CHAP. XXX. V. 2, 3. As the day of Egypt's desolation is here said to be near, and as Nebuchadnezzar did not invade that country till he had taken Tyre: it is probable, that this prophecy was delivered about the same time with that in the close of the former chapter, and several years after those which follow. -The Egyptians were called upon to howl with anguish, in the prospect of these judgments; as they surely would do when they arrived: and to cry "Woe worth the day," or "Alas the day;" intimating that it would be the most dreadful day which they had ever seen.
For it would be the day in which God would execute vengeance on his enemies; and so "a cloudy day," or one of uncommon terror and distress, especially as clouds and rain were rarely known in Egypt. It would also be "the time of the heathen; the time of divine judgments on the Gentiles, as there had been a time of his wrath and judgments on the Jews.'God's judgments on particular places and na'tions are an earnest of that general judgment, 'when he shall execute judgment on all the 'ungodly.' Lowth. (Marg. Ref . Notes , 4-8. 7:6-11.32:7,8. Joel 2:1-3. Am . 5:18-20.) VOL. IV.
and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.
6 Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down; from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord Gon.
7 And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.
8 And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have set a fire in Egypt, and when all her helpers shall be destroyed.
9 In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships, to make the careless Ethiopians afraid, and great pain shall come upon them, as in the day of Egypt: for, lo, it cometh.
Heb. children.
k Jer. 44:27.
1 Job 9:13. Is. 20:3-6. 31:3. Nah, 3:9.
$Or, from Migdol to Syene. 29:10.
m 29:12. 32:18-32. Jer. 25:18 -26.46:51:
n 28:24,26. 29:6,9,16.
ο 14,16, 22:31. Deut. 32:22. Is. 42:25. Lam. 4:11. Am. 1:
4,7,10,12,14. 2:2,5. Nah. 1:5,6. || Heb. broken. 6.
p 5,6. Is. 18:1,2. 20:3-5. Zeph.
2:12.
q 33:11. 39:6. Judg. 18:7. Is. 32:9--11. 47:8. Jer. 49:31. Zeph. 2:15. 1 Thes. 5:2,3.
r 4. 26:16. 27:35. 32:9,10. Is. 19:17. 23:5. Jer. 49:21. Zech. 11:2,3.
s 33:33. Am. 4:2.
V. 4,5. As Ethiopia bordered on Egypt, and was in alliance with the Ethiopians, it would share in these extreme calamities; and their forces would be slain among those of Egypt. For "the foundations" of her cities, or those of her government, would be broken down; and all her allies and mercenary troops from different nations, would fall by the sword. -"The names in the Hebrew are Cush , Phut , 'and Lud , who are mentioned together as the Egyptian allies, Jer . 46:9. Cush properly 'signifies Ethiopia here, ( See 29:10.) as being joined with Phut and Lud, which were people of Africa.
Phut is rendered Libya by our in'terpreters here, and in that place in Jeremiah: 'but Phut and Lubim were a distinct people. (27:10.)-Phut may denote some part of Afri'ca near Egypt, and Lud probably signifies 'some part of the Abyssines' country.' Lowth. -Chub. (5) 'The Cubii are mentioned in 'Ptolemy, as the people of Mareotis, a province 'of Egypt.' Ibid . The men of the land , &c.] The LXX translate it, "the men of my 'league," or covenant; i. e. the Jews; many of 'whom fleeing into Egypt, were destroyed 'there with the Egyptians.' Ibid . ( Marg . and Marg . Ref .)
V. 6. The governors of the several prov'inces, those who are called "the stay of the 'tribes thereof," Is . 19:13. Lowth . ( Marg . Ref . -Note , Is . 19:11-14.)
From the tower, &c.] Or, "From Migdol to Syene." Marg. -Note, 29:8-13, υ. 10.
V. 7,8. Marg. and Marg . Ref .- Note , 29:8 -13.- Her cities , &c. (7) Egypt was exceedingly populous, and more filled with cities than any other nation in the world at that time; which would render her desolation in this respect the more extraordinary.
V. 9. The providence of God would take care, that messengers should be sent in ships by sea, or boats up the Nile, to inform the Ethiopians of the ruin of Egypt, and to alarm them with fears of similar calamities; from which they carelessly deemed themselves se[561
10 'Thus saith the Lord GoD; I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon.
the strength of Egypt; and I will cut off the multitude of No.
16 And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain, and No shall be rent asunder, and Noph shall have distresses daily.
11 He and his people with him, "the terrible of the nations, shall be brought to destroy the land; and they shall draw their swords against Egypt, * and fill the land" with the slain.
12 And I will make the rivers * dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked: and I will make the land waste, and tall that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I the Lord have spoken it .
13 Thus saith the Lord GoD; I will also destroy the idols, and I will cause their images to cease out of Noph; and there shall be no more a prince of the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt.
14 And I will make Pathros desolate, and will set fire in Zoan, and will execute judgments in No.
15 And I will pour my fury upon
1 29:4,5,19. 32:11-16.
u 28:7. 31:12. 32:12. Deut. 28: 50. Is. 14:4-6. Jer. 51:2023. Hab. 1:6-9.
x 35:8. 39:4,11-20. Is. 34:3-7. Zeph. 1:17,18. Rev. 14:20. 19:
Sin,
b Ex. 12:12. Is. 19:1. Jer. 43: 12,13. 46:25. Zeph. 2:11. Zech. 13:2.
c Is. 19:13. Jer. 2:16. 44:1.
17 The young men of " Aven and of Pi-beseth shall fall by the sword: and these cities shall go into captivity.
18 At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be ** darkened, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt: and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity.
19 Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt: and they shall know that I am the LORD.
20 And it came to pass a in
B. C. 558.
the eleventh year, in the first month , [ in the seventh day of the month, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
21 Son of man, 'I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller
i 8,9. 28:18.
46:14. Ноз. 9:6. Memphis. || Or, Heliopolis. Gen. 41.45.
Heb. Moph.
d 29:14,15. Zech. 10:11. e Is. 19:16. Jer. 46:5. f 29:14.
Or, Tanis . Num. 13:22. Ps. 78:12,43. Is. 19:11 30:4.
g Jer. 46:25. Nah. 3:8-10. 1h Ps. 11:6. Nah. 1:6. Rev.
16:1.
Or, Pelusium.
V. 12. If the rivers of Egypt had been dried up, that fruitful land must have become a barren desert; and the Lord was about as effectually to destroy all the sources of its power and prosperity: for he would entirely deliver up the land into the possession of wicked and oppressing spoilers, as if he had sold it to them. Such were the Chaldeans, who first conquered, plundered, and enslaved Egypt; and the Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Saracens, Mamalucks, and Turks, who have successively domineered over and oppressed that country, equally deserved this character. These strangers have wasted, and cruelly tyrannised over Egypt, from that time to this
On.
Or, Pubastum .
k Jer. 2:16. Tahapanes 43:79. 46:14. Tahpanhes.
1 Ex. 10:15,22,25. Is. 5:30. 9:
19. 13:10. Joel 3:15. Matt. 24: 29.
** Or, restrained.
m 29:15. Is. 9:4. 10:27. 14:25.
In 31:18. 32:18,&c. Is. 14:11.
Jer. 46:20-26.
o 3. Is. 19:1.
p 14. 5:8,15. 25:11,17. 39:21. Num. 33:4. Ps. 9:16. 149:7. Rom. 2:5,6. Rev. 17:1.
q 1:2. 26:1. 29:1,17. r 24. Ps. 10:15. 37:17. Jer. 48:25.
s Jer. 30:13. 46:11. 51:8,9. Nah. 3:19. Rev. 18:21.
shippers, and the cities in which they were stationed. This has been remarkably fulfilled; for the ancient idolatry of Egypt gradually declined, or was exchanged for that of other nations, when the country fell under the dominion of foreign lords: and as there has not been for above two thousand years a prince of the land of Egypt; so the Egyptians have long received their religion from their masters, and have been an abject servile race, greatly afraid of offending their cruel oppressors. The present Egyptians are either Mohammedans; or ignorant superstitious Christians, who seem to have little more than the name of that holy religion. ( Marg . Ref . Notes , 12. 29:14,15. Is . 19:1-3,16-18. Jer. 43:8-13. 46:13-26.)
V. 14-19. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . )- Noph, ... in Hosea... is called Moph , (9:6.) which 'comes near in sound to Memphis.... Zoan , or Tanis, was... the metropolis of the kingdom 'in Moses's time. ( Ps . 78:12,43.) ... No , or ' Hamon No , ... probably the same with the city Thebes , famous for its hundred gates. ( Jer . 46: 25.) It is generally agreed that Sin is the 'same with Pelusium , one of the seven mouths
present day, according to the word of God by 'of the Nile, which was commonly called, the
Ezekiel. ( Marg . and Marg . Ref . Notes , 13. 29:14,15 . Is . 19:4-15.)
V. 13. The Egyptians were not more renowned among the ancients for wisdom and learning, for wealth, power, and prosperity; than for the multitude of their idols, and the stupidity with which they wo worshipped even various reptiles and vegetables. On these idols epended
they depend protection: determined to destroy them with their wor
'key of Egypt; ... and therefore was strongly 'fortified.... Aven is the same with On , men'tioned Gen. 41:45. in after times called He liopolis , ( Is . 19:18. Jer . 43:13.) ... because of a 'temple or image there dedicated to the Sun. ' Pibeseth was afterwards... called Bubastum, 'and is so translated here by the LXX.' Lowth . ( Note , Jer . 46:24,25.)
Yok23 . (18) When I shall set those at liber
22 Therefore thus saith the Lord GoD; Behold, t I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong, " and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.
23 And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.
24 And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, a and put my sword in his hand: but I will break Pharaoh's arms, and bhe shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man .
25 But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that
t 29:3. Jer. 46:25.
u 2 Kings 24:7. Jer. 37:7. 46:1
-12.
x Jer. 46:21-25.
y 17,18,26. 29:12,13. 1
z 25. Neh. 6:9. Ps. 18:32,39. 144:1. Is. 45:1,5. Zech. 10:11,
12.
a Deut. 32:41,42. Ps. 17:13. Is. 10:5,6. Zeph. 2:12.
b 26:15. Job 24:12. Jer. 51:52. с 19,26. 29:16,21. 32:15. 38:16, 23. 39:21,22.
'Egypt. 34:27. Lowth . - The LXX render the word "sceptres," and perhaps properly.
V. 20-26. This prophecy was delivered soon after the Egyptians had come to relieve Jerusalem when besieged by Nebuchadnezzar, but had gone back unto their own land without effecting any thing; and some months before that city was taken: that is, more than sixteen years before the preceding prophecies. (Notes, 2,3. 29:17-20. 2 Kings 25:1-5. Jer . 37:1-10.)-The Lord at that time informed his servant, that he had broken the arm of Pharaoh, and that it never should be set or bound up, to be healed, and made strong to hold a sword any more.
When the king of Babylon took from the king of Egypt all his dominions in Asia, one of his arms was broken. ( Notes , 2 Kings 24:7. Jer. 46:1-12.) This had taken place some time before, in the days of Pharaoh-necho: and the Lord declared, that he should never recover those territories, or any ascendency in that part of the world; nay, that his other arm, which was now strong, should soon be broken; so that the sword would drop out of that likewise.
This took place under his son and successor, when Egypt was so weakened by civil wars, as to be utterly unable to resist the invaders: and when Pharaohhophra was vanquished, dethroned, and driven into the fens to hide himself from Amasis and his party. These events made way for Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of that kingdom. All this time he was acquiring strength and en
d 17,18,23. 6:13. 29:12. a 1:2, 30:20. Jer. 52:5,6.
b Jer. 1:5,17. Rev. 10:11.
с 29:19. 30:10. Nah. 3:8-10.
d 18. Is. 14:13,14. e Nah. 3:1,&c. Zeph. 2:13. f 17:3,4,22. Is. 10:33,34. 37:24 Dan. 4:10,20-23. Zech. 11:2.
be abased; and that prosperity and peace, which lead to carelessness and carnal security, will terminate in terror and anguish.The wrath of God consumes the prosperity and wealth of powerful nations: when the day of his vengeance comes, it desolates populous countries, or covers them with the carcasses of the slain; it turns a fruitful land into a barren desert, and flourishing cities into ruinous heaps; it fills all places with terror and misery, and reduces men to the most abject servitude: yet these are only present effects of the divine indignation, and not worthy of our fear, compared with the "wrath to come," from which Jesus delivers his people.
It is vain to endeavor to bind up the arm which the Lord is pleased to break, or to strengthen those whom he will bring down: "a dark and cloudy day" awaits his enemies; and all who associate with them, or help them, will share their punishment.-All power and success is from the Lord; and men prosper as long as they are employed in executing his righteous purposes. Happy are his willing servants, who so know him, "in Christ reconciling the world unto himself," as to fear, love, trust, worship, and obey him.
In one way or other, however, all "shall know the LORD:" and they, who disregard the discoveries which he has made of himself in mercy, will at length know his power, truth, and justice, in the punishment inflicted on them for their sins: whilst they will be for ever excluded from all hope of his favor; and groan and wail,
larging his dominions: for the Lord "strength- because their wound is incurable.-All earthly
ened his arms, and put the sword" of his vengeance into his hand. Thus the Egyptians were vanquished, enslaved, dispersed, and carried captive. In the mean time Hophra, equally obnoxious to both the contending parties, dragged on his life in great terror and misery: and at length, after a fruitless effort to recover his authority, he was taken and strangled by Amasis, who succeeded, as the vassal of Nebuchadnezzar, to the throne of this desolated and ruined country. (Marg. Ref.- delivered somewhat more than a month before
prosperity is fluctuating: those who to-day are at the top of the wheel, before to-morrow may be turned to the bottom, and their arrogant presumption changed into abject despair. But the everlasting mercy of our unchangeable God secures the final felicity of all that love his name.
Notes , 29:2-5,8-13. Jer . 44:29,30. 46:26. Dan . 1:30.)
PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.
NOTES.