Ezekiel 30WEB
Books
All books

Ezekiel30

World English Bible · Public Domain

1Yahweh’s word came again to me, saying,

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

3For the day is near, even Yahweh’s day is near. It will be a day of clouds, a time of the nations.

4A 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.

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.”

6“‘Yahweh 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 Yahweh.

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

8They will know that I am Yahweh 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.”

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

11He 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.

12I 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, Yahweh, have spoken it.”

13“‘The Lord Yahweh 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.

14I will make Pathros desolate, and will set a fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments on No.

15I will pour my wrath on Sin, the stronghold of Egypt. I will cut off the multitude of No.

16I will set a fire in Egypt Sin will be in great anguish. No will be broken up. Memphis will have adversaries in the daytime.

17The young men of Aven and of Pibeseth will fall by the sword. They will go into captivity.

18At 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.

19Thus I will execute judgments on Egypt. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.”’”

20In the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

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.

22Therefore the Lord Yahweh 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.

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

24I 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.

25I 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 Yahweh when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he stretches it out on the land of Egypt.

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

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Ezekiel 30.

Full AI study →

Chapter Summary

In this chapter: A prophecy against Egypt. (1-19). Another. (20-26).

vv1-19

The prophecy of the destruction of Egypt is very full. Those who take their lot with God's enemies, shall be with them in punishment. The king of Babylon and his army shall be instruments of this destruction. God often makes one wicked man a scourge to another. No place in the land of Egypt shall escape the fury of the Chaldeans. The Lord is known by the judgments he executes. Yet these are only present effects of the Divine displeasure, not worthy of our fear, compared with the wrath to come, from which Jesus delivers his people.

vv20-26

Egypt shall grow weaker and weaker. If lesser judgments do not prevail to humble and reform sinners, God will send greater. God justly breaks that power which is abused, either to put wrongs upon people, or to put cheats upon them. Babylon shall grow stronger. In vain do men endeavour to bind up the arm the Lord is pleased to break, and to strengthen those whom he will bring down. Those who disregard the discoveries of his truth and mercy, shall know his power and justice, in the punishment for their sins.

Cross References

Ezekiel 30
v9Isaiah 18:2allusion

Messengers going in ships/vessels of bulrushes up the Nile to warn the Ethiopians of judgment.

Supported by JFB

v12Isaiah 19:5-10thematic

Prophecy of the drying up of the rivers of Egypt and the resulting national ruin.

Supported by JFB

v5Jeremiah 46:9thematic

Identifies the same foreign mercenary troops (Ethiopians, Libyans, Lydians) allied with and defending Egypt.

Supported by Poole, JFB

v13Jeremiah 43:12thematic

Parallels Ezekiel's prediction of the destruction of Egypt's false gods and idols by Babylon.

Supported by JFB

v18Jeremiah 43:7-9thematic

Tehaphnehes (Daphne) noted as a royal residence where Pharaoh's yoke is broken.

Supported by JFB

v21Jeremiah 46:11thematic

Pharaoh's arm is broken beyond healing, using the same metaphor of ineffective medicines.

Supported by JFB

v3Ezekiel 29:1-16thematic

Ezekiel 30:1-19 serves as a repetition and expansion of the earlier doom of Egypt.

Supported by JFB

v5Jeremiah 25:20thematic

Mentions the 'mingled people' falling under the cup of God's wrath alongside Egypt.

Supported by Poole, JFB

v6Ezekiel 29:10thematic

Defines the geographical limits of Egypt's ruin 'from the tower of Syene'.

Supported by Poole, JFB

v13Isaiah 19:1thematic

The Lord's arrival in Egypt causes the idols of Egypt to move and diminish.

Supported by JFB

v22Jeremiah 37:7thematic

Historical fulfillment: Pharaoh's army fails to assist Jerusalem, retreating to Egypt with broken power.

Supported by JFB

v3Joel 1:15thematic

The 'day of the Lord' as a near day of destruction from the Almighty.

Supported by JFB

v17Jeremiah 43:13thematic

Aven (On/Heliopolis) identified with Beth-shemesh and its idolatrous pillars to be destroyed.

Supported by JFB

v22Psalms 37:17thematic

The Lord breaks the arms of the wicked but upholds the righteous.

Supported by Matthew Henry