Bible Commentaries
Ezekiel 30

Verse 1

Eze 30:1-2. The prophet is told to express lamentation or howl in view of what is to happen to Egypt. Worth has no word in the original as a separate term, but is included with the same one for woe and means the same as saying "Ah, alas!”

Verse 3

Eze 30:3. The events just predicted are to take place in the near future from the time Ezekiel is writing this. Time of the heathen means the time when the nations are to come together in the manner alluded to in the predictions just made by the prophet.

Verse 4

Eze 30:4. Two chapters are given to Egypt, this and the preceding one. Ethiopia is included because that country lies just south of Egypt and becfime an ally in times of trouble. That is why its people will be in pain or fear when they see the people of Egypt being slain by the invading Babylonians.

Verse 5

Eze 30:5. Libya. Lydia and Chub were parts of Africa that were allied with Egypt for common support. If would follow, then, that when the land of Egypt is attacked, these allies will have to suffer with it.

Verse 6

Verse 6. The remarks offered in the preceding verse are verified in this. It is expressly stated that they also that uphold Egypt shall fall. It is as bad in God’s sight to endorse an evildoer as it is to be the actual doer of it (Rom 1:32),

Verse 7

Eze 30:7. Shall be in the midst. None of the cities of Egypt were to be actually moved into the territory of Others. The expression means these cities were to Share the same fate as the other cities suffered; would be in the same condition.

Verse 8

Eze 30:8. The fire to be set in Egypt will be the destructive raids of the Babylonians. The helper or allies of Egypt were destined to be defeated, and the whole transaction will cause the people to knosw that I am the Lord.

Verse 9

Eze 30:9. In that day refers to the day when Egypt would be attacked by the Babylonians. The Lord will then send men in ships to terrify Ethiopia for having been an ally of Egypt in her evil attitude toward the interests of His people.

Verse 10

Eze 30:10. Multitude to cease is a prediction that Nebuchadnezzar will attack the spoils of the country as well as its citizens. It will be by the hand of the Babylonian king, but he will be acting as the agency of God.

Verse 11

Eze 30:11. He and his people means Nebuchadnezzar and his military forces. Terrible of the notions is said of the Babylonians who had the reputation of being a fierce people. The Lord is going to bring these forces against Egypt to throw' the country into a state of desolation and national humiliation.

Verse 12

Eze 30:12, In some way the Lord will interfere with the irrigation system of the country which will result in assisting the Babylonians in their attack upon the land. The effect of this interference with the watering program will be to lay waste the land.

Verse 13

Eze 30:13. The general subject of this chapter is the fate of Egypt, and the several verses specify certain cities or parts of the country. The prophet also reveals God’s wrath against the idolatry that the country had practiced for centuries. The Egyptians worshiped everything in nature, both living and nonliving, and also set up their idols made of stone and other materials. God decreed that the manmade idols should he destroyed. That would teach them the uselessness of such gods, and also would prove that It Is vain to rely on the things in nature as a means of superhuman assistance. The modern name for Noph is Memphis, which was an important city even then.

Verse 14

Eze 30:14. Pathros was a division of the country, and Zoan and No (Thebes) were cities, and the Egyptians had their idolatrous worship practiced in all of these places, God’s jealousy against all forms of idolatry is bo intense He will not tolerate it.

Verse 15

Eze 30:15. Strength is from an original word that Strong defines, “A fortified place; figuratively a defence,” and the city of Sin is so described. The prediction is that with such a city on which to rely, it nevertheless will prove a failure as help for the Egyptians when the Lord brings the invading army against it.

Verse 16

Eze 30:16. This fire is explained at verse 8 where it is shown to refer to the upheaval that will be raised by the Babylonians. When it is started the people of these cities will have great pain which means they will be terrified by the presence of the invading forces that will be laying waste their strongest cities.

Verse 17

Eze 30:17. The captivity is not a formal or national one such as the Israelites were then suffering in Babylon, but refers to the capture of the citizens by the army of Nebuchadnezzar, Aven and Pi-beseth were cities where many of the young men or heroes of the country resided. These ‘‘braves" were to be destroyed by the Babylonian sword.

Verse 18

Eze 30:18. Smith’s Bible Dictionary says the following of Tehaphnehes: "It was an important town, being twice mentioned by Jeremiah with Noph or Memphis. Here stood a house of Pharaobhophra before which Jeremiah hid great stones. Jer 43:8-10." The prediction is that even as strong a place as this city will be darkened which means to be subdued. Yokes is used in the sense of power or control, and this will be overthrown when Nebuchadnezzar comes into the country. The city will have her pride brought down by the death of her chief men, and her daughters shall be scattered among the cities of the various other heathen countries.

Verse 19

Eze 30:19. Again the main purpose of the judgments to be brought against an offending nation is stated, which is to make the people know that I am the Lord.

Verse 20

Eze 30:20. Another date is given for the message that God was giving to Ezekiel. The eleventh year is dated from the time the prophet was taken to Babylon.

Verse 21

Eze 30:21. Broken the arm means to destroy the force of the king of Egypt. Shall not be bound up is modified by the words to be healed following immediately. The idea is that nothing can prevent the calamity that is declared to be coming upon Pharaoh. Roller means bandage and the statement means the same as the preceding one explained above.

Verse 22

Eze 30:22. The Lord is using the imagery of a swordsman in the present form of speech, A man is holding a sword in his hand with the intention of using it against the approaching foe. But the Lord will strike and break the swordsman’s arm which will cause the sword to fall from the hand holding it and it will fall to the ground,

Verse 23

Eze 30:23. If the ability to use their weapons is taken from them, the Egyptians will be helpless and will be at the mercy of their attackers.

Verse 24

Eze 30:24. Not much new is added in this verse, but a specific statement of what is to happen to the land of Egypt is made. I will strengthen denotes that God wili cause the weapons of the king of Babylon to be successful when he attacks Pharaoh. That will fulfil! the prediction that was made to Ezekiel in Eze 29:18.

Verse 25

Eze 30:25. God will perform two and opposite acts as regards Nebuchadnezzar and Pharaoh. He will strengthen the arms of the former and weaken those of the latter. Either one of these would have indicated defeat for Pharaoh, and hence the two will make It doubly certain and guarantee the fulfillment of the prediction.

Verse 26

Eze 30:26. Being utterly disarmed, the Egyptians will have no recourse on which to rest. As a result they wili be scattered out in various places where they will languish for the period indicated in Eze 29:12-13.