INTRODUCTION TO EZEKIEL 29 This chapter contains a prophecy against Pharaoh king of Egypt; and of the destruction of the land of Egypt; and of the restoration of it after a certain time. The time of prophecy is noted, Ezekiel 29:1, the order to prophesy against Pharaoh, who is described as a large... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE TENTH YEAR, IN THE TENTH MONTH, IN THE TWELFTH DAY OF THE MONTH,.... In the tenth year Jeconiah's captivity, and Zedekiah's reign. The Septuagint version has it, the twelfth year; and the Arabic version, the twelfth month; and the Septuagint version again, the first day of the month; and the... [ Continue Reading ]
SON OF MAN, SET THY FACE AGAINST PHARAOH KING OF EGYPT,.... Pharaoh was a name common to all the kings of Egypt; the name of this king was Pharaohhophra, Jeremiah 44:30, and who, by Herodotus x, is called Apries: AND PROPHESY AGAINST HIM, AND AGAINST ALL EGYPT; prophesy of his destruction, and of t... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK, AND SAY, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD,.... The one only, living, and true God, the almighty, eternal, and unchangeable Jehovah, which the gods of Egypt were not: BEHOLD, I AM AGAINST THEE, PHARAOH KING OF EGYPT; who, though so great a king, was not a match for God, yea, nothing in his hands; nor... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I WILL PUT HOOKS IN THY JAWS,.... The allusion is to fishhooks, which are taken by fishes with the bait into their mouths, and stick in their jaws, by which they are drawn out of the river, and taken. The king of Egypt being before compared to a fish, these hooks design some powerful princes and... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL LEAVE THEE THROWN INTO THE WILDERNESS, THEE, AND ALL THE FISH OF THY RIVERS,.... Where fish in common cannot live, but die as soon almost as out of the water, and on dry land, excepting those that are of the amphibious kind. This wilderness designs the deserts of Lybia and Cyrene, where t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALL THE INHABITANTS OF EGYPT SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD,.... Who could eject their king from his kingdom, and deliver him into the hands of his enemy; though he thought no God could, as he boastingly said, before observed: BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN A STAFF OF REED TO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL; alludi... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEY TOOK HOLD OF THEE BY THY HAND,.... When the Israelites entered into an alliance and confederacy with the Egyptians, called for their assistance according to treaty, and put their confidence in them: THOU DIDST BREAK AND REND ALL THEIR SHOULDER; as a reed which a man puts under his armhole... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD,.... Because of the pride of the king of Egypt, asserting the river to be his own, and made by him for himself; and because of his perfidy to the house of Israel: BEHOLD, I WILL BRING A SWORD UPON THEE; or those that kill with the sword, as the Targum; first a civa... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LAND OF EGYPT SHALL BE DESOLATE AND WASTE,.... Men few or none being left in it, to till it, nor cattle found upon it: AND THEY SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD; by these judgments executed upon them, now foretold; and which when come to pass, they will be obliged to acknowledge the omniscienc... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THEREFORE, I AM AGAINST THEE, AND AGAINST THY RIVERS,.... Against the king of Egypt, and against his subjects, the many people he ruled over; as the Lord is against spiritual Egypt, and the head of it, and the antichristian states, signified by many waters, rivers, and fountains; see Revelat... [ Continue Reading ]
NO FOOT OF MAN SHALL PASS THROUGH IT,.... This must be understood not strictly, but with some limitation; it cannot be thought that Egypt was so depopulated as that there should not be a single passenger in it; but that there should be few inhabitants in it, or that there should be scarce any that s... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL MAKE THE LAND OF EGYPT DESOLATE IN THE MIDST OF THE COUNTRIES THAT ARE DESOLATE,.... As Judea and others, made desolate by the king of Babylon: AND HER CITIES AMONG THE CITIES THAT ARE LAID WASTE SHALL BE DESOLATE FORTY YEARS; such as Thebes, Sais, Memphis, and others; which should share... [ Continue Reading ]
YET THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD, AT THE END OF FORTY YEARS,.... Reckoning from its devastation by Nebuchadnezzar to the taking of Babylon by Cyrus: WILL I GATHER THE EGYPTIANS FROM THE PEOPLE WHITHER THEY WERE SCATTERED; from Babylon, and other places; Cyrus very probably being stirred up by the Lord t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL BRING AGAIN THE CAPTIVITY OF EGYPT,.... For what is done by men, under the direction and influence of divine Providence, is said to be done by the Lord, as this was, though by the means of Cyrus: AND WILL CAUSE THEM TO RETURN INTO THE LAND OF PATHROS; which was a part of the land of Egyp... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE THE BASEST OF THE KINGDOMS,.... That belonged to the Persian monarchy, or to the Macedonian empire, being more kept under than the rest, lest it should regain its former strength and glory; though it became more famous in the times of some of the Ptolemies, yet never recovered its fo... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE NO MORE THE CONFIDENCE OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL,.... It having been treacherous to them, and moreover subdued by the Chaldeans, the Jews, even after their return from captivity, put no more confidence in them; it being now become as it is here prophesied it would, the basest of the kin... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE SEVEN AND TWENTIETH YEAR,.... Of Jeconiah's captivity; or of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, as Jarchi, Kimchi, and Abendana, from Seder Olam Rabba z, observe; though it was in the thirty fifth year of his reign that Tyre was taken by him; and after that Egypt was given him:... [ Continue Reading ]
SON OF MAN, NEBUCHADREZZAR KING OF BABYLON,.... The same with Nebuchadnezzar; he goes by both names in Scripture, nor is the difference very great: CAUSED HIS ARMY TO SERVE A GREAT SERVICE AGAINST TYRUS; in besieging it thirteen years c before he was able to take it; during which time his army suff... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD,.... Since this was the case, that the king of Babylon had been working for nothing, and had spent much blood and treasure, as well as time, to little purpose and advantage to himself; BEHOLD, I WILL GIVE THE LAND OF EGYPT TO NEBUCHADREZZAR KING OF BABYLON; which w... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE GIVEN HIM THE LAND OF EGYPT FOR LABOUR WHEREWITH HE SERVED AGAINST IT, That is, against Tyre; meaning not Nebuchadnezzar merely or only, but his army also, who did the main of the service and labour, and had the plunder of the country for it; though the kingdom itself was given to their king,... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THAT DAY WILL I CAUSE THE HORN OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL TO BUD FORTH,.... Not at the time of Egypt's destruction, unless it can be thought that this refers to the advancement of Daniel in the court of Babylon; or to the taking of Jehoiachin out of prison, and setting his throne above the rest of th... [ Continue Reading ]