egypt. And I will make Pathros desolate, and will set a fire in Zoan (Tanis), and will execute judgment on No (Thebes). And I will pour out my fury on Sin (Pelusium) , the stronghold of Egypt, and I will cut off the multitude of No (Thebes). And I will set a fire in Egypt. Sin will be in great anguish, and No will be broken up, and Noph will have adversaries in the day time. The young men of Aven (Heliopolis) and Pi-beseth will fall by the sword, and these will go into captivity. At Tehaphnehes (Tahpanhes) also the day will withdraw itself, when I will break there the yokes of Egypt, and the pride of her power will cease in her. As for her a cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity. Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt, and they will know that I am Yahweh.”

A wide range of cities in Egypt are mentioned to bring home the widespread nature of the devastation. Everywhere would be affected (compare for the approach Isaiah 10:27-32; Micah 1:10-15; Zephaniah 2:4). There is no order to the names, they are selected at random. The many gods of Egypt would be decimated and authority in the land would cease. There would thus be general fear over the whole land. The great cities would be desolated and many set on fire. Anguish would be everywhere. This would be invasion on a large scale. ‘Adversaries in the day time’ reflects this. The city gates would normally be open during the day, but closed at nights. At this time they would be permanently closed.

‘Also the day will withdraw itself, when I will break there the yokes of Egypt, and the pride of her power will cease in her. As for her a cloud will cover her, and her

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daughters will go into captivity.’ Tehaphnehes was a frontier city (Jeremiah 43:7) and would receive the first onslaught, becoming the first to be ‘freed’ from the Egyptian yoke. But it would be as though there was no more day, as though they were under a permanent cloud. They would be the first whose daughters were taken away as spoil.

Noph is better known as Memphis, modern Mit Raneh, and used to be the capital of Lower Egypt. Pathros was in Upper Egypt, between modern Cairo and Aswan, (compare Ezekiel 29:14). Zoan (Greek Tanis) was a chief city in the northeastern delta. No (Greek Thebes) is modern Karnak and Luxor, Egypt's southern capital, and often capital of all Egypt. It was the cultic centre of the sun god Amon. All the towns mentioned in these verses were important religious centres as well as large cities. Sin (Greek Pelusium), modern Tel Farama on the Mediterranean coast, was one of the northernmost strongholds of Egypt. Aven (also known as On, Greek Heliopolis), was a major religious centre in Lower Egypt, and Pi-beseth (Greek Bubastis), modern Basta, was another capital city sixty five kilometres (40 miles) northeast of modern Cairo. Tehaphnehes (Tahpanes, Greek Daphnai) is modern Tel Defenneh, and was a fortress town and residence of the Pharaohs (Isaiah 30:4; Jeremiah 2:16; Jeremiah 43:7; Jeremiah 43:9; Jeremiah 44:1).

‘Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt, and they will know that I am Yahweh.’ Once again the mocking world would be made aware of Who and What Yahweh is.

PULPIT, "Ezekiel 30:13

Noph, or, as in Hosea 9:6, Moph, is a form of the Egyptian M'noph, the reek Memphis (so in the LXX.), the capital of Lower Egypt, the chief center of the worship of Phthah, whom the Greeks identified with Hephaestos. Hence the special mention of the idols and images.

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I will lay waste Upper Egypt, set fire to Zoan and inflict punishment on Thebes.

BARNES, "Zoan - Tanis, a city and nome of Lower Egypt Num_13:22. See the marginal reference note.

No - Diospolis. See the marginal reference note.

CLARKE, "I will make Pathros desolate - See Eze_29:14.Zoan - Tanis, the ancient capital of Egypt.No - Diospolis, or Thebes, the city of Jupiter.

GILL, "And I will make Pathros desolate,.... A country in Egypt; See Gill on Eze_29:14, perhaps it was the first place that Nebuchadnezzar entered, and so went from place to place in the order hereafter mentioned: and I will set fire in Zoan; or Tunis, a famous city in Egypt in the times of Moses, Num_13:22. The Targum and Septuagint version call it Tanis here; and from hence a nome in Egypt was called the Tanitic nome. This city was burnt down by the king of Babylon: the place now built on the spot is called Mansourah, as Dr. Shaw (w) says: and I will execute judgment in No. The Vulgate Latin version renders it Alexandria; and so does the Targum; of which place Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech interpret it; and so does Jerom; which, though built after these times by Alexander, and called so after his name, yet is supposed to be built on or near the place where ancient No stood. The city is now called Scanderoon, or Scanderea; the Turks calling Alexander Scander: here the judgments of God were executed in the destruction of it by the Chaldean army; and great devastations have been made in it since it was rebuilt by Alexander, by the Saracens, who destroyed all places where they came; so that, as Dr. Shaw (x) observes, it is somewhat extraordinary that the greatest part of the ancient walls, together with their respective turrets, should have continued entire quite down to this time. The Septuagint version calls it Diospolis, or the city of Jupiter, as does the Arabic version, that is, of Jupiter Hammon; the city of Thebes, where he was worshipped; as it is in a following

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verse called Hammon No; though Hillerus (y) thinks neither of these places are meant, neither Alexandria nor Diospolis; but Memphis, as it is rendered by the Septuagint in the next verse; See Gill on Nah_3:8.

HENRY 14-18, "The king of Babylon and his army shall be employed as instruments of this destruction: The multitude of Egypt shall be made to cease and be quite cut off by the hand of the king of Babylon, Eze_30:10. Those that undertook to protect Israel from the king of Babylon shall not be able to protect themselves. It is said of the Chaldeans, who should destroy Egypt, 1. That they are strangers (Eze_30:12), who therefore shall show no compassion for old acquaintance-sake, but shall behave strangely towards them. 2. That they are the terrible of the nations (Eze_30:11), both in respect of force and in respect of fierceness; and, being terrible, they shall make terrible work. (3.) That they are the wicked, who will not be restrained by reason and conscience, the laws of nature or the laws of nations, for they are without law: I will sell the land into the hand of the wicked. They do violence unjustly, as they are wicked; yet, so far as they are instruments in God's hand of executing his judgments, it is on his part justly done. Note, God often makes one wicked man a scourge to another; and even wicked men acquire a title to prey, jure belli - by the laws of war, for God sells it into their hands.

JAMISON, "Pathros — Upper Egypt, with “No” or Thebes its capital (famed for its stupendous buildings, of which grand ruins remain), in antithesis to Zoan or Tanis, a chief city in Lower Egypt, within the Delta.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:14 And I will make Pathros desolate, and will set fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments in No.

Ver. 14. And I will set fire.] See on Ezekiel 30:8.

In Zoan.] Or Tanis, the inhabitants whereof are said to be those giants called Titans.

And will execute judgments in No.] Populous No, [Nahum 3:8] called afterwards Alexandria, now Scanderoon.

POOLE, " Parthos: see Ezekiel 29:14.

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Set a fire in Zoan: it may be literally understood, that Zoan, Tanis, for that is its name, should be burnt down to ashes; or metaphorically, of war, and civil dissensions.

No; a very great and populous city, situate on one of the mouths of Nilus, and on the sea, Nahum 3:8. Now Alexandria stands where that did. But it was greater in sin than in people, and it was visited with very great and dreadful judgments, Nahum 3:8-11, which see.

WHEDON, " 14. Pathros — See note on Ezekiel 29:14. Zoan (Numbers 13:22; Isaiah 19:11) — Tanis (modern San). This city commanded the northern highway to Syria, and was a royal city (probably the Raamses of the Bible, Exodus 1:11; compare Psalms 78:43) filled with monuments which even yet remain covered with inscriptions in which the kings call themselves “givers of all stability”… “reducing every foreign land to nonexistence” (Egyptian Exploration Fund, Second and Fourth Memoirs).

No — No Amon (Nahum 3:8) was Thebes (Jeremiah 46:25). Hundreds of the mighty pillars of Thebes can be seen to-day lying in ruins, as if smitten by the fist of the Almighty. Professor R.S. Poole justly says that “nowhere else in Egypt has the solid masonry of the temples been thus destroyed.”

PULPIT, "Ezekiel 30:14

(For Pathros, see note on Ezekiel 29:14.) Zoan—joined with Noph in Isaiah 19:11, mentioned in Numbers 13:22 as older than Hebron—is the Tanis of the Greeks, situated on the Tanitic branch of the Delta of the Nile. No; or, as in Nahum 3:8, No Amon (equivalent to "the abode of Ammen"), the sacred name of the Egyptian Thebes. The LXX. gives Diospolis; the Vulgate, by a curious anachronism, Alexandria.

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15 I will pour out my wrath on Pelusium, the stronghold of Egypt, and wipe out the hordes of Thebes.

CLARKE, "My fury upon Sin - Pelusium, a strong city of Egypt, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

GILL, "And I will pour out my fury upon Sin, the strength of Egypt,.... Either the city Sais, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions; or rather Pelusium, as the Vulgate Latin version, so called from "pelos" which signifies "clay" in the Greek language; and the same "Sin" signifies in the Chaldee, Psa_18:43, and as now called Tineh, from טין, "clay": it had a very fine haven, and may be called the strength of Egypt, it lying at the entrance of it; and having a strong fortified tower, it was difficult to enter into it; but could not stand before the wrath and fury of the Lord of hosts, when he sent the Chaldeans to it. It is thought by some to be the same with Pithom, built by the first of the pastor kings of Egypt, and fortified by him, Exo_1:11, according to Manetho (z), he put into it a garrison of two hundred and forty thousand men; and the same writer says it contained ten thousand acres of land; according to Adrichomius (a), it was two and a half miles in compass, and near it was a vast hollow, which extended to Mount Cassius, and which made the way into Egypt on that side difficult; and is now, as he says, called "campus de Gallo"; in which he is mistaken, as well as Thevenot, and others, who take it to be the same with Damieta: and I will cut off the multitude of No; the numerous inhabitants of it; hence called "populous No", Nah_3:8, or "Hamon No"; See Gill on Eze_30:14; here, as before observed, the Septuagint version renders it Memphis; as does also the Arabic version. Some take it, as before, to be the Egyptian Thebes, where was a temple dedicated to Jupiter Hammon; and which city, Pausanias (b) says, was reduced to nothing in his time.

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JAMISON, "Sin — that is, Pelusium, the frontier fortress on the northeast, therefore called “the strength (that is, the key) of Egypt.” It stands in antithesis to No or Thebes at the opposite end of Egypt; that is, I will afflict Egypt from one end to the other.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:15 And I will pour my fury upon Sin, the strength of Egypt; and I will cut off the multitude of No.

Ver. 15. And I will pour my fury upon Sin.] (a) Called afterwards Pelusium, and now Damiata.

The strength of Egypt.] The key of the kingdom.

POOLE, " Will pour my fury: see Ezekiel 21:31.

Sin; either Sain, or more likely Pelusium, which was a frontier, and secured the entrance of Egypt from the desert of Sin, was the key of Egypt, and therefore always well fortified and strongly garrisoned; it was called Damtiata.

The strength of Egypt; one of the principal munitions of Egypt; for it was a good and large haven, and was strengthened with all needful fortifications.

The multitude, or the riches and tumultuous noise which the multitudes thereof made. If we read as the margin, it is plain, God does threaten Pelusium after No is cut off; if we retain our own translation, we must think of another city of that name, which God threatens with Sin. Now this may be Thebe Egyptiacae or this city may be Hamon No, called Diospolis, the city of Jupiter; possibly it may be the same mentioned already, and the threat repeated to confirm it.

WHEDON, " 15. Sin — Supposed to be Pelusium. The Egyptian name for Pelusium has not yet been found, but the meaning of Sin in Hebrew corresponds exactly to

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that of Pelusium in Greek. This city guarded the northern entrance into Egypt. To-day its site is marked by yellow sand and a poisonous swamp.

Multitude of No — In Hebrews (almost) Amon No. (Compare Ezekiel 30:14.)

PULPIT, "Ezekiel 30:15, Ezekiel 30:16

Sin. The name signifies "mire," like the Greek Pelusium (so the Vulgate), from πήλος. The modern name Pheromi has the same meaning. The remains of an old fortress near the town are still known as Tineh, the "clay" of Daniel 2:41. The fortress stood on the eastern branch of the Nile, surrounded by swamps, and its position made it, in modern phrase, the "key" of Egypt. Suidas and Strabo (ut supra) describe it as an obstacle to invaders from the East. Ezekiel, in describing it as "the strength of Egypt," must have known its local characteristics. The multitude of No; in the Hebrew, as in Jeremiah 46:25, Hamon-No. Did the prophet, after the manner of Micah 1:10-14, indulge in a play on the full name of the city as given in Nahum 3:8? The LXX. as before, gives Diospolis, and the Vulgate Alexandria. Noph shall have distresses daily. So the Vulgate, angustiae quotidianae. Hitizig and Keil, however, take the words as "troubles in the day-time." The city should be attacked, not by night (Obadiah 1:5), but in open day (compare "the spoiler at noonday" of Jeremiah 15:8). The LXX. emits the name of the city, and renders, "waters shall be poured out." For Sin the LXX. here gives, following a different reading, "Syene."

16 I will set fire to Egypt; Pelusium will writhe in agony.

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Thebes will be taken by storm; Memphis will be in constant distress.

GILL, "And I will set fire in Egypt,.... Kindle a war there, which shall consume it; see Eze_30:8, Sin shall have great pain; as a woman in travail, seeing its destruction is just at hand; the same with Pelusium, as before: and No shall be rent asunder, the walls of it shall be broken down by the enemy, or a breach shall be made in it, like the breach of waters which were about it; see Nah_3:8, and Noph shall have distresses daily: that is, Memphis, as before; enemies shall surround it daily, as the Targum; shall besiege and distress it, until it is taken: or, "in the daytime"; their enemies should not come as thieves in the night, openly in the day. Abendana interprets it of their unfortunate day, their star being unlucky.

JAMISON, "distresses daily — Maurer translates, “enemies during the day,” that is, open enemies who do not wait for the covert of night to make their attacks (compare Jer_6:4; Jer_15:8). However, the Hebrew, though rarely, is sometimes rendered (see Psa_13:2) as in English Version.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:16 And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain, and No shall be rent asunder, and Noph [shall have] distresses daily.

Ver. 16. I will set fire in Egypt.] See Ezekiel 30:8,

POOLE, " Will set fire: see Ezekiel 30:14, and Ezekiel 20:47.

Sin: see Ezekiel 30:15. Great pain: see Ezekiel 30:9.

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No: Ezekiel 30:14,15.

Rent asunder; her walls, and towers, and fortresses battered, torn, and broken through by the continued violence of engines, and by the assaults of the soldiers.

Noph: see Ezekiel 30:13.

Distresses: being the chief city where king and councils sat, whence orders should be given, whither all intelligences were brought, all should be so bad abroad, that nothing but fears and distresses fill their ears, mouths, and hearts, beside the wants that would increase daily on them.

17 The young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis will fall by the sword, and the cities themselves will go into captivity.

BARNES, "ven - The same as “On” Gen_41:45, or “Heliopolis.” The word “Aven” means also “transgression” (compare Hos_10:8). Some have thought that here too Ezekiel substituted the word “Aven” for “On” to mark the “sin” of idolatry there in full vogue.

Pi-beseth - The Bubastis of Herodotus. The hieroglyphic name is “Pe-bast,” the house of Bast (the Egyptian Artemis, the cat-headed goddess). Bubastis was situated on the easternmost, the Pelusian, branch of the Delta. The road from Pelusium to Memphis lay through Bubastis and On. In the days of Herodotus Bubastis was the seat of one of 58

the chief annual festivals of the Egyptians. The Persians took the town and razed the walls. The ruins bear the modern name Tel-Basta.

CLARKE, "Aven - Or On, the famous Heliopolis, or city of the sun.Pibeseth - Bubastum or Bubaste, by a slight alteration of the letters. It is situated on the eastern branch of the Nile, towards Arabia.

GILL, "The young men of Aven and of Phibeseth shall fall by the sword,.... Aven is the same with On, of which Potipherah was priest in Joseph's time and whose daughter he married, Gen_41:45, the same with Heliopolis, or Bethshemesh, the city of the sun, see Jer_43:13; see Gill on Jer_43:13; where was the temple of the sun, and where it was worshipped; and so it is rendered by the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions. It is called here "Aven", or "vanity", because of the vain and idolatrous worship here performed. Phibeseth is the Bubastis of Herodotus, and called by other writers Bubastus; hence there was a nome or province in Egypt called the Bubastic nome, mentioned by Ptolemy (c), and others. In this was a temple built to the honour of Diana, where she was worshipped and Herodotus (d) says, that Bubastis, in the Greek tongue, is Diana; here she was worshipped in the form of a cat; and Stephanus (e)observes, that the Egyptians call a cat Bubastus; and it is also said that dead cats salted were buried in this city, as being sacred: according to Diodorus Siculus (f), it was built for the sake of Isis; and Hillerus (g) says, that in the Abyssine language it was called "Phy' mly' sith"; that is, the portion of the wife, namely of Isis married to Osiris, by whom this city was built to the honour of her; as appears by the pillar of Isis, on which these words are inscribed, "for me the city of Bubastia is built; be glad, be glad, O Egypt, which brought me up.'' This place is now called Bishbesh, according to Dr. Shaw (h): now the young men of both these places, though they might exert themselves in the defence of them, yet should fail therein, and fall by the sword of the Chaldeans: and these cities shall go into captivity; the rest of the inhabitants of the cities of Aven and Pibeseth, that shall not fall by the sword, shall be carried captive into other lands. Joseph Kimchi supplies "women" instead of "cities"; and thinks, that as the males are mentioned before, the females are understood here. The Targum is, "they that served them shall go into captivity;'' that served the idols worshipped in these cities.

JAMISON, "Aven — meaning “vanity” or “iniquity”: applied, by a slight change of the Hebrew name, to On or Heliopolis, in allusion to its idolatry. Here stood the temple of the sun, whence it was called in Hebrew, Beth-shemesh (Jer_43:13). The Egyptian

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hieroglyphics call it, Revelation Athom, the sun, the father of the gods, being impersonate in Athom or Adam, the father of mankind.Pi-beseth — that is, Bubastis, in Lower Egypt, near the Pelusiac branch of the Nile: notorious for the worship of the goddess of the same name (Coptic, Pasht), the granite stones of whose temple still attest its former magnificence.these cities - rather, as the Septuagint, “the women,” namely, of Aven and Pi-beseth, in antithesis to “the young men.” So in Eze_30:18, “daughters shall go into captivity” [Maurer].

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:17 The young men of Aven and of Pibeseth shall fall by the sword: and these [cities] shall go into captivity.

Ver. 17. Aven.] Called also Heliopolis, and Thebe.

Phibeseth.] Or Bubastis, called by Ptolemy, Heroum civitas.

POOLE, " The young men: it is probable these might be a select army of valiant youths in one body, collected out of these two cities, that resolved to break the Chaldean army, or fall in the enterprise; or else that they did to the utmost defend the walls, and were put to the sword when the city was taken by assault.

Aven; Bethshemesh and Heliopolis, an idolatrous city, that worshipped the sun, and in which was a stately temple built to the sun. Its size was one hundred and fifty furlongs, six miles and three quarters, in compass, a very vain and sinful city, as its name Aven intimates.

Pi-beseth; Bubastus, and sometimes called Haephestus, no inconsiderable place, and I believe not far from Avon. It should seem to be some convenient pass, as I conjecture.

These cities; the citizens, cities put for citizens.

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Go into captivity; some of the first, it may be the very first; which put Memphis, at report of it, into a sick fit, with great pain; this being the first-fruits of the sad coming harvest.

WHEDON, "17. Aven and of Pi-beseth — The Greek, Latin, and Coptic correctly translate “on [Heliopolis] and Bubastis.” Heliopolis (“city of the sun,” Jeremiah 43:13) was one of the most renowned and holy cities of ancient Egypt. There the king “washed his face” before the sun-god centuries before Joseph married the daughter of the priest (Genesis 41:45). The spot is still called “sun fountain,” but even the rains of this celebrated city have disappeared, with the single exception of one lonely obelisk. Pi-beseth (Egyptian, Pi-beset, “house of Beset”) was undoubtedly Bubastis (now Tel Bast). There is probably a word play here between Beseth and the familiar Bo-sheth (shame) which was the Hebrew nickname for Baal (Jeremiah 11:13; 2 Samuel 11:21). The worship of Bast greatly resembled that of Baal. The city was the “key to the Delta,” protecting as it did the road used by all Syrian invaders. It was a magnificent city, one of the eight selected for mention by Pomponius Mela among twenty thousand said to have existed in the days of King Amasis — who was a contemporary of Ezekiel. The great temple which Herodotus described at length is now a mere heap of bricks. Naville has thoroughly explored the ruins. (See Egyptian Exploration Fund, Eighth Memoir.)

PULPIT, "Ezekiel 30:17

The young men of Aven; the "On" of Genesis 12:1-20 :45, the "house of the sun" of Jeremiah 43:13, the Heliopolis of the LXX. and Vulgate. The form Aven (Hebrews for "a vain thing!" as in Hosea 4:15; Hosea 10:5) was perhaps chosen as a word of scorn pointing to the idolatry of the city. Pibeseth; LXX; Bubastos. The city situated on the Suez Canal, begun by Necho and finished under Ptolemy II. (Herod; 2.59). It derived its name from the eat-headed goddess Pasht, and was the chief seat of the home which was named after it. It was destroyed by the Persians (Diod. Sic; 15.51), but the name lingers in Tebbastat, a heap of ruins about seven hours journey from the Nile.

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18 Dark will be the day at Tahpanhes when I break the yoke of Egypt; there her proud strength will come to an end.She will be covered with clouds, and her villages will go into captivity.

BARNES, "Tehaphnehes - See the marginal reference note. “break the yokes of Egypt” i. e., break the yokes imposed by Egypt, or break up the tyrannous dominion of Egypt over other lands.

CLARKE, "Tehaphnehes - Called also Tahapanes, Jer_2:16. This is the Pelusian Daphne.Break there the yokes - The sceptres. Nebuchadnezzar broke the scepter of Egypt when he confirmed the kingdom to Amasis, who had rebelled against Apries.

GILL, "At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened,.... The same with Hanes in Isa_30:4 and Tahapanes in Jer_2:16 and Tahpanhes, Jer_43:7, it was a royal seat of the kings of Egypt: there was in Solomon's time a queen of Egypt of this name, and perhaps it might be so called from her, 1Ki_11:19. It is generally thought to be the Daphne of Pelusium, it being near that city; though Junius takes it to be a place in another part of Egypt, at a great distance, which Herodotus (i) calls Tahcompso, an

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island encompassed by the Nile; and by Ptolemy (k) called Metacompso: now at this place the day should be darkened; or should "restrain" (l), as it may be rendered; that is, its light; it should be a calamitous and mournful time with the inhabitants of it: when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt; the yokes they put upon the necks of others, who now should be freed from them: or, "the sceptres of Egypt", as the Vulgate Latin version renders it; the regalia of their kings, which might lie in this place; it being a royal seat where Pharaoh had a house, as appears from Jer_43:9, and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her; all that grandeur and magnificence which appeared in the courts of the kings of Egypt in this place: as for her, a cloud shall cover her; as for this city, a cloud of calamity shall cover it, so as its glory shall not be seen. The Targum is, "a king with his army shall cover her as a cloud ascends and covers the earth:'' and her daughters shall go into captivity; which may be taken either in a literal sense for the daughters of the inhabitants of this place, which must be a great affliction to their tender parents, to have them forced away by rude soldiers, and carried captive into distant lands; or in a figurative sense, for the villages and the inhabitants of them round about this city; it being usual to represent a city as a mother, and its villages as daughters; and so the Targum, Jarchi, and Kimchi interpret it.

JAMISON, "Tehaphnehes — called from the queen of Egypt mentioned in 1Ki_11:19. The same as Daphne, near Pelusium, a royal residence of the Pharaohs (Jer_43:7, Jer_43:9). Called Hanes (Isa_30:4).

break ... the yokes of Egypt — that is, the tyrannical supremacy which she exercised over other nations. Compare “bands of their yoke” (Eze_34:7).a cloud — namely, of calamity.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:18 At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt: and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity.

Ver. 18. At Tehaphnehes.] Or, Daphne, the gate of Egypt, at which the Chaldees entered.

A cloud shall cover her.] See Ezekiel 30:3.

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POOLE, " Tehaphnehes; a great and goodly city of Egypt. Tachapanes, Tachpanes, Tahapanes, Tahpanes, Chanes, and Hanes, Isaiah 30:4, are names given it, and this from a queen of Egypt of that name in Solomon’s time, 1 Kings 11:19,20. It stood not far from Sin or Pelusium, and by the Greeks, a little softening the name, called Daphne Pelusiaca. It was a royal city, in it Pharaoh had a house; to it many Jews fled, when forbidden of the Lord by the prophet Jeremiah, Eze 44. It was one of the first cities you come to out of the desert of Sin, and was one of the keys of Egypt.

The day shall be darkened; a night shall come upon it, and such a night of sorrow as shall grow darker and darker till the day, i.e. their day, be

darkness; or else, word for word, darkness shall be the day, and may bear this sense, shall be more welcome, more useful, more desired, than the day, whose light would discover their flight, which the night concealed.

I shall break, as into shivers.

The yokes; the sceptres; for there was one of Pharaoh’s houses, and probably some sceptre and other regal ornaments: or, the bars, which kept enemies out, and secured the citizens and country; such was this frontier town. Or, when, by giving this strong place into Nebuchadnezzar’s hand, I shall break the kingdom of Egypt, that it no more oppress with yokes, i.e. burdens.

The pomp; the beauty and goodliness with which the strength of this city was set out in her buildings, towers, forts.

Shall cease in her; shall be buried in her own ruins.

A cloud; sorrow at the success of the Chaldeans against her, compared often to a cloud.

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Her daughters; either metaphorically, i.e. the towns and villages about her, or literally, her children; her daughters only mentioned, because her sons were destroyed and slain.

WHEDON, " 18. Tehaphnehes — LXX., Tapne (Daphnae). Modern name, Tel Deppennuch. This was another fortress which had guarded the great highway into Syria from Solomon’s day or earlier. In Ezekiel’s era it was occupied largely by Greek mercenaries. It was naturally to this frontier city that Jeremiah and other Hebrews fled (Jeremiah 43:5-11). Nebuchadnezzar’s invasion of Egypt may have been largely due to Egypt’s favorable reception of these refugees. Dr. Petrie has found the old Greek camp and fort, and uncovered the brickwork where Nebuchadnezzar spread his royal pavilion (Egyptian Exploration Fund, Fourth Memmoir). The largest building in the ruins is still called by the Arabs “the palace of the Jew’s daughter.”

The yokes of Egypt — LXX. and Vulgate translate scepters. If yokes is the correct reading, it cannot mean that the yokes that bind Egypt are broken (compare Ezekiel 34:27), but the yokes which Egypt has heretofore placed upon others. (For the symbolic “darkness” see Ezekiel 30:3; Ezekiel 32:7; Amos 5:29; Joel 2:2; Joel 3:15.)

PULPIT. "Ezekiel 30:18

At Tehaphnehes; the Tabapanes of Jeremiah 2:16; Jeremiah 42:7; Jeremiah 44:1; Jeremiah 46:14; (where it appears as having a royal palace); the Taphnae of the LXX.; the Daphne of Herod; 2.30. It was another frontier-fortress in the neighborhood of Pelusium, built by Psammetichus. It may, perhaps, be represented by the modern Tel-ed-Defenne, about twenty-seven miles southwest of Pelusium. The day shall be darkened. The normal image for the departure of the sunshine of prosperity, as in Jeremiah 46:3 and Ezekiel 32:7 (comp. Amos 5:20; Amos 8:9; Isaiah 5:30; Jeremiah 13:16, etc.). The yokes of Egypt. Commonly, as in Ezekiel 34:27; Le Ezekiel 26:13; Jeremiah 27:2; Jeremiah 28:10, Jeremiah 28:12, the phrase would imply the deliverance of Egypt from the yoke of oppression suffered at the hand of others. Here that sense is clearly inappropriate. The LXX. and Vulgate give

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"the scepters" of Egypt, which implies a different reading, and this is adopted in substance by Ewald and Smend, the latter preferring rendering it by "supports" or "props," the "red" being used as a "staff" rather than as a "scepter" (comp. Ezekiel 19:14; Jeremiah 43:8; Jeremiah 48:17). The pomp of her strength. The phrase meets us again in Ezekiel 33:28, and includes what we speak of as the parade of power, here probably with a view to the foreign forces that garrisoned both Daphne and Pelusium. The daughters may be literally the women of the city, who were to share the usual fate of their sex on the capture of a city; or as in Ezekiel 26:6, Ezekiel 26:8; or probably as in Ezekiel 16:53, Ezekiel 16:55, for the villages and towns dependent on the strong city. On the whole, looking to the mention of the "young men" in Ezekiel 16:17, the literal meaning seems preferable.

19 So I will inflict punishment on Egypt, and they will know that I am the Lord.’”Pharaoh’s Arms Are Broken

GILL, "Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt,.... In the several provinces, and in the several cities of it before mentioned, and in all other places; even the judgments of fire, famine, sword, and captivity: and they shall know that I am the Lord; God omniscient and omnipotent, by the, judgments executed; and own the same: this more especially they did, when the Gospel was preached among them, and many were converted by it in the times of the apostles.

HENRY, "The close of this prediction leaves, 1. The land of Egypt mortified: Thus will I execute judgments on Egypt, Eze_30:19. The destruction of Egypt is the executing of judgments, which intimates not only that it is done justly, for its sins, but that it is

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done regularly and legally, by a judicial sentence. All the executions God does are according to his judgments. 2. The God of Israel herein glorified: They shall know that I am the Lord. The Egyptians shall be made to know it and the people of God shall be made to know it better. The Lord is known by the judgments which he executes.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:19 Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt: and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.

Ver. 19. And they shall know.] See on Ezekiel 30:8.

20 In the eleventh year, in the first month on the seventh day, the word of the Lord came to me:

BARNES, "Fourth prophecy against Egypt spoken three months before the capture of Jerusalem Eze_26:1, and three months after the prophecy of Eze_29:1. Meantime, Pharaoh-Hophra’s attempt on Jerusalem had been foiled, and the Egyptians driven back into their own country (Jer_37:5 note).

CLARKE, "In the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day -This was the eleventh year of the captivity of Jeconiah, and the date here answers to April 26, A.M. 3416; a prophecy anterior by several years to that already delivered. In collecting the writings of Ezekiel, more care was taken to put all that related to one subject together, than to attend to chronological arrangement.

GILL, "And it came to pass in the eleventh year,.... Of Zedekiah's reign, and Jehoiachin's captivity; some little time after the prophecy in Eze_19:1, here the prophecies come into their order again, being interrupted by those of a much later date, at the end of the preceding chapter, and the former part of this: in the first month, in the seventh day of the month; the month Nisan, which answers to part of March, and part of April; the seventh day must be about the twenty

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ninth of March; but, according to Bishop Usher (m), it was on the twenty sixth of April, on the third day of the week (Tuesday), in 3416 A.M. or before Christ 588: this was given out three months and two days before Jerusalem was taken: that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying; as follows:

HENRY 20-23, "This short prophecy of the weakening of the power of Egypt was delivered about the time that the army of the Egyptians, which attempted to raise the siege of Jerusalem, was frustrated in its enterprises, and returned re infectâ - without accomplishing their purpose; whereupon the king of Babylon renewed the siege and carried his point. The kingdom of Egypt was very ancient, and had been for many ages considerable. That of Babylon had but lately arrived at its great pomp and power, being built upon the ruins of the kingdom of Assyria. Now it is with them as it is with families and states, some are growing up, others are declining and going back; one must increase and the others must of course decrease.

I. It is here foretold that the king of Egypt shall grow weaker and weaker. The extent of his territories shall be abridged, his wealth and power shall be diminished, and he shall become less able than ever to help either himself or his friend. 1. This was in part done already (Eze_30:21): I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, some time ago. One arm of that kingdom might well be reckoned broken when the king of Babylon routed the forces of Pharaoh-Necho at Carchemish (Jer_46:2), and made himself master of all that pertained to Egypt from the river of Egypt to Euphrates, 2Ki_24:7. Egypt had been long in gathering strength and extending its dominions, and therefore, that there may be a proportion observed in providence, it loses its strength slowly and by degrees. It was soon after the king of Egypt slew good king Josiah, and in the same reign, that its arm was thus broken, and it received that fatal blow which it never recovered. Before Egypt's heart and neck were broken its arm was. God's judgments come upon a people by steps, that they may meet him repenting. When the arm of Egypt is broken it shall not be bound up to be healed, for none can heal the wounds that God gives but he himself. Those whom he disarms, whom he disables, cannot again hold the sword. 2. This was to be done again. One arm was broken before, and something was done towards the setting of it, towards the healing of the deadly wound that was given to the beast. But now (Eze_30:22), I am against Pharaoh, and will break both his arms, both the strong and that which was broken and set again. Note, If less judgments do not prevail to humble and reform sinners, God will send greater. Now God will cause the sword to fall out of his hand, which he caught hold of as thinking himself strong enough to hold it. It is repeated (Eze_30:24), I will break Pharaoh's arms. He had been a cruel oppressor to the people of God formerly, and of late the staff of a broken rod to them; and now God by breaking his arms reckons with him for both. God justly breaks that power which is abused either to put wrongs upon people or to put cheats upon them. But this is not all; (1.) The king of Egypt shall be dispirited when he finds himself in danger of the king of Babylon's forces: he shall groan before him with the groaning of a deadly wounded man. Note, It is common for those that are most elated in their prosperity to be most dejected and disheartened in their adversity. Pharaoh, even before the sword touches him, shall groan as if he had received his death's wound. (2.) The people of Egypt shall be dispersed (Eze_30:23 and again Eze_30:26): I will scatter them among the nations.Other nations had mingled with them (Eze_30:5); now they shall be mingled with other nations, and seek shelter in them, and so be made to know that the Lord is righteous.68

JAMISON, "Here begins the earlier vision, not long after that in the twenty-ninth chapter, about three months before the taking of Jerusalem, as to Pharaoh and his kingdom.

K&D 20-26, "Destruction of the Might of Pharaoh by NebuchadnezzarAccording to the heading in Eze_30:20, “In the eleventh year, in the first (month), on the seventh of the month, the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,” this short word of threatening against Egypt falls in the second year of the siege of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, and, as Eze_30:21 clearly shows, after the army of Pharaoh Hophra, which marched to the relief of Jerusalem, had been defeated by the Chaldeans who turned to meet it (Jer_37:5, Jer_37:7). If we compare with this the date of the first prophecy against Egypt in Eze_29:1, the prophecy before us was separated from the former by an interval of three months. But as there is no allusion whatever in Ezekiel 29 to Pharaoh's attempt to come to the relief of the besieged city of Jerusalem, or to his repulse, the arrival of the Egyptian army in Palestine, its defeat, and its repulse by the Chaldeans, seems to have occurred in the interval between these two prophecies, towards the close of the tenth year.

Eze_30:21-26Eze_30:21. son of man, the arm of Pharaoh the king of Egypt have I broken; and, behold, it will no more be bound up, to apply remedies, to put on a bandage to bind it up, that it may grow strong to grasp the sword. Eze_30:22. Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will deal with Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and will break both his arms, the strong one and the broken one, and will cause the sword to fall out of his hand. Eze_30:23. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them in the lands, Eze_30:24. And will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and give my sword into his hand, and will break the arms of Pharaoh, so that he shall groan the groanings of a pierced one before him. Eze_30:25. I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh will fall; and they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I give my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, that he may stretch it against the land of Egypt. Eze_30:26. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them in the lands; and they shall know that I am Jehovah. - The

perfect שברתי in Eze_30:21 is not a prophetic utterance of the certainty of the future, but a pure preterite. This may be seen “both from the allusion in Eze_30:21 to the condition resulting from the shbr שבר, and also to the obviously antithetical relation of Eze_30:22, in which future events are predicted” (Hitzig). The arm is a figurative expression for power, here for military power, as it wields the sword. God broke the arm of Pharaoh by the defeat which the Chaldeans inflicted upon Pharaoh Hophra, when he was marching to the relief of besieged Jerusalem. חבשה is a present, as is apparent from the infinitive clauses ('לתת חבש and ;הנה which follow, altogether apart from (וגוsignifies to bind up, for the purpose of healing a broken limb, that remedies may be applied and a bandage put on. לחזקה, that it may become strong or sound, is subordinate to the preceding clause, and governs the infinitive which follows. The fact that the further judgment which is to fall upon Pharaoh is introduced with לכן

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(therefore) here (Eze_30:22), notwithstanding the fact that it has not been preceded by any enumeration of the guilt which occasioned it, may be accounted for on the ground that the causal לכן forms a link with the concluding clause of Eze_30:21 : the arm shall not be healed, so as to be able to grasp or hold the sword. Because Pharaoh is not to attain any more to victorious power, therefore God will shatter both of his arms, the strong, i.e., the sound one and the broken one, that is to say, will smite it so completely, that the sword will fall from his hand. The Egyptians are to be scattered among the nations, as is repeated in Eze_30:23 verbatim from Eze_29:12. God will give the sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and equip and strengthen him to destroy the might of Pharaoh, that the latter may groan before him like one who is pierced with the sword. This thought is repeated in Eze_30:25 and Eze_30:26 with an intimation of the purpose of this divine procedure. That purpose it: that men may come to recognise Jehovah as God the Lord. The subject to וידעו is indefinite; and the rendering of the lxx is a very good one, καὶ γνώσονται πάντες.

COFFMAN, "Verse 20

"And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, that the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and lo it hath not been bound up, to apply healing medicines, to put a bandage to bind it, that it be strong to hold the sword. Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and I will break his arms, the strong arm, and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries. And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand: but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man. And I will hold up the arms of the king of Babylon; and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am Jehovah, when I shall put my sword in the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them through the countries; and they shall know that I am Jehovah."

GOD HAS ALREADY BROKEN PHARAOH'S ARM

"Eleventh year, first month, seventh day ..." (Ezekiel 30:20). "This was April 29,587 70

B.C."[20] "This was three months before the fall of Jerusalem and three months later than the prophecy of Ezekiel 29:3."[21] In the meanwhile Pharaoh-Hophra's attempt to aid Jerusalem had collapsed (Jeremiah 37:5), a fact that history is strangely silent about. Evidently Nebuchadnezzar inflicted a humiliating defeat upon Egypt that prevented any substantial relief of Jerusalem and resulted in Nebuchadnezzar's renewal of the siege almost immediately.

"Nebuchadnezzar's defeat of Pharaoh-Hophra appears in this paragraph as `the breaking of Pharaoh's arm.'"[22] This greatly weakened Pharaoh (Ezekiel 30:21); but further defeats were promised in this prophecy. Note in verse 22 that there is a distinction between what has already been broken and that which will be broken later. "I will break his arms, the strong arm, and that which was broken."

"The flexed arm was a common symbol for the strength of Pharaoh. Statues and images of Pharaoh showed the flexed arm, wielding a sword in battle. A king with a great biceps was a popular conception during the Saites Dynasty in the times of Ezekiel. Also another title taken by Pharaoh-Hophra was, `The Strong armed.' Thus the defeat of Pharaoh-Hophra was most appropriately described by the expression `breaking his arm.'"[23]

"I will strengthen the arm of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand ..." (Ezekiel 30:24). God commissioned Nebuchadnezzar as the destroyer of nations; and here the sword of Nebuchadnezzar is understood to be the very sword of God Himself.

"The groanings of a deadly wounded man ..." (Ezekiel 30:24). "Figuratively, when Ezekiel wrote this, Egypt is represented as a man mortally wounded in battle standing before the Lord who will destroy him."[24]

The dispersion of the Egyptians among the nations and countries is again mentioned here, that being the almost invariable result of any conquest of one nation by another in those times. Also, the reason and purpose of God's punitive judgment upon the pagan nations of that era was focused in the divine intention of teaching

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them, by the hard way, who was really God. "And they shall know that I am Jehovah."

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:20 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first [month], in the seventh [day] of the month, [that] the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

Ver. 20. In the eleventh year.] The year wherein Jerusalem was destroyed, notwithstanding Pharaoh’s fair promises and proffers to relieve her.

PETT, "Verse 20

‘And so it was in the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, that the word of Yahweh came to me saying, “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and lo, it has not been bound up to apply healing medicines, to put a roller to bind it that it be strong to hold the sword.” ’

The attempt by Pharaoh Hophra to raise the siege of Jerusalem, while bringing a short relief, finally failed, and Pharaoh and his army were repulsed. This is described here as the breaking of his arm, and it was broken in such a way that it could not be healed or repaired to enable him to make another attack. He had proved a vain hope. And this was so because Yahweh Himself was against it.

PETT, "Verses 20-26

The Fourth Oracle Against Egypt (Ezekiel 30:20-26). The Breaking of Pharaoh’s Arm.

The date of this oracle is April 587/6 BC and it opens by referring back to the futile

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attempt by Pharaoh Hophra in the previous year to finally break the siege on Jerusalem (Jeremiah 37:5-10), in terms of the breaking of Pharaoh’s arm. The strength of Pharaoh’s arm was proverbial in Egypt. It then goes on to declare that Yahweh will render him totally powerless and instead give strength to Nebuchadnezzar to enable him to defeat him. Again the emphasis is on the fact that all history is in Yahweh’s hands and conforms to His will.

PULPIT, "Ezekiel 30:20

In the eleventh year, etc. Assuming that the whole section, Eze 29:17-30:19, were a later insertion, that which follows was written in April, B.C. 586. Its contents show that it was written at or about the time of the abortive attempt of Pharaoh-Hophra to come to the relief of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 34:21; Jeremiah 37:5-7). This was the breaking of the arm of Egypt, of which the next verse speaks.

21 “Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. It has not been bound up to be healed or put in a splint so that it may become strong enough to hold a sword.

BARNES, "Eze_30:21I have broken - Especially by the defeat at Carchemish.A roller - Or, a bandage.

CLARKE, "I have broken the arm of Pharaoh - Perhaps this may refer to his 73

defeat by Nebuchadnezzar, when he was coming with the Egyptian army to succor Jerusalem.

GILL, "Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt,.... 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, Jer_46:2and 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 Eze_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 Jer_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.

JAMISON, "broken ... arm of Pharaoh — (Psa_37:17; Jer_48:25). Referring to the defeat which Pharaoh-hophra sustained from the Chaldeans, when trying to raise the siege of Jerusalem (Jer_37:5, Jer_37:7); and previous to the deprivation of Pharaoh-necho of all his conquests from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates (2Ki_24:7; Jer_46:2); also to the Egyptian disaster in Cyrene.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:21 Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword.

PULPIT, "Ezekiel 30:21

I have broken the arm. The metaphor was in itself one of the most familiar (Ezekiel 17:9; Ezekiel 22:6; 1 Samuel 2:31; Jeremiah 48:25). What is characteristic in Ezekiel is the way in which he follows the figure, so to speak, into its surgical details. A man with a broken arm might be cured and fight again; but it was not to be so with Pharaoh. His arm was not to be bound with a roller (the equivalent of the modern process of putting it in "splints"). The Hebrew word for "roller" is not found elsewhere, and Ezekiel's use of it is one of the instances of his knowledge of surgery.

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The corresponding verb is used by him of the bandages or swaddling-clothes of infancy (Ezekiel 16:4).

Ver. 21. I have broken the arm.] Ita ut nulla arte vel ope; so that by no means or medicines it can be made whole again. Losses received in war can hardly be repaired.

POOLE, " I have often told thee I would break, now I tell thee

I have broken, partly by the victory of the Chaldean over Pharaoh-necho, partly by the victory the Cyreneaus got over Pharaoh-hophra to raise the siege, from which attempt he fell with shame and loss, but more by civil wars.

Pharaoh; Hophra or Apries.

It shall not be bound up to be healed; and this wound is incurable,

it shall never be bound up to be healed, his arm shall never be strong and fit to encounter a potent enemy, as once it was.

WHEDON, "21. I have broken the arm of Pharaoh — The loss by Hophra of his dependencies, because of the failure of his attempt to resist the Chaldeans (Jeremiah 34:21; Jeremiah 37:5) is compared to a fractured arm. (See Ezekiel 31:17.) This loss of power will never be regained. He will not even have time to apply healing medicines and to put a splint (roller) upon it before Jehovah, in the person of Nebuchadnezzar, shall be upon him to break the other arm also (Ezekiel 30:22).

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22 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break both his arms, the good arm as well as the broken one, and make the sword fall from his hand.

BARNES, "Eze_30:22The strong - Such power as Egypt yet retained at home and abroad.That which was broken - The power which Egypt aimed at ineffectually, the conquest of Palestine and Syria.

CLARKE, "I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand - When the arm is broken, the sword will naturally fall. But these expressions show that the Egyptians would be rendered wholly useless to Zedekiah, and should never more recover their political strength. This was the case from the time of the rebellion of Amasis.

GILL, "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt,.... The then present king of Egypt, whose name was Hophra or Apries, Jer_44:30, and I will break his arms, the strong, and that which was broken: both his arms, the sound and the broken one, his whole power, strength, and dominion; meaning that that part of his kingdom which lay between the two rivers of Egypt and Euphrates, that had been taken away by the king of Babylon, should remain so; and the other part of his kingdom should fall a prey to him also: and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand; so that he should be so far from being so able to make use of the sword, that he should not be able to hold it; it should drop out of his hand; nor should he be able to take it up again, and make war, either offensive or defensive.

JAMISON, "arms — Not only the “one arm” broken already (Eze_30:21) was not to 76

be healed, but the other two should be broken. Not a corporal wound, but a breaking of the power of Pharaoh is intended.cause ... sword to fall out of ... hand — deprive him of the resources of making war.

COKE, "Ezekiel 30:22. The strong, and that which was broken— The strong arm as well as the wounded. Houbigant. "I will break Pharaoh, by the revolt of his subjects, by the war which Amasis shall bring upon him; and afterwards by that of Nebuchadrezzar; and all this in the space of fourteen or fifteen years." See Calmet.

REFLECTIONS.—1st, Fearful is the overthrow of the Egyptians here recorded.

1. They are called to howl, and lament the dreadful day, big with wrath, and swift approaching; a day of darkness and gloominess, when every face should gather blackness. It shall be the time of the heathen; either the time to visit the heathen nations of Egypt and Ethiopia, or the time of the Chaldean power. Note; The sinner's day, though long delayed, shall come at last; and then, too late, he will pour forth his remediless sorrows.

2. The threatened destruction shall utterly ruin both Egypt and her confederates. The sword of the victorious king of Babylon shall fill the land, from one end to the other, with the carcases of the slain; the cities shall be destroyed, the images broken, the country made desolate, terrors spread on every side, the beauty, strength, and multitude of Egypt utterly wasted, and the dark cloud of abject wretchedness spread over them. Thus shall a fierce and terrible enemy, from a strange and distant land, wicked men, whom no laws of humanity or justice restrain, be let loose upon them, and ravage without mercy. The pride of Egypt, her royal family, shall be extinct, and no hopes remain from the rising generation, the young men being slain with the sword, and the daughters gone into captivity. Nor shall her auxiliaries be able to give her the least support; they shall fall with her, Ethiopia, Lybia, Lydia, Chub, and all the mingled people of various nations, who are in league with Egypt, shall perish. And while many out of these countries, who sojourned among the Egyptians, or were auxiliaries in their army, fell with them, the tidings of the destruction shall fly swift to the careless Ethiopians, and terrify them with the apprehensions of sharing Egypt's fate. Nor are their apprehensions groundless; for, Lo! it cometh. Note; (1.) Confederates in iniquity will perish together. (2.) When we

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see our neighbour's house on fire, it is time to tremble for our own: one sinner's fall should alarm the survivors.

3. God's hand is visible in the judgment. Whatever instrument he employs, the work is his own. His veracity is engaged for the fulfilment of the threatening; and, in the judgments that he will execute, his power and faithfulness will appear, and they shall know that he is the Lord. Note; (1.) Whatever judgments are in the earth, God's hand is to be seen and acknowledged in them. (2.) One jot or tittle of God's word shall never fail.

2nd, The army of the Egyptians, which had attempted to raise the siege of Jerusalem, had been now forced to retire with shame to their own land, and, without making any farther efforts, left Jerusalem to her fate; but their own ruin quickly followed. It is foretold,

1. That Egypt shall be weakened by degrees, and brought to destruction. One arm of Pharaoh was already broken in the defeat received at Carchemish, Jeremiah 46:2 and the conquest of a part of the Egyptian dominions, 2 Kings 24:7 and from this fatal stroke he never recovered; a second blow would complete his ruin. His strong arm, like that which was broken, God will break by the sword of Nebuchadrezzar: so that, unable to wield a sword, groaning as a soldier desperately wounded, he must fall. His kingdom shall be vanquished, his people dispersed and led into captivity. And in these sufferings, which God inflicts, he will make them know that he is the Lord.

2. The king of Babylon shall grow stronger and stronger. God will put a sword into his hands, give him might to wield it, and subdue Egypt before him. All power is given from above: the strength of the mightiest is derived alone from the Almighty God.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:22 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD Behold, I [am] against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong, and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.

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Ver. 22. And will break his arms.] I will utterly disable him, and drive the field of him. He shall neither be able to defend himseff or offend his enemy. See Psalms 37:17.

POOLE, " In the former verse God had broken the arm, in this he will break the arms of Pharaoh, he will show he is still against Pharaoh, and will break him more and more.

The strong; that part of his kingdom which remains entire.

That which was broken; that which was shattered before, that part of his kingdom in Syria, taken from him, from Euphrates to the river of Egypt; that once was a strong arm, but now is broken and useless to him: and Egypt, whatever strength it now hath, shall be as weak and useless too; thus all his power and strength shall be destroyed.

PETT, "Verse 22-23

“Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, Behold I am against Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and will break his arms, both the strong and that which was broken, and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.”

Not only had Pharaoh been defeated and turned back, but God also intended to make him powerless, like a man with two broken bound up arms who tries to wield his sword and finds that it falls out of his hand. When Nebuchadnezzar attacked Pharaoh would be utterly defeated, and the fighting and the defeat would be such that many Egyptians would desert Egypt and be scattered among their neighbours. This was deliberately described like this so as to suggest a parallel to what had happened to Israel and Judah. Egypt will be no better off than they.

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In fact by the time Nebuchadnezzar attacked Egypt after the siege of Tyre there was a new Pharaoh. Hophra had been killed in civil war after a disastrous campaign in Libya had caused an internal revolt, and was replaced by the leader of the revolt, Ahmose II. The broken arm was replaced by another broken arm. The civil war left Egypt in no position to defend itself against a powerful enemy. The result would be that many would flee the country for one reason or another.

Statues or images of the Pharaoh often had an arm flexed, wielding a sword in battle, and Pharaoh Hophra was reputed to have taken a second formal title that meant 'possessed of a muscular arm' or 'strong-armed', which may be in mind here.

PULPIT, "Ezekiel 30:22-24

The strong, and that which was broken. The image is pressed yet further. A warrior whose sword-arm was broken might go on fighting with his left. Hophra might continue to struggle, though with diminished strength. Ezekiel's words shut out the hope of any such struggle. The left arm also should be broken as the right had been. The Chaldean king should wax stronger and stronger. The sword of Nebuchadnezzar should be as truly "the sword of Jehovah," as that of Gideon had been ( 7:18). Figuratively, he should stand before him groaning as a man wounded to the death. So in Jeremiah 43:9; Jeremiah 44:30; Jeremiah 46:26, we have allusions to an invasion of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar, which was to end in his sitting on his throne in the stronghold of Tahapanes.

23 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.

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GILL, "And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations,.... Among the several provinces of Babylon, and other places, where the Chaldeans should carry or send them: and will disperse them through the countries: the same thing repeated in different words for the confirmation of it.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:23 And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.

Ver. 23. And I will scatter the Egyptians.] Send them captive into other countries, as by a whirlwind or hurricane. This metaphor we have often met with. He was afterwards hanged.

24 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him like a mortally wounded man.

GILL, "And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon,.... Give him a commission to make war; direct his councils; supply him with all necessaries; animate and encourage his soldiers; and give him success in all his enterprises: and put my sword in his hand; which confirms the above sense, that he should have power and authority from the Lord to attack the king of Egypt, and should gain a victory over him; since it was not his own sword he drew, but the sword of the Lord of hosts; which coming from him, and having his commission, cannot fail of doing execution;

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but will break Pharaoh's arms; as before in Eze_30:21, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man; that is, before the king of Babylon; by whom, as an instrument, his arms shall be broken, and his power destroyed; and he be like a man in the agonies of death, just expiring, not able to speak, but groaning out his life under the inexpressible anguish of broken bones, and none to set them.

HENRY 24-25, "It is here foretold that the king of Babylon shall grow stronger and stronger, Eze_30:24, Eze_30:25. Put strength into the king of Babylon's arms, that he may be able to go through the service he is designed for. 2. That he will put a sword, his sword, into the king of Babylon's hand, which signified his giving him a commission and furnishing him with arms for carrying on a war, particularly against Egypt. Note, As judges on the bench, like Pilate (Joh_19:11), so generals in the field, like Nebuchadnezzar, have no power but what is given them from above.TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:24 And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand: but I will break Pharaoh’s arms, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded [man].

Ver. 24. And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon.] (a) God, as he sends the sword, [Ezekiel 14:17] musters the men, [Isaiah 13:4] orders the ammunition, [Jeremiah 50:25] renders the weapons vain or prosperous, [Isaiah 54:17] so he strengtheneth and weakeneth the arm of either party.

WHEDON, "24. I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon — Nebuchadnezzar is unknowingly working out the will of Jehovah, and it is because of Jehovah’s help that he shall see the Pharaoh groaning and dying at his feet, while his people are carried away captive into far countries by the victor (Ezekiel 30:23; Ezekiel 30:26; notes Ezekiel 29:11-12; Ezekiel 28:22).

PETT, "Verse 24-25

“And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand, but I will break the arms of Pharaoh and he will groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man. And I will hold up the arms of the king of

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Babylon and the arms of Pharaoh will fall down, and they will know that I am Yahweh when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out on the land of Egypt.”

The success and failure of each side is in the hands of Yahweh. The one whom He strengthens will succeed, the one whom He prevents will fail. Thus because He would make the arms of the king of Babylon strong, and it was His sword that he would bear, the king of Babylon would succeed. And because he would ‘break the arms’ of Pharaoh, Pharaoh would be defeated and groan like a mortally wounded man.

The holding up of the arms can be compared with Exodus 17:11-12. The holding up of the arms resulted in victory and here it is Yahweh who would hold up the arms of the king of Babylon so that he won, and vice versa for Egypt.

‘And they will know that I am Yahweh when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out on the land of Egypt.’ Again the purpose of all this was so that Yahweh’s power and being may be revealed. The idea is not that men would necessarily recognise Yahweh, but that they would have to accept the evidence of His power. Even if they did not acknowledge it, they would know it in experience.

The fact that Nebuchadnezzar would bear the sword of Yahweh emphasises that he was acting as Yahweh’s servant on Yahweh’s mission.

25 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh will fall limp. Then they will know that I am the Lord, when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon

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and he brandishes it against Egypt.

GILL, "But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon,.... Which is repeated for the sake of confirmation: and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down: as when a man's arms are broken; and he shall not be able to lift them up and defend himself: and they shall know that I am the Lord; namely, the Egyptians, as in Eze_30:19, when I shall have put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out on the land of Egypt; that is, when he shall have a commission to carry the war into Egypt; and he shall spread desolation over all the land, cutting off the inhabitants of it everywhere, as before described in this chapter.

TRAPP, "Ezekiel 30:25 But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt.

Ver. 25. But I will strengthen.] See Ezekiel 30:25.

And they shall know.] See on Ezekiel 30:8.

POOLE, " These two foregoing verses are a repetition of God’s threats against Pharaoh, and of his promises to assist Nebuchadnezzar in the war, and every thing plain in them.

Will strengthen; give the first strength, and continue it with new supplies, so that with strength from God he shall proceed.

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Put my sword in his hand; is strength shall have a weapon suited and proportioned to it; and what will be hard, where God’s sword and his strength are engaged to effect it?

He, Hophra,

shall groan; not only as the stoutest must when nature breaks, but cry out and sigh, or howl, not becoming a brave man.

Before him, king of Babylon,

with the groanings of a deadly wounded man; who hath given him his deadly wound, under which he roars while he hath any strength, and groans when his voice fails him. It speaks sore griefs, and deep sense of them, as Exodus 2:24 Jude 2:18 Job 24:12.

PULPIT, "Ezekiel 30:25, Ezekiel 30:26

The imagery is slightly varied. The arms of the Egyptian king are described, not as broken, but as feeble. They hang down by his side instead of wielding the sword. I will scatter, etc. The prophet dwells once more, repeating the very words of Ezekiel 30:23 and Ezekiel 29:12 with all the emphasis of iteration, on the dispersion which was the almost inevitable sequel of an Oriental conquest. There in the land of exile they should see that they had been fighting against God; and so the prophet ends the chapter with his ever-recurring formula, They shall know that I am Jehovah (Ezekiel 28:26; Ezekiel 29:21).

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26 I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”

CLARKE, "I will scatter the Egyptians - Several fled with Apries to Upper Egypt; and when Nebuchadnezzar wasted the country, he carried many of them to Babylon. See on Eze_29:12 (note).

GILL, "And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them among the countries,.... Of which they might assure themselves, since the Lord had before spoken it, and here again repeats it: and they shall know that I am the Lord; whose name alone is Jehovah, and does whatsoever he pleases; sets up kings, and puts them down; strengthens and weakens kingdoms just as seems good in his sight; none having any power but what is given by him, and which he can take away when he thinks fit.

TRAPP. "Ezekiel 30:26 And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them among the countries; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.

Ver. 26. See Ezekiel 30:23. They would hardly believe it, and therefore are so often assured of it.

PETT, "Verse 26

“And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them through the countries, and they will know that I am Yahweh.”

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The importance of this comes out in the number of times it is repeated (Ezekiel 29:12; Ezekiel 30:23 compare Jeremiah 46:19). This was what had happened to Israel and Judah and therefore Egypt must outwardly suffer the same. It was not necessary however that it happen in the same way and to the same degree. It was the principle that was important. The war with Babylon would certainly result in refugees fleeing across the borders, and the armies may well have had to retreat into neighbouring allied countries before peace was made.

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