Chapter 30

1 The desolation of Egypt and her helpers. 20 The arm of Babylon shall be strengthened to break the arm of Egypt.

1. The word of the Lord. Chapter 30 consists of two separate prophecies against Egypt: (1) vs. 1–9, undated, but probably belonging to the preceding prophecy of ch. 29:17–21; (2) vs. 20–26, definitely dated, and given about three months after the prophecy of ch. 29:1–16 if Ezekiel began the year in the spring, or a year and three months if he counted from the fall.

2. Woe worth the day! Literally, “Alas for the day!”

3. The day of the Lord. See on Isa. 2:12.

Time of the heathen. Or, “time of the nations.” God keeps an account with the nations. He determines when their cup of iniquity is full (see 5T 208, 524; 7T 141; 9T 13; see on Dan. 4:17).

4. Multitude. Heb. hamon, also meaning “wealth,” or “abundance,” and preferably so translated here.

5. Ethiopia. Heb. Kush. The Cushites inhabited Nubia, which included part of the present Sudan (see on Gen. 10:6).

Libya. Heb. Put (see on ch. 27:10, there translated Phut).

Lydia. Lud (see on Gen. 10:13; Jer. 46:9; cf. Eze. 27:10).

The mingled people. Compare Jer. 25:20. The expression probably applies to the foreign mercenaries in the Egyptian army or to foreigners generally.

Chub. This name is unknown geographically. Various conjectures as to its identity have been made and various changes in the text proposed to make it into a known country. The LXX reads “Persians and Cretans” in place of “Ethiopia” and omits Chub. It probably describes one of Egypt’s allies.

Men of the land that is in league. Literally, “sons of the land of the covenant.” The LXX reads “they of the children of my covenant.” If the LXX reading is correct, the reference is possibly to the Jews who had sought refuge in Egypt after the murder of Gedaliah (Jer. 42–44). Jeremiah had told them that the sword and famine they were attempting to flee would overtake them there (Jer. 42:16–18).

6. That uphold Egypt. Probably Egypt’s allies and supporters. Some think the foundations of v. 4 are referred to.

From the tower of Syene. Better, “from Migdol to Syene” (see on ch. 29:10).

7. Desolate. Compare ch. 29:12.

8. Know that I am the Lord. This clause is a constant refrain throughout the book of Ezekiel. It is a statement of the great objective of God, namely, to bring a saving knowledge of Himself to all mankind. He employs various means of declaring His counsels to the human race. He speaks through the voice of conscience, through inspired prophets, and through His providences and judgments. His ultimate aim is to have a knowledge of His name cover the earth as the waters cover the sea (Hab. 2:14). The inspired message against Egypt may be regarded as God’s attempt to reveal the divine solicitude for Egypt’s vast multitudes. See on ch. 6:7.

9. Messengers. Either the fleeing Egyptians who, arriving in Ethiopia, alarmed its population with the news of Egypt’s fall, or a special envoy sent to warn the Ethiopians.

Careless. Heb. betach, “secure,” “unsuspecting.”

10. The multitude of Egypt. Or, “wealth of Egypt” (see on v. 4).

Hand of Nebuchadrezzar. See on ch. 29:19.

12. Rivers. Heb. yeХorim, from the later Egyptian irw, “the Nile.” YeХorim, is a plural form and may be used to describe the Nile with its branches and network of canals.

13. Noph. A transliteration of the Heb. Noph, a contraction of the Egyptian Mnnfr, modern Memphis (see on Jer. 2:16).

A prince of the land. Literally, “a prince from the land.” The Heb. Фod, here translated “no more,” does not necessarily denote unending perpetuity (see on ch. 26:14). The expression could mean either that for a long time there should be no prince from the land of Egypt, or, by understanding the passage relatively, that there should be no more a native prince possessing the power of former kings.

14. Pathros. For comment see on ch. 29:14.

Zoan. Identified with the modern village of SaЖn elРHagar on the Tanitic branch of the Nile (see on Isa. 30:4). Many temple buildings and monuments have there been excavated, and royal tombs of the Twenty-second Dynasty discovered.

No. Another name for Thebes, a city on the east bank of the Nile about 310 mi. (496 km.) south of Cairo (see on Jer. 46:25).

15. Sin. Heb. Sin. No Egyptian city of this name is known, but it may be the same as Pelusium, or was probably in the vicinity of that town. Pelusium was a frontier town, strongly fortified and considered rightly as the key to Egypt, and hence called in the text its “strength.” Many important battles were fought there. It was also close to the sea, and is believed to be Tell eiРFara, 14 mi. (22.4 km.) east of the Suez Canal.

17. Aven. The same as On of Gen. 41:45, 50 (the place from which Joseph’s wife came), and as Beth-shemesh (house of the sun) of Jer. 43:13, the Heliopolis (city of the sun) of the Greeks, so called because from the remotest times it was the chief seat of Egyptian sun worship.

Pi-beseth. A town in the Delta, about 52 mi. (c. 83 km.) northeast of Memphis, now Tell Basta. It was the center of the worship of the cat-headed goddess, Bastet, who was worshiped with disgusting orgies (see Herodotus ii. 66). A cemetery for cats has been found on this ancient site, which now exists only in ruins. The town is more commonly known under the name Bubastis.

18. Tehaphnehes. Or, Tahpanhes, a town about 23 mi. (37 km.) southwest of Pelusium (see on Jer. 2:16; Eze. 30:15). This is the city to which the Jews fled after the murder of Gedaliah. As a sign of the destruction of the remnant in Egypt, Jeremiah was commanded to hide stones in the entry of Pharaoh’s house in Tahpanhes to mark the spot where Nebuchadnezzar was to spread his pavilion (Jer. 43:9–11). Excavations at the site by W. M. Flinders Petrie in 1886 disclosed a platform of brickwork, which some have identified with high probability as the place where Jeremiah hid his stones. Tahpanhes was called Daphnae by the classical writers and is now known as Tell Defenneh.

Darkened. A common prophetic symbol describing coming calamity (see Isa. 13:10; Joel 2:10, 31; Joel 3:15; Amos 8:9).

20. In the eleventh year. Of Jehoiachin’s captivity (see on ch. 1:2). The month date falls in April, 587 or 586 b.c. (see p. 572). Compare ch. 29:1; see p. 347.

21. Pharaoh king of Egypt. Hophra, or Apries (589–570 b.c.), a man of enterprise and military genius (see Vol. II, p. 91).

23. Scatter the Egyptians. For the historical fulfillment of vs. 23, 24 see on ch. 29:19.

26. Know that I am the Lord. See on v. 8.

Ellen G. White comments

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