F4 X 29:1-30:25. Destruction.
Y 31:1-18. Perdition.
X 32:1-16. Destruction.
Y 32:17-32. Perdition.
X A 29:1-6. Egypt. Pharaoh.
B 29:17-21. Nebuchadnezzar. Wages promised.
A 30:1-19. Egypt. Allies.
B 30:20-26. Nebuchadnezzar. Wages paid.
A a 1-3. Incrimination. The River.
b 4,5. Threatening.
c 6,7. Purpose.
a 8,9. Incrimination. The River.
b 10-12. Threatening.
c 13-16. Purpose.
479 B.C. 10th Tebeth [Jan. 6th]
Ezekiel 29)
1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month (i.e. a year and 2 days after the siege of Jerusalem began [Jer. 39:1], and 6 months, less 3 days, before its fall), the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 "Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt (namely Pharaoh Hophra, called Apries by the Greeks. Cp. Jer. 44:30. He besieged and captured Gaza [2 Kings 24:7. Jer. 46:3]; and said, "no god could deprive him of his kingdom". Zedekiah relied on him. See Jer. 37:5-8. Egypt was thus the cause of Jerusalem's destruction. See Jer. 44:30; and cp. Jer. 46:45,46), and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt:
3 Speak, and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD; 'Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great crocodile (to which Egypt was likened to on Roman coins. Cp. Isa. 51:9, were "Rahab" is used of Egypt [Isa. 30:7]) that lies in the midst of his rivers, which has said, 'My river (= the Nile) is my own, and I have made it for myself.' (Probably referring to the artificial systems of canals and water-ways.)
4 But I will put hooks in your jaws, and I will cause the fish (symbols of Pharaoh's subjects) of your rivers to stick to your scales, and I will bring you up out of the midst of your rivers, and all the fish of your rivers shall stick to tour scales.
5 And I will leave you thrown into the wilderness, you and all the fish of your rivers: you shall fall upon the open fields; you shall not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given you for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven.
6 And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel. (This was inciting Israel to resist and rebel against Assyria by promises of help which failed. See 2 Kings 18:21. Isa. 20:5,6; 30:6,7; 31:3. Jer.2:36; 37:7.)
7 When they took hold of you by your hand, you did break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon you, you broke, and made all their loins to come to a stand.' ' (Or to halt, or shake. See Ps. 69:23.)
8 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD; 'Behold, I will bring a sword upon you, and cut off man and beast out of you.
9 And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall know that I am the LORD: because he has said, 'The river is mine, and I have made it.'
10 Behold, therefore I am against you, and against your rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from Migdol (see Ex. 14:2, and cp. Jer. 44:1. In the north of Egypt) to Syene (cp. 30:6. Now Assuan, in the south) even to the border of Ethiopia.
11 No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years. (40 in Biblical numerics = probation.)
12 And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.'
13 Yet thus says the Lord GOD; 'At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the peoples where they were scattered: (Therefore they could not be the people known as gypsies.)
14 And I will turn the fortunes of Egypt (note the discrimination shown in these prophecies. Some were never to be restored; other were to be resuscitated), and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros ( = Upper, or Southern Egypt), into the land of their nativity; and they shall be there a low kingdom.
15 It shall be the lowest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.
16 And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which brings their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.' "
463 B.C. 1st Nisan [March 20th]
17 And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
18 "Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyre: every head was made bald (probably from the helmet worn in so long a war), and every shoulder was peeled (from bearing arms so long): yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyre, for the service that he had served against it:
19 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD; 'Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.
20 I have given him the land of Egypt for his labor wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, says the Lord GOD.
21 In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give you the opening of the mouth in the midst of them (cp. 3;26,27; 24:27); and they shall know that I am the LORD."