CHAP. XIX. V. 1 This chapter seems to
flags shall wither.
2 And I will set the Egyptians against || away; and the brooks of defence shall be the Egyptians: and they shall fight every emptied and dried up, m the reeds and one against his brother, and every one against his neighbor; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.
3 And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; & and I will + destroy the counsel thereof; hand they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to the wizards.
4 And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.
5 And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up.
6 And they shall • 13,14. 9:21. Judg. 7:22. 9:23.
1 Sam. 14:16,20. 2 Chr. 20:22, 23. Ez. 38:21. Matt. 12:25. Rev. 17:12-17.
turn the rivers far Heb. swallow up. Ps. 107:
27. marg.
h See on 8:19. 15:2. 44:25. 47: 12. 1 Chr. 10:13. Dan. 2:2. 4:6,7.5:7.
contain a general prediction of the several calamities, which would come upon Egypt, from the invasion of that country by Sennacherib, to the times of its subjugation by the Macedonian kings, the successors of Alexander the Great; terminating with prophecies of spiritual blessings at length to be conferred on many of the inhabitants. When the Lord by "the weapons of his indignation," should come into Egypt with terrible majesty, as "riding on a swift cloud," ( Marg . Ref . b.- Note , Deut . 33: 26.) their idols would not be able to afford them any protection; nay, they would become the derision and contempt of the victors: and even the evil spirits, which were worshipped through the lifeless images, would be filled with consternation; while the courage of their worshippers would melt, as wax before the fire. ( Marg . Ref.-Ex. 12:12. -Notes, Jer. 43:8-13. 44:29, 30. 46: Ez . 29:-32: Zech. 14:16-19.)
V. 2, 3. Not many years after the destruction of Sennacherib's army, the affairs of Egypt were reduced to the utmost confusion and anarchy, by fierce and bloody intestine contentions and civil wars in every part of the land: these ended, after some time, in the tyranny of twelve princes, who divided the country among them; till at length Psammitichus overcame all the rest, and possessed the sole dominion for fifty-four years. Some other dreadful civil contests, which took place in Egypt, and conduced to its subjection uuder foreign conquerors, may also be predicted: but in all these difficulties, both the courage and conduct of the people failed; and their magicians could afford them no more help than their idols did. ( Notes , 11-14. 47:12-15. Ex . 7: 11,12.( That have familiar spirits . )3( האבות. Note, Num . 21:10.
V. 4. Not long after the death of Psammitichus, Nebuchadnezzar conquered Egypt; and he and his successors, and afterwards the Persian kings, ruled over that country, with despotic sway and most grievous and cruel op
7 The paper-reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and every thing sown by the brooks shall wither, be driven away, and be no more.
8 The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters shall languish.
9 Moreover, they that work in fine flax, and they that weave "net-works, shall be confounded.
10 And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make sluices and ponds tt for fish.
11 Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye
pression, till the days of Alexander the Great. The word rendered "a lord," may more properly be translated lords : and be interpreted of all the usurpers, conquerors, and oppressors, who successively tyrannised over Egypt. But some consider Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, and Ochus, or Darius Nothus, "as the cruel lord and fierce king," particularly intended, 'who are both branded in history, for cruel 'tyrants and monsters of men.' Bp. Newton.
The old translation renders it, "a mighty king." Indeed the word admits of that meaning; and then Alexander, the powerful deliverer of Egypt from the oppression of the Persian kings, under whom and his successors, the Egyptians were greatly favored, may be pointed out, "I will shut up the Egyptians in the hands of severe lords; and a mighty king shall rule over them." (Note, Ez . 29:14,15.)- Will I give over, &c.] "I will give up Egypt bound into the hands of cruel lords, and a fierce king shall rule over them." Bp . Lowth . - "Shut up. Marg . ( Notes , Ps . 31:7,8. Rom . 11:25-32, v . 32.
Gal . 3:19-22, v . 22,23-25, v. 23.)
V. 5-10. ( Marg .
Ref .) The inundations of the Nile failing, the communication of the interior parts of the country with other nations, by the sea, would be cut off the remaining waters would become putrid; the brooks, which were the fences of the fields, or of the cities, would dry up: even the papyrus, and other aquatic plants which were a considerable article in the commerce of the Egyptians, would wither; the corn sown by the brooks, as well as the productions of the higher grounds, would be destroyed; and their gainful fisheries and manufactures would be ruined, for want of materials or purchasers. (15.
Notes , Ex. 7: 21. Ez . 30:12.) This may be understood literally of a dreadful famine; or figuratively, of the decay of their prosperity, and the drying up of all the sources of their wealth, through their civil distractions. The Septuagint render the last clause, 'All they who make barley-wine unto Pharaoh, "I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?
12 Where are they? * where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them know what the LORD of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.
13 The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of a Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are *the stay of the tribes thereof.
14 The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.
15 Neither shall there be any work 1 Pet. 2:
u Gen. 41:38,39. 1 Kings 4:30. Acts 7:22.
5:21. 47:10-13. Judg. 9:38. Jer. 2:28. 1 Cor. 1:20. y 40:13,14. 41:22,23. 44:7. 11:6,7. Rom. 11:33,34. z See on 11.
Job
a Jer. 2:16. 46:14,19. Ez. 30: 13.
* Or, governors. Heb. corners. Num. 24:17. 1 Sam. 14:38.
marg. Zech. 10:4.
b See on 2.-29:10,14. 47:10,11. 1 Kings 22:20-23. Job 12:16. Ez. 14:7-9. 2 Thes. 2:11,12. † Heb. spirit of perversities. с 28:7,8. 29:9. Job 12:25. Jer. 25:15,16,27. 48:26.
d 9:14,15. Ps. 128:2. Prov. 14: 23. Hab. 3:17. Hag. 1:11. 1 Thes. 4:11,12.
'shall mourn and be grieved in soul.' (10) The Egyptians had few vines; and the use of fermented liquor from barley, or other grain, was very general among them.
V. 11-14. The Egyptians pretended to an antiquity far beyond any of the neighboring nations; and their kings (of whom Pharaoh was the common name,) were descended, as they boasted, from a royal race which had continued for some thousands of years.
This was altogether fabulous: but doubtless Egypt was renowned for wisdom and science, before any other nation, at least in the countries of which the records are much known. ( Note , Ps. 105:22.) Yet now their princes and counsellors, who should have been the stay, or "pillars," of the land, and of all its tribes, were become foolish and brutish: and whilst they flattered their king, as the son of wise, as well as ancient kings; they seduced him into very foolish measures: or, while they boasted of the wisdom and dignity of their own ancestors, they could neither foresee nor prevent the calamities, which God had purposed to bring upon them.
If there were any possessed of this wisdom, where were they to be found?Indeed the Lord would give them up to their own perverse schemes, and to quarrel with each other, as their private interests or humors led them; till the land would be reduced, by their fierce and bloody contests, to the condition of a drunken man, who can scarcely stagger along, and is equally the object of contempt and pity. ( Marg . Ref . b, c.- Notes , 13. 28:7,8. 29:9-12. Jer. 25:15-17.)-Zoan was also called Tanais; and Noph, Memphis.
The latter is called Moph , in the original of Hos . 9: 6.- The stay. (13) "The corner." Marg . and Marg. Ref .
V. 15. All orders and degrees of men shall 'fail in the discharge of their duty, from the 'highest to the lowest.' Lowth . The want of employment, however, through the failure of commerce, and manufactures of every kind, and the suspension through drought even of the usual occupations of agriculture; ( Note , 5 -10.) together with the effects of this failure of work, in deeply distressing scarcity, and that exasperation of men's spirits which is
for Egypt, which the head or tail, branch or rush, may do.
16 In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shaketh over it.
17 And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it.
[Practical Observations.]
18 In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt1 speak the language of Canaan, mand swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be called, The city of destruction.
e 30:17. Ps. 48:6. Jer. 30:5-i 19,21. 2:11. Zech. 2:11. 7. 50:37. 51:30. Nah. 3:13. k 11:11. 27:13. Ps. 68:31. f 10:32. 11:15.30:30-32. Zech. 1 Zeph. 3.9. 2:9.
g 36:1. Jer. 25:19,27-31. 43:3 -13.44:28-30. Ez. 29:6,7. h 14:24,26,27. 20:2-5. 46:10,11. Dan. 4:35.
Heb. lip . Gen. 11:1. marg. m 45:23,24. Deut. 10:20. Neh. 10:29. Jer. 12:16.
Or, Heres , or, the sun.
commonly excited in such circumstances, and in the time which had nothing to occupy it; as concurring in fomenting their intestine dissensions and jars, ( Note , 2,3.) seems rather to be
meant.
V. 16. When God intends the destruction 'of any people, he commonly takes from them 'their strength and courage; so that "a thou'sand shall flee at the rebuke of one." ... (30: '17. Deut . 28:25. Jer . 50:37. Nah. 3:13.) This is what the heathen expressed by a panic ' terror : but Isaiah more properly calls it here, "the shaking of the hand of the LORD of 'hosts:" God's holding his rod over a people, 'and still threatening them with severer judg'ments.' Lowth . ( Marg . Ref . Notes , 10:28-34. 30:15-17,29-33.)
V. 17. Considering, through their occa'sion, the Jews made not God their defence, 'but put their trust in them, and were there'fore now punished; they' (the Egyptians,) 'shall fear lest the like light on them.'-The first invasion of Judah by Sennacherib, when "he took all its fenced cities," preceded his march into Egypt: and it is probable, that the rumor of the ravages and cruelties, committed in Judah, excited great consternation among the Egyptians. ( Notes , 20:1. 2 Kings 18:13. 19:9-13.) In like manner the destruction of Jerusalem, and the captivity of the surviving Jews, preceded the conquest of Egypt by Nebuchadnezzar; and would be heard of with very great alarm by the distressed inhabitants. ( Notes , Jer . 43:8-13. Ez . 29:17-20.)
V. 18. The preceding prophecy includes a series of years, reaching at least to the time of Alexander the Great, and the favor shewn to the Egyptians by him and his successors: ( Note , 1.) and some think, that their subsequent servitude to the Romans, Saracens, and Turks, to this present day, is also predicted. But, in the mean time, some of them would become acquainted with the true God, learn the language of Canaan, and "swear to the LORD of hosts:" i. e. they would learn to speak of God and his word and worship, as the Jews did, and to vow obedience to him: or to use his name, and to call him to witness in their solemn oaths, as his worshippers. Notes , 45:23
19 In that day shall "there be an altar to the Lord, in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.
20 And it shall be for a sign, and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD, because of the oppressors, and he shall send them a Savior, and a great One, and he shall deliver them.
21 And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea, they shall vow a vow unto the Lord, and perform it .
22 And the Lord shall smite Egypt;
n 66:23. Gen. 12:7. 28:18. Ex. 24:4. Josh. 22:10,26,27. Zech. 6:15. Heb. 13:10.
o 55:13. Josh. 4:20,21. 22:28,34. 24:26,27.
p See on 4.-20:4.52:5. Ex. 2: 23.3:7. 2 Kings 13:4,5. Ps.
50:15. Jam. 5:4.
q 37.36. 45:21,22. Luke 2:11.
Tit. 2:13.
r 11:9. 37:20. 55:5. 1 Sam. 18:
46. 1 Kings 8:43. 98:2,3. Hab. 2:14.
3. Gal. 4:8,9.
Ps. 67:2.
John 17:
John
s Zeph. 3:10. Mal. 1:11. 4:21-24. Rom. 15:27,28. 1 Pet. 2:5,9.
t 44:5. E.c. 5:4. Jon. 1:16.
-25.
Jer. 12:14—17, v. 16.) It is not known what five cities were intended; and especially, there is considerable uncertainty respecting that, which would be "called the city of destruction:" though it is commonly supposed to mean Heliopolis, or "the city of the sun;" and it is thought that it should be thus read. ( Marg . ) Several cities, however, would be thus favored, especially one, which had been notorious for idolatry, or was apparently ripe for destruction.-Under the Macedonian kings, who succeeded Alexander and reigned in Egypt, peculiar privileges were granted to the Jews, and numbers of them settled in that country; where they professed their religion, and worshipped God in the synagogues which they built.
In process of time the scriptures were translated into Greek, which was then understood by numbers in Egypt; and this translation is now called the Septuagint. Thus the natives gradually became acquainted with God, and his truth and will; and probably many were proselyted to the Jewish religion.
A temple was also built by Onias, at Heliopolis, where a worship was performed, similar performed, similar to that at the temple in Jerusalem: and though this was irregular, and could by by no means be justified, yet it might be over-ruled to draw the attention of the Egyptians to the true religion. ( Notes , Acts 1:4-8. 8:5-8.) But though these events might be, in some degree, an accomplishment of the prophecy before us: yet it
"he shall smite and heal it : and they shall return even to the Lord, and he shall be entreated of them, and shall heal them.
23 In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.
24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land:
25 Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, d and Israel mine inheritance.
u 1,&c. Deut. 32:39. Job 5:18.
Hos. 5:15. 6:2. Heb. 12:11.
x 6:10. 5:7. Hos. 14:1. Am. 4:6-12. Acts 26:17-20.28: 26,27.
y 11:16.35:8-10.40:3-5. Eph. 2:18-22.3:6-8.
z 6:13. 49:6,22. 65:8,22. 66:12,19 -21. Deut. 32:43. Ps. 117: Zech. 2:10,11.8:20-23. Luke 2:32. Rom. 10:11-13. 15:9-
12,27.
a 65:8. Gen. 12:2. Ez. 34:26. Zech. 8:13. Gal. 3:14.
b 61:9. 65:23. Num. 6:24,27. 24:1. Ps. 67:6,7. 115:15. Eph. 1:3.
c 29:23. Ps. 100:3. 138:8. Hos 2:23. Rom. 3:29. 9:24,25. Gal. 6:15. Eph. 2:10. Phil. 1:6. Col. 3:10,11,
d See on Deut. 32:9.
'their laws no temple ought to be built but in Jerusalem.... From whence it appears, that 'they thought this prophecy was to have a mys'tical, and not a literal completion.' Lowth . ( Note , Ez . 40:2.)-These verses seem typically to describe the effects which followed when the Egyptians were converted to Christianity; and not merely the proselyting of some of them previously to the worship of the true God.
The altar may denote the atonement o Christ, and access to God through him; ( Notes , Heb . 13:9-16.) and the pillar, either their avowal of the Lord, as the Object of their worship, or his acknowledging of them as his people; and his ordinances, among them, would be a sign and a witness of their relation to him. ( Marg .
Ref . o.) Their crying unto the Lord, and his sending them a Savior and a great One, to deliver them from their oppressors, can be interpreted of their deliverance by Alexander the Great from the Persian yoke, only in a very subordinate sense, if at all : indeed, there is little reason to conclud to conclude, that in his days there were many Egyptians, who sought deliverance from God by earnest prayers.
Christ himself and his spiritual redemption no doubt were principally intended: and probably some future grand deliverance from oppressors, to whom the Egyptians tians are or shall be exposed, ex is specially predicted. ( Notes , ( 11:11 -16. Dan . 11:40-45. Zech. 10:5-12.) The Lord, however, promised to make himself
seems more immediately to relate to the plant-known unto them, and that they should ac
knowledge him, and worship him, and pay their vows to him: for his smiting of them would make way for their conversion, prayers, and healing in answer to them. ( Note , Hos . 6:
ing and flourishing of Christianity in Egypt, in the primitive ages. - 'Learned men observe 'from this place, where the Jews' language is 'called the language of Canaan, that the He- 'brew is the same with the old Phenician lan-1-3.) 'guage.' Lowth. (Note, Gen. 11: 6—9 . )
V. 19-22. It is a judicious observation of 'Calvin upon 56:7. ... The prophets, when they 'speak of the Gentiles coming into the church, 'express their serving the true God, by such 'acts of devotion as were most in use in their 'own time, and therefore could be best under'stood by those to whom they directed their 'discourses.... Onias indeed in after times built 'an altar and temple in Egypt for the use of the 'Jews, thinking to fulfil this prophecy literally; 'but it was against the general sense of his 'own nation, who thought that according to
V. 23-25. For many ages, the Assyrians, (or the Chaldeans, Persians, and Macedonians, who successively had dominion in the same regions,) were engaged in hostilities with the Egyptians; and they strongly fortified their countries against each other: ( Notes , 2 Chr . 35: 20-24. Dan . 11:1—30. Zech . 9:8.) but it is here predicted, that there would be an unobstructed and well prepared way, or road, made between the two countries, to favor the intercourse of the inhabitants with each other, and with Israel, as situated directly in this frequented road: that they would also unite together, and
Béras dia bus