Chapter Thirty

Two speeches against Egypt

In the first of them verses 1–19, continuing Ezek 29:1-16, the ruin of Egypt is predicted more distinctly and particularly compared to that speech, thus: the diverse army of Egypt is described, the destruction of Egyptian peoples is described, and for the first time the one carrying out the punishment of Egypt is indicated. The second speech, verses 20–26, delivered perhaps when the Egyptian army that had moved to the relief of besieged Jerusalem was repulsed by the Chaldeans (cf. Jer 37:5 and ff. Jer 34:21 and ff.), in this failure sees a guarantee for the impending ruin of Egypt from the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

Ezekiel 30:1. And the word of the Lord came to me: The absence of a chronological date causes some to assume the date Ezek 29:17, whereby this speech would appear to be the last speech of the prophet Ezekiel (verses 2 and 3 could sound like this); but the speech Ezek 29:17-21 is clearly an insertion.

Ezekiel 30:2. Son of man! Prophesy and say: Thus says the Lord God: Wail! “Oh, the day! Ezekiel 30:3. For a day is near, a day of the Lord is near; it will be a day of clouds, a time of the nations. “Oh, the day!” Old Church Slavonic “O! O! day!” The word “day,” placed without any definition, has all the more force and dread in it. Thus also in Ezek 7:7; cf. Zeph 1:7; Joel 2:2-3. It refers to a day of judgment here, moreover, no longer upon Israel, but upon the pagan world, one of the mightiest representatives of which is Egypt. The judgment of the latter, consequently, is a continuation, part of the judgment upon paganism, necessary to ensure the blessedness of the messianic times in Israel. The “day” initially placed without definition is immediately defined as 1) “a day of the Lord,” in which the Lord will manifest all His glory and will be everywhere acknowledged as Lord (cf. Isa 2:12 and others Joel 1:15; Amos 5:20; 1 Cor 5:5 and others), – as 2) “a day of clouds,” Old Church Slavonic more accurately “a day of cloud,” when a thick cloud will cover the sky as a sign of God’s wrath, so that the luminaries will grow dark (Joel 2:2; Zeph 1:14 and others), – as 3) “a time of the nations,” when the time appointed for the pagan world comes to an end, so the LXX correctly read, probably instead of et “time,” etz “end”: “end of the nations”; cf. Ezek 7:7. The speech has an eschatological tone and therefore is so close in expressions to chapter VII.

Ezekiel 30:4. And a sword will come upon Egypt, and anguish will come upon Ethiopia when the slain fall in Egypt, and her wealth is carried away, and her foundations are broken down; “Sword” – war. – “Anguish will come upon Ethiopia,” the nearest neighbor of Egypt, which provided it with a considerable contingent of mercenary troops (Nah 3:9; Jer 46:9 and Greek historians); there is no precise information about the political relationship of Ethiopia to Egypt at the time of its fall (whether it was completely independent of it). – “Wealth,” Old Church Slavonic “multitude,” i.e., population; Hebrew as in Ezek 29:19 hammon; see there. – “Foundations.” A building comparison is presupposed. It means the government institutions, or the army, or allies and mercenary troops, upon which the power of Egypt mainly depended.

Ezekiel 30:5. Ethiopia and Libya and Lydia, and all the mixed rabble, and Cub, and the children of the covenant land will fall by the sword. The countries are listed from which Egypt had mercenary troops. These constituted the main force in Egyptian armies and Ophru, who had these mercenaries numbering 300,000, aroused discontent among his subjects by his preference for them (Herodotus II, 161). “Ethiopia.” LXX “Persians and Cretans,” probably based on Ezek 27:10 and since Ethiopia is mentioned already in the preceding verse. The second is probably a doublet of the later “from My covenant”: berit – covenant, kerit – Crete. “Libya and Lydia” – see the explanation of Ezek 27:10. “All the mixed rabble.” Various small tribes, perhaps from the Syrian-Arabian desert (Exod 12:38) or from small regions of Asia Minor: in the army of Ophru according to Herodotus (II, 161) were Ionians, Carians, etc.; Hebrew erev – “mixed,” identical in form with arav – Arabia, so one could read “all Arabia” here; Old Church Slavonic doublet: “and all Arabia and all those mixed in.” “Cub” hapax legomenon. In Egyptian inscriptions the people Kufa is mentioned, perhaps the Copts. In Mauritania there was a city Kob (Itin. Ant. 18); also consonant are Κοβη in Ethiopia on the Indian Ocean (Pt. IV, 7) now Kayi, Κωβωυ in Mariotis (Pt. IV, 5); but here a country is expected, not a city. Old Church Slavonic “Murini,” Greek absent. Assuming an error, some read Nub – Nubia (a name already known then: Str. XVII, 786; Pt. IV, 7, 30 and others) or Lub – Libya. “Children of the covenant land.” According to Jerome the Blessed and Theodoret – Jews; thus also the LXX should be: “and sons from My covenant.” Scarcely some “land allied with Egypt” (why is it not named?). Perhaps a general apposition to the listed countries: “allies.”

Ezekiel 30:6. Thus says the Lord: The supporters of Egypt shall fall, and its proud strength shall come down; from Migdol to Syene they shall fall in it by the sword, says the Lord God. “Supporters,” probably the same as “foundations” in verse 4, allies. – “The pride of its strength” all that gives it force and seeming impregnability; cf. Ezek 24:21. – “From Migdol to Syene” see the explanation of Ezek 29:12.

Ezekiel 30:7. And it shall be desolate among desolated lands, and its cities among ruined cities. See the explanation of Ezek 29:12.

Ezekiel 30:8. And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I send fire upon Egypt and all its supports are broken. “Fire” – war. “Supporters” Hebrew the same as in verse 6: ozreia: probably means – “foundations” verse 4; Old Church Slavonic “helping.”

Ezekiel 30:9. On that day messengers shall go forth from Me in ships to make the overconfident Ethiopians afraid, and anguish shall come upon them on the day of Egypt; for behold, it comes. “Shall go forth from Me.” God is represented as present in Egypt for judgment upon them, thus “from Me” is the same as “from Egypt.” – “Messengers” – Egyptians saved from destruction. – “In ships,” on which the dreadful news could be spread to all corners of Ethiopia intersected by rivers (cf. Isa 18:2). Hebrew tzim (also Num 24:24; Isa 33:21), probably of Egyptian root – tai, fast vessels; according to Jerome the Blessed a trireme (thus he “heard from the Hebrews”). Old Church Slavonic doublet: “in Siem (transliteration – in the sense of a country), striving.” – “Day of Egypt” – its ruin: “in” in Hebrew absent.

Ezekiel 30:10. Thus says the Lord God: I will put an end to the multitude of Egypt by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. As in Ezek 16:7 and ff.; Ezek 22:11 and ff., the instrument of ruin only now. – “Multitude” – Hebrew the same hammon as in Ezek 29:19 and verse 4. Egypt was especially densely populated. But here chiefly the diverse armies (hammon – throng, in Ezek 39:11 of the hordes of Gog) are meant.

Ezekiel 30:11. He and his people with him, the most 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. “The most terrible of the nations” – see the explanation of Ezek 7:24; Vulgate fortissimos, but in the following verse the same Hebrew word – pessimos. – “Fill the land with the slain,” Old Church Slavonic “with the wounded” (struck) – Ezek 11:6.

Ezekiel 30:12. And I will dry up the rivers, and will give the land into the hand of the wicked, and I will make the land desolate and all that is in it by the hand of foreigners. I the Lord have spoken it. “Rivers” – Hebrew yeorim, that is, the Nile and its tributaries (cf. Ezek 29:3). Drying up the branches of the Nile for Egypt equals the complete ruin of the country. The threat has no direct connection with the course of thought.

Ezekiel 30:13. Thus says the Lord God: I will destroy the idols and put an end to the false gods in Memphis, and there shall be no more a ruler in the land of Egypt, and I will put fear upon the land of Egypt. “Idols” – Hebrew gillul, abominations: Ezek 6:4. Perhaps chiefly the cult of Ptah, of which Memphis was the center is meant. – “False gods” – Hebrew elilim, properly emptiness, vanities; perhaps the cult of the first Apis is meant, the center of which was also Memphis. The word, used nowhere else by Ezekiel and therefore perhaps read by the LXX as elim “magnates” (the Memphian dynasty; see further) – Memphis. Hebrew Nof again in verse 16; Isa 19:13; Jer 2:16 and Mof Hos 9:6 are thus translated by the LXX and Targum. The ancient Egyptian Men-nefer this city later in common parlance was called Panuf or Manuf (i.e., place of good) (and to this latter form the Greek and both Hebrew readings of its name are connected); Assyrian Mimki (Brugsch, Hist. I, 17); its sacred name was Ha-ka-Pta (“house of the worship of Ptah”). It was located in Lower Egypt, somewhat to the south of present-day Cairo. According to tradition founded by Menes (Herodotus II, 99; on the contrary Diodorus I, 50 and ff.), it was the greatest city (according to Diodorus 150 stadia) of Lower Egypt; fortified (Diodorus XV, 43) it was sometimes the royal residence (Pliny V, 9). The Saitic dynasty and Apries nevertheless lived in Sais, but Amasis, apparently, in Memphis (Herodotus II, 163, 154). Until the time of Jerome the Blessed, it, the ancient center of the cult of Ptah and Apis (Herodotus II, 3, 10), was “the capital of Egyptian superstition.” “There shall be no more a ruler in the land of Egypt,” there will be no native dynasty. – “Fear” – before the majesty of God, to overcome the fear of idols. On the conversion of Egypt there is silence.

Ezekiel 30:14. I will make Pathros desolate and send fire upon Zoan, and bring judgment upon No. “Pathros” – see the explanation of Ezek 29:14. The further enumeration of Egyptian cities is conducted without geographical order, cities of Upper and Lower Egypt are placed side by side. “Zoan,” “Tanis” of LXX and Targum, other Egyptian Danet, Coptic Tane, Assyrian Sanu, now San, a fishing village on the eastern bank of the easternmost branch of the Nile, named after it Sanitic. See Isa 19:11. Concerning its antiquity Num 13:22. According to Ps 77:12 it witnessed the wonders at the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt, consequently, the residence of the pharaoh of that time; according to Egyptologists the capital of the Hyksos and identical with Avaris (Josephus C. App. I, 14). “I will bring judgment” – not as strong as “I will send fire”: not final destruction. – “No,” Assyrian Niyu, according to Jer 46:25 the center of the cult of Ammon, hence the fuller name in Nah 3:8-10, in “No-Ammon” (city of Ammon?). LXX: Διοσπολις – city of Zeus, that is, the chief god of the Egyptians (Targum and Vulgate Alexandria). Διοσπολις were called Thebes, which was also the center of Ammon’s cult. Therefore, following the LXX, everyone understands Thebes here as No (although the name “No” is not found in hieroglyphics), the “Hundred-gated” Thebes – the chief city of Upper Egypt, the most ancient city of Egypt and according to Diodorus (150) of the whole world, famous for its wealth, learned priests (815), pyramids, Memnonieum.

Ezekiel 30:15. And I will pour My wrath upon Sin, the stronghold of Egypt, and I will cut off the multitude of No. “I will pour My wrath” (Ezek 7:8 and others) is stronger than the following concerning No: “I will cut off the multitude,” and in general a very strong expression, indicating a greater degree of damage from war compared to other cities, which is what should have happened due to the position of Sin; see further. – “Sin,” literally “clay” from the Egyptian imet, consequently, Pelusium, because this name too is from the Greek πηλος, clay (C. 803); near its probable location are ruins now called Tine, which in Coptic means city of mud. Located on the eastern branch of the Nile, it represented the key to Egypt due to its geographical position: the southern desert was impassable for troops, and the passage near Pelusium was difficult due to swamps; besides, to the east of the city stretched a high boundary wall (Str. I, c. Diod. I, 57); it played a major role in the campaigns of Sennacherib, Cambyses, Artaxerxes, Ochus, Antiochus Epiphanes, Gabinius, Caesar, and Octavian, and was the most important arsenal of weapons for Egypt (Caesar Bel. civ. III, 108). LXX “Sain,” that is, Sais in Lower Egypt near Pelusium. – “No” LXX for some reason here “Memphis” (Memphis), not Diospolis, as in the two neighboring verses 14 and 16.

Ezekiel 30:16. And I will set fire to Egypt; Sin shall writhe in anguish, and No shall be broken into, and Memphis shall face enemies in broad daylight. An intensification and clearer exposition of the previous threats. “I will send fire,” said in verse 14 of only Zoan, is now applied to all Egypt. The general expression of verse 15 concerning Sin (Old Church Slavonic here already “Sais,” and Greek Συηνη, see Ezek 29:10) “I will pour My wrath” is replaced by the concrete “shall writhe,” Old Church Slavonic “shall be thrown into tumult” (perhaps commotion, uprising). The most restrained threat. But in verse 14 “I will bring judgment,” explained in verse 15 through “I will cut off the multitude,” is here intensified to “shall be broken into,” literally “a breach shall be made,” as also Old Church Slavonic “shall be breached” (indication of the strong fortifications of these cities). Finally, the mild promise only to destroy idolatry in Memphis in verse 13 is made worse by the threat: “Memphis shall face enemies in broad daylight,” therefore, more, consequently, daring, than those undertaking night attacks (cf. Jer 15:8). But LXX do not have in the last proposition a speech about Memphis, but the continuation of speech about No – Diospolis: “and the waters shall be poured out” (shall be flooded – by the Nile or by war), probably reading instead of venof tsar yomam according to Nah 3:8 venafotzim eymam. Consequently, the cities are not repeated because “the arsenal of geographical knowledge of Egypt by Ezekiel is small” (Kraetzschmar. A. 27th chapter?).

Ezekiel 30:17. The young men of On and Bubastis shall fall by the sword, and the cities themselves shall go into captivity. “On” – the Masoretes wrongly vocalized according to Hos 10:8; Amos 1:5 aven – calamity, Egyptian Anu or An, Assyrian Unu, Coptic Un or On, which means light, sun, consequently, the city called by the prophet Jeremiah Jer 43:13 and the classics “city of the sun.” Heliopolis (Old Church Slavonic “Helioupolis”) for its cult of the Egyptian sun-god Ra, which had a magnificent temple here with the bull Mnevis, almost as sacred as the Memphite Apis (Str. 609): to this city was also attributed the myth of the phoenix (Tacitus Annal. VI, 26). Located in Lower Egypt to the north of Memphis; built on high embankment, it lay on a great canal connecting the Nile with the Red Sea. Probably its remains – the ruins of Ein-Shams (“source of light”) near Cairo. Near these ruins a fig tree is shown under which the holy family rested during its flight into Egypt. “Bubastis,” Old Church Slavonic “Buvasty,” Egyptian Pi-bast, whose name includes the name of the goddess Bastet, the Egyptian Artemis, to whom cats were dedicated and she herself was with a cat’s head. The city also of Lower Egypt, now Tel-Basta, on the eastern bank of the Pelusiotic branch of the Nile. Strongly fortified, was built on high embankment, which was lower in its middle, so that from all points of the city the temple of Bastet, surrounded by a Nile canal, was visible, which Herodotus calls the most beautiful of Egyptian temples (II, 137). The annual pilgrimage here was the most beloved pilgrimage and attracted here 700,000 men and women (II, 59). “Shall fall by the sword.” The Bubasite nome with 11 others belonged to one half of the warrior caste – the Calasirians; Ionian and Carian mercenaries were stationed here also by Psammetichus. – “The cities themselves,” Hebrew gennah – these, they, feminine gender, so LXX “and women”; probably means all the population of cities or the cities themselves.

Ezekiel 30:18. And in Tahpanhes the day will be dark, when I break there the yoke of Egypt, and its proud might comes to an end. The city will be covered with clouds, and its daughters shall go into captivity. “Tahpanhes,” Old Church Slavonic “Thapnes,” Greek Ταφναι, mentioned also Jer 2:16 and others with slightly different pronunciation in Hebrew: here Tkhapnehes, there Tahpanhes, in the capacity of the chief representative alongside Memphis of Egyptian power, should be the same as “Pelusian” Daphne of Herodotus (II, 30, 107), a strong fortress under Psammetichus, remaining such until the Persian rule: it is mentioned further by Antony’s journey, at 16 miles from Pelusium on the western bank of the Pelusiotic branch of the Nile. Perhaps it corresponds to Tel-el-Defenne, although the latter is at 5 1/2 German miles (27 1/2 Roman) from Pelusium. In hieroglyphics and in Josephus not mentioned. “The day will be dark” – a symbol of God’s judgment: see verse 3. “I break there the yoke of Egypt,” Old Church Slavonic “scepters” for which motot must be pronounced as matot; thus more correctly, as it is unclear on whom this yoke is (one could understand it only as Egyptian slavery of Israel). According to Jer 43:9 in Tahpanhes was a magnificent royal palace. – “Its proud might” – verse 6. – “The city will be covered with clouds” – verse 3. – “Its daughters” – cities: Ezek 16:46.

Ezekiel 30:20. In the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me: March (the Passover month) 587 BC, four months before the destruction of Jerusalem, less than 3 months after the date of Ezek 29:1.

Ezekiel 30:21. Son of man! I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and behold, it has not been bound up for healing or wrapped with a bandage, so that it could be strong to wield the sword. “I have broken” – the past tense indicates an accomplished fact: the repulses of the Egyptian army, which had undertaken to march to the relief of Jerusalem. – “The arm” – the army. – “And behold, it has not been bound up” – for healing; Old Church Slavonic “and behold, it was not treated (did not turn to physicians) to give him healing.” – “Wrapped with a bandage” Hebrew hittul hapax legomenon, a medical term. LXX: “plaster,” μαλαγμα.

Ezekiel 30:22. Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and will break his arms, both the strong one and the broken one, and I will make the sword fall from his hand. “Therefore” – since the beginning is already made (Smend). – “The strong one” – the other part of the army. – “The broken one” – even more and finally.

Ezekiel 30:23. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them throughout the lands. A repetition of Ezek 29:12 and identical to verse 26.

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 the arms of Pharaoh, and he shall groan before him with the groans of one mortally wounded. “And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon.” God will increase the already considerable power of Nebuchadnezzar (for the final defeat of Egypt) with new victories, among which the taking of Jerusalem. – “My sword” – irresistible. That Nebuchadnezzar is the instrument of God’s judgments, this thought is frequently repeated in Ezekiel. – “The arms of Pharaoh” and so on to the end of the verse are quite differently in LXX: “and shall lead him upon Egypt, and shall take his captivity, and shall lift up his spoils.” A striking example of disagreement between two such authoritative representatives of the biblical text – “and he shall groan before him with the groans of one mortally wounded.” Probably an indication of the personal fate of Pharaoh Ophru, actually killed.

Ezekiel 30:25. I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon and he stretches it out against the land of Egypt. The threat with respect to Pharaoh seems to be somewhat softened: “the arms” are understood not as the army, but generally as the strength of the kingdom.

Ezekiel 30:26. And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them throughout the lands, and they shall know that I am the Lord. “And they shall know (even though the Egyptians are already captive) that I am the Lord.” Everything in the prophet Ezekiel is directed toward this goal – toward the establishment of the knowledge of God on earth, toward the foundation of a world religion.