29:1ffChapters 29-32 contain seven prophecies, all dealing with judgment on Egypt. This is probably the first prophecy that was given by Ezekiel in 587 6.C. Hezekiah, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah (kings of Judah) had all sought help from Egypt despite God's warnings. This prophecy was given for three key reasons: (1) Egypt was an ancient enemy of the Jews, having once enslaved them for more than 400 years; (2) Egypt worshiped many gods; (3) Egypt’s wealth and power made it seem like a good ally. Egypt offered to help Judah only because of the benefits it hoped to receive from such an alliance. When the Egyptians didn't get what they hoped for, they bailed out of their agreement without regard to any promises they had made.
Life Application Study BibleEzekielChapter 29
Ezekiel 29
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1346, 1347
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
29Ezekiel 29
A Message for Egypt
12 On January 7 * during the tenth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, this message cametome from the LORD:
2“Son of man, turn and face Egypt and prophesy against Pharaohthe king and all the people of Egypt.
3Give them this message from the Sovereign LORD:“Tam your enemy, O Pharaoh, king of Egypt—you great monster, lurking in the streams of the Nile.For you have said, ‘The Nile River is mine;I made it for myself.’
4I will put hooks in your jawsand drag you out on the landwith fish sticking to your scales.
5I will leave you and all your fishstranded in the wilderness to die.You will lie unburied on the open ground, -for I have given you as food to the wild animals and birds.
6All the people of Egypt will know that I am the Lor,for to Israel you were just a staff made of reeds.
7When Israel leaned on you,you splintered and brokeand stabbed her in the armpit.When she put her weight on you, you gave way,and her back was thrown out of joint.
8“Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will bring an army against you, O Egypt, and destroy both people and animals. 9The land of Egypt will become a desolate wasteland, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD. “Because you said, ‘The Nile River is mine; I made it, 10f am now the enemy of both you and your river. I will make the land of Egypt a totally desolate wasteland, from Migdol to Aswan, as far south as the border of Ethiopia.* 11For forty years not a soul will pass that way, neither people nor animals. It will be completely uninhabited. 12I will make Egypt desolate, and it will be surrounded by other desolate nations. Its cities will be empty and desolate for forty years, surrounded by other ruined cities. I will scatter the Egyptians to distant lands. 13”But this is what the Sovereign LORD also says: At the end of the forty years I will bring the Egyptians home again from the nations to which they have been scattered. "I will restore the prosperity of Egypt and bring its people back to the land of Pathros in southern Egypt from which they came. But Egypt will remain an unimportant, minor kingdom. ‘It will be the lowliest of all the nations, never again great enough to rise above its neighbors. 16“Then Israel will no longer be tempted to trust in Egypt for help. Egypt's shattered condition will remind Israel of how sinful she was to trust Egypt in earlier days. Then Israel will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.”
Nebuchadnezzar to Conquer Egypt
29:17 4:20:20 17On April 26, the first day of the new year,* during the twenty-seventh year of King Jehoiaae chin’s captivity, this message came to me from the LORD: 18“Son of man, the army of King Jer 25:9; 27:6 Nebuchadnezzar* of Babylon fought so hard against Tyre that the warriors’ heads were Ezek 26:7-12 rubbed bare and their shoulders were raw and blistered. Yet Nebuchadnezzar and his army 29:19 won no plunder to compensate them for all their work. Therefore, this is what the Sover- _ nee, eign Lor says: I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. He will carry off its wealth, plundering everything it has so he can pay his army. 20Yes, I have given isa 10:6-7: 4s:1-3 him the land of Egypt as a reward for his work, says the Sovereign LORD, because he was working for me when he destroyed Tyre. 29:21
21“ And the day will come when I will cause the ancient glory of Israel to revive,* and then,1 Sam 2:10:.. ”Pee 92-10: 132:17 Ezekiel, your words will be respected. Then they will know that I am the Lor.Pein 29:10 Hebrew from Migdol to Syene as far as the border of Cush. 29:17 Hebrew On the first day of the first month,of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This event occurred on April 26, 571 B.c.; also see note on 1:1. 29:18 HebrewNebuchadrezzar, a variant spelling of Nebuchadnezzar; also in 29:19. 29:21 Hebrew / will cause a horn to sproutfor the house of Israel.rere isurrounding nations. Approximately 33 years later, Cyrus, king ofthe Persian Empire, conquered Babylon and allowed the nationsthat Babylon had conquered to return to their homelands. Addinga possible seven-year regrouping and travel period, this couldthen make up that 40-year time period. Since that time, Egypt hasnever returned to its previous dominance as a world power.29:17, 18 This prophecy was given in 571 B.C. and is actuallythe latest prophecy in Ezekiel. Nebuchadnezzar had finally con-quered Tyre after a long and costly 15-year siege (586-571 B.C.).He had not counted on such an expense, so he went south andconquered Egypt to make up for all he had lost in taking Tyre.Ezekiel placed this prophecy here to describe who would bringthis punishment to Egypt. God was using Nebuchadnezzar, anevil man, as an instrument of his judgment on Tyre, Judah, andEgypt—evil nations themselves. When Babylon didn't recognizeGod's favor, he judged it, too.
Textual footnotes
- on January 7, 587 8.c.; also see note on 1:1.
- 29:1 Hebrew On the twelfth day of the tenth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar. This event occurred
Life Application Notes 4 notes
29:2ffEgypt had great artistic treasures, a flourishing civilization, and world-renowned military power. Unfortunately, it was also evil, egotistical, idolatrous, and it treated slaves cruelly. For those sins God condemned Egypt. At the battle of Carchemish in 605 B.C., Babylon crushed Egypt along with Assyria, its rivals for the position of world ruler.
29:9,10The Nile was Egypt’s pride and joy, a life-giving river Cutting through the middle of the desert. Rather than thanking God, however, Egypt declared, “The Nile River is mine; I made it.” We do the same when we say, “This house is mine; I built it,” or “I have brought myself to the place where I am today,” or “I have built this church, business, or reputation from the ground up.” These statements reveal our pride. Sometimes we take for granted what God has given us, thinking we have made it ourselves. Of course, we have put forth a lot of hard effort, but God supplied the resources, gave us the abilities, and provided us with the Opportunities to make it happen. Instead of proclaiming our own Qreatness, as the Egyptians did, we should proclaim God’s great- Ness and give him the credit. (Migdol is in the north of Egypt, and Aswan in the south. Thus, this meant all of Egypt.)
29:13-16This 40-year period of desolation in Egypt is hard to Pinpoint, Nebuchadnezzar attacked Egypt around 572 B.C. and carried many people off to Babylon, while others fled for safety to of the destruction; the drying up of the Nile (30:12) shows how deep the devastation would reach. Egypt would be completely incapacitated. This was a clear message to Judah not to trust Egypt for help against the Babylonians.