FRAMEWORKS:
Ezekiel 30: Prophecies,
Parts 3 & 4 against Egypt
[Preliminary
Comment: This chapter
continues with two more prophecies, still about Egypt, beginning
‘the word of the Lord came to me.' The prophecies seem to extend
to cover all surrounding countries that had ‘helped' or supported
or befriended [perhaps] Egypt who will now similarly suffer at
the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.]
v.1-3
The THIRD
word starts by announcing doom for a number of nations
v.1
[3] The
word of the Lord came to me:
v.2
‘Son
of man, prophesy and say: “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
‘“Wail
and say,
‘Alas for that day!'
v.3
For
the day is near,
the day of the Lord is near –
a day of clouds,
a time of doom for the nations.
[Notes:
The
indication
is now that these warnings are to go beyond just Egypt but to
other nations as well.]
v.4-9
Not only Egypt but ‘helpers' of Egypt will be brought down
v.4
A
sword will come against Egypt,
and anguish will come upon Cush.
When the slain fall in Egypt,
her wealth will be carried away
and her foundations torn down.
v.5
Cush
and Libya, Lydia and all Arabia, Kub and the people of the
covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.
v.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.
v.7
‘“They
will be desolate
among desolate lands,
and their cities will lie
among ruined cities.
v.8
Then
they will know that I am the Lord,
when I set fire to Egypt
and all her helpers are crushed.
v.9
‘“On
that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush
out of her complacency. Anguish will take hold of them on the
day of Egypt's doom, for it is sure to come.
[Notes:
Any
nation that had helped Egypt will also come under the punishment
they will be receiving.]
v.10-12
Again it will be Nebuchadnezzar who does this
v.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.
v.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.
v.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.
[Notes:
The
same truths apply – it will be Nebuchadnezzar that the Lord will
use to bring this wider punishment.]
v.13-19
All the idolatry in all the regions of Egypt will be punished
v.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.
v.14
I
will lay waste Upper Egypt,
set fire to Zoan
and inflict punishment on Thebes.
v.15
I
will pour out my wrath on Pelusium,
the stronghold of Egypt,
and wipe out the hordes of Thebes.
v.16
I
will set fire to Egypt;
Pelusium will writhe in agony.
Thebes will be taken by storm;
Memphis will be in constant distress.
v.17
The
young men of Heliopolis and Bubastis
will fall by the sword,
and the cities themselves will go into
captivity.
v.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.
v.19
So
I will inflict punishment on Egypt,
and they will know that I am the Lord.”'
[Notes:
The
word now focuses back just on Egypt but expands to cover all the
areas of Egypt where idolatry is prevalent.]
v.20-26
The FOURTH word declares Pharaoh will be ‘disarmed' by Nebuchadnezzar
and his people scattered
v.20
In the eleventh year, in the first month on the
seventh day, [4] the
word of the Lord came to me:
v.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.
v.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.
v.23
I
will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them
through the countries.
v.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.
v.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 and he
brandishes it against Egypt.
v.26
I
will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them
through the countries. Then they will know that I am the Lord.'
[Notes:
The
fourth prophecy appears to be in the year following the first
one and simply reiterates rather graphically that the Lord will
disarm Pharaoh by Nebuchadnezzar.]
Continue
to Chapter 31