Ezekiel 30

The LORD’s word came again to me, saying,

“Son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Wail, ‘Alas for the day!’

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 2. Day of vengeance, ( Calmet.) when the Lord shall judge, (1 Corinthians 5:2) and Egypt shall fall a prey to the most powerful nation of the Chaldees. Worthington.

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3

For the day is near, even the LORD’s day is near. It will be a day of clouds, a time of the nations.

4

A sword will come on Egypt, and anguish will be in Ethiopia, when the slain fall in Egypt. They take away her multitude, and her foundations are broken down.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 4. Ethiopia. Hebrew “Chus,” denoting part of Arabia, or rather Ethiopia.

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5

“‘“Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all the mixed people, Cub, and the children of the land that is allied with them, will fall with them by the sword.”

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 5. Lydia. Hebrew “Phut,” near Egypt. Calmet.—These troops were paid. Bible.—Chub, in Mareotis.—Covenant: the Jews or auxiliaries. Septuagint add, “the Persians and Cretans.” Calmet.—There were Persians in Africa who followed Hercules. Pliny verse 8.

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6

“‘The LORD says: “They also who uphold Egypt will fall. The pride of her power will come down. They will fall by the sword in it from the tower of Seveneh,” says the Lord GOD.

7

“They will be desolate in the middle of the countries that are desolate. Her cities will be among the cities that are wasted.

8

They will know that I am the LORD when I have set a fire in Egypt, and all her helpers are destroyed.

9

“‘“In that day messengers will go out from before me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid. There will be anguish on them, as in the day of Egypt; for, behold, it comes.”

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 9. Messengers; the Chaldeans. Calmet.—The Nile was navigable as far as Syene. Saint Jerome

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10

“‘The Lord GOD says: “I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease, by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

11

He and his people with him, the terrible of the nations, will be brought in to destroy the land. They will draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with the slain.

12

I will make the rivers dry, and will sell the land into the hand of evil men. I will make the land desolate, and all that is therein, by the hand of foreigners. I, the LORD, have spoken it.”

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 12. Dry. The canals were obstructed ( Calmet.) which rendered cavalry useless. Herod. ii. 108.

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13

“‘The Lord GOD says: “I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause the images to cease from Memphis. There will be no more a prince from the land of Egypt. I will put a fear in the land of Egypt.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 13. Memphis, the capital of Lower Egypt, ( Calmet.) where the idol or bull ( Bible.) Apis was fed. Calmet.—Here Amasis overcame Apries. Herod. ii. 168.—The Chaldees made war on the gods as well as on the people.—Prince Amasis was tributary to Babylon. Some of this probably regards the times of Cambyses and Ochus. Usher, A. 3478 and 3653. Calmet. See Calmet. 29:14. Bible.

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14

I will make Pathros desolate, and will set a fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments on No.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 14. Taphnis, or Tanis, famous for the miracles of Moses. Calmet.—Alexandria. In the Hebrew No, which was the ancient name of that city, which was afterwards rebuilt by Alexander the Great, and from his name called Alexandria. Challoner.—Septuagint “Memphis or Diospolis;” ( Calmet.) or Thebes, capital of Higher Egypt; (Boch.) though it seems rather a maritime town. Nahum 3:8. Calmet.

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15

I will pour my wrath on Sin, the stronghold of Egypt. I will cut off the multitude of No.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 15. Pelusium. Hebrew Sin, ( Bible.) “muddy,” has the same import as πηλος. Calmet.—The place is now called Damietta. Bible.

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16

I will set a fire in Egypt Sin will be in great anguish. No will be broken up. Memphis will have adversaries in the daytime.

17

The young men of Aven and of Pibeseth will fall by the sword. They will go into captivity.

18

At Tehaphnehes also the day will withdraw itself, when I break the yokes of Egypt there. The pride of her power will cease in her. As for her, a cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 18. Darkened: war and misery shall ensue.—Sceptres, by dethroning Apries.—Pride; overflowing of the Nile. See Jeremiah 49:19.

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19

Thus I will execute judgments on Egypt. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”’”

20

In the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 20. Year, in which Jerusalem was taken. Pharao lost a battle. His country was afterwards invaded, ( Calmet.) and his subjects rebelled. verse 21. Bible.—Part of the kingdom had been already subdued. 4 Kennicott. 24:7. Worthington.

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21

“Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Behold, it has not been bound up, to apply medicines, to put a bandage to bind it, that it may become strong to hold the sword.

22

Therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong arm, and that which was broken. I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.

23

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

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 the king of Babylon with the groaning of a mortally wounded man.

25

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

26

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