Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 30

Verses 1-19

EZEKIEL - CHAPTER 30

OVERTHROW OF A GREAT NATION

Verses 1-19:

Verses 1, 2 recount Ezekiel’s call of the Lord to prophesy to Egypt a woe of lament, saying, "woe worth the day!" This first-rate nation that had become renowned in art, literature, science, and commerce was destined for doom at the hand of God’s vengeance. Desolation, darkness, despair, and gloom were soon to shroud the nation, because she had turned her back on God and Israel, and had gone a whoring after idol gods. Their false security would soon mock them as their luxury disappeared under Assyrian oppression. See Isaiah 13:6; Isaiah 14:31; Isaiah 15:2; Isaiah 16:7; Jeremiah 4:8; Jeremiah 47:2.

Verse 3 asserts that the sword (war) should come upon the land of Egypt, very soon, as also certified Ezekiel 7:7; Ezekiel 7:12; Joel 2:1; Zephaniah 1:7. The immediate implication of "the day is near" referred their route to the deserts of Libyia within two years, then a civil war of eleven years, at which time Nebuchadnezzar’s forces crushed them. It was a foreboding of a darker day of the world’s judgment, universal judgment, for all idolatry and rebellion against God, Psalms 79; Joel 1:15; Isaiah 2:10-22; Revelation 19:11-21; See also Psalms 37:13; Joel 2:1; Zephaniah 1:7; Matthew 24:33.

Verse 4 begins a description of the horrors of war. It is a revolting scene of human carnage in Ethiopia and Egypt, where a multitude should fall in pain under the sword. Thus her foundations were broken down, crumbled, Ezekiel 29:19.

Verse 5 certified that the unholy confederacies of Ethiopia, Libyia, Lydia, and all the mingled people and chub should fall in league under the sword. Numbers and human resources can not buy off Divine judgment or retribution from the consequences of personal or national sins.

Verse 6 warns that those who attempted to uphold Egypt should also fall as victims of war. Those who deceive others, as Egypt did Jerusalem, are sure to be "paid in their own coin," Galatians 6:7-8; Numbers 32:23. For from the tower of Syene they were warned that they should fall by the sword, at the word of the Lord.

Verse 7 explains that this confederacy, or league of countries, should surely be desolated and lie desolate, with her cities amidst other cities that were desolate. But desolated people are not able to relieve the suffering of their equals, Ezekiel 29:12. Though earthly judgments for wrong are severe, how much more fearful shall eternal banishment from God, for sin and unbelief be where "the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched,"! Mark 9:43; Mark 9:48. When the volcano erupts the mountain, all the rocks fall, and when the hurricane or tornado uproots the tree, all the bugs, beetles, and parasites attached to it are uprooted too, Ezekiel 29:12.

Verse 8 declares that all nations and people should know that He was God, when He had set fire in Egypt, the first-rate nation, and both she and all her helpers, colleagues had been destroyed.

Verse 9 foretells that in that day of coming judgment on Egypt, messengers should go forth from the Lord in ship to make the Ethiopians afraid, and great pain should come upon them, as in the days of Egypt, when God’s judgment hand was heavy upon them under the plagues, Psalms 48:6; Isaiah 18:1-2; Isaiah 19:17; Isaiah 20:3-5; Zephaniah 2:12.
Verses 10, 11 reassert that the Lord will make the multitude of Egypt to cease, specifically, by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, both the king of Egypt and all his people and those nations in confederacy with him, Ezekiel 29:19. This was to occur at the hand of "terrible" or "terrorizing ones," of the nations. Nebuchadnezzar and his armed hordes come, with the flashing sword, to slay the inhabitants throughout all Egypt, mercilessly, Ezekiel 28:7; Ezekiel 31:12. One knave punishes another.

Verse 12 prophesies that the Lord would make then rivers to become dry and sell the land into the hand of the wicked, those even more wicked than Egypt, Psalms 19:4; Psalms 19:6. The land was to be made waste, and all that was in it by strangers, at the word and by the just judgment-will of the Lord. As strangers and wicked and cruel men of war they were to show no mercy or compassion to any.

Verse 13 further declares that the Lord would destroy the idols and cause the images to cease out of Noph. No more were they to be produced, distributed, or worshipped there, as in ancient days; Isaiah 19:1; Isaiah 19:16; Jeremiah 43:12; Jeremiah 46:25; 1 Corinthians 8:4-6. It was further declared that there should be or no more exist a native prince or ruler in all Egypt, among her people, leaving the people who survived in mortal fear, Zechariah 10:11.

Verse 14 extends the warnings of judgment upon Patros to desolation, Ezekiel 29:14; Fire was to be set in Zoan; and judgment was to be executed in No.

Verses 15, 16 add that the Lord would pour His fury upon the city of Sin, known as the "strength of Egypt," cut off the multitude, and rend the city of No asunder, and cause Noph to have recurring distress daily, Exodus 20:4-5.

Verses 17 continues to disclose that the young men of Aven and Pibeseth shall also fall (be slain) by the sword, and their cities too small go into captivity. Aven means vanity or idolatry. The sun-god Heliopilis was located there.

Verse 18 further adds that at Tehaphnehes the day shall also be darkened, when the Lord breaks there the yokes of Egypt, to cause her pomp and power to cease and her league of confederates to desert her. Such would cause a dark cloud of shame to cover the land and the daughters of Egypt to be carried as slave property into Babylonian captivity, Jeremiah 2:16; Jeremiah 43:7; Jeremiah 43:9; Jeremiah 46:14; See also 1 Kings 11:19.

Verse 19 concludes that after the above described manner, the Lord would execute judgment in Egypt again, that they might know again that He was the Lord; When all other modes of Divine revelation of God’s person, goodness, and mercy have been ignored, He surely gets attention and praise in judgment, Romans 2:4-5; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14. It is eternally wise for men to turn to God in repentance, before it is too late, only judgment is left, Hebrews 9:26-27.

Verses 20-26

THE HUMBLING OF A PROUD MONARCH

Verses 20-26:

PHARAOH TO FALL IN THE WAR WITH BABYLON

Verses 20, 21 describe the word of the Lord given to Ezekiel concerning the coming defeat of Pharaoh-Hophra, king of Egypt, a proud, former warring ruler of Egypt who had conquered Cyprus, Phoenicia, and Palestine, and went into Libyia where his total conquest ended and from where defeats followed his armies, until the fall of Egypt was total. It was the Lord who broke the arm (limb of strength) of Pharaoh so badly that he could no longer lift a sword. What is more the Lord certified that his broken arm would not be bound up to be healed; Psalms 10:15; Psalms 37:17; Psalms 75:6-7; Jeremiah 48:25; Daniel 2:12; Jeremiah 30:13; Jeremiah 46:11; Nahum 3:12; Revelation 18:21.

Verse 22 restates for certain emphasis that it was the Lord who would break the arms of Pharaoh of Egypt, causing the sword, instrument of death to fall out of his hand. The Lord said, "Behold, (take note) I am against Pharaoh, king of Egypt," Is He against you and me? Woe be to us should we pursue sin so long, Isaiah 59:2; Psalms 37:17; Habakkuk 1:6-7; 2 Kings 24:7; Jeremiah 37:7.

Verse 23 again warns, "I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations," worse than heathen, dispersing them through captivity, as slaves through the countries about them, v. 26; Ezekiel 29:12; Ezekiel 32:18; Ezekiel 32:32. No human power can successfully resist the will and purpose of God, for a life or a nation.

Verse 24 explains that Almighty God would strengthen the arm, or might of Babylon and her king, putting His sword into her hand to do His work of judgment, in bringing Pharaoh to groan and to moan as one wounded and dying on the battlefield of defeat, Psalms 7:11-13. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was an instrument of Divine vengeance against Egypt and Pharaoh.

Verse 25 certifies that the Lord God will Himself strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and keep .them strong, putting His sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, to cause the arms of Pharaoh to fall down, until all Egypt and her allies should know that the Lord was God, Psalms 9:16. For the hand of the king of Babylon was to be stretched out upon all the land of Egypt, to destroy the land, Ezekiel 29:16; Ezekiel 29:21; Ezekiel 32:15; Ezekiel 38:16; Ezekiel 38:23; Ezekiel 39:21-22; Jeremiah 44:30.

Verse 26 confirms that it was the Lord who would scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them as captives among the countries, so that they would know that He was the Lord, existed as the Living God, 1 Corinthians 8:5-6; Exodus 20:1-5.