1.
In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
In the tenth year , &c.: i.e. a year and two days after the siege of Jerusalem began (Jeremiah 39:1 ), and six months, less three days, before its fall. See notes on p. 1105.
the LORD . Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .
2.
Son of man, set thy face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and against all Egypt:
Son of man . See note on Ezekiel 2:1 .
Pharaoh . Namely, Pharaoh Hophra, called Apries by the Greeks. Compare Jeremiah 44:30 . He besieged and captured Gaza (Jeremiah 47:1 ); attacked Zidon and encountered the prince of Tyre on the sea (Herodotus, ii. 161: compare 2 Kings 24:7 . Jeremiah 46:2 ); and said, "no god could deprive him of his kingdom" (Herodotus, H. 169). Zedekiah relied on him. See Jeremiah 37:5-8 . Egypt was thus the cause of Jerusalem's destruction. See Jeremiah 44:30 ; and compare Jeremiah 46:25 , Jeremiah 46:26 .
3.
Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself.
the Lord God. Hebrew. Adonai Jehovah . See note on Ezekiel 2:4 .
Behold . Figure of speech Asterismos . App-6 .
the great dragon = the great crocodile, to which Egypt was likened on Roman coins. Compare Isaiah 51:9 , where "Rehab" is used of Egypt (Isaiah 30:7 ).
My river = the Nile.
I have made it . Referring probably to the artificial system of canals and water-ways.
4.
But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick unto thy scales.
fish. Symbols of Pharaoh's subjects
5.
And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given thee for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven.
6.
And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.
shall know . See note on Ezekiel 6:7 .
a staff of reed . This was by inciting Israel to resist and rebel against Assyria by promises of help which failed. See 2 Kings 18:21 .Isaiah 20:5 , Isaiah 20:6 ; Isaiah 30:6 , Isaiah 30:7 ; Isaiah 31:3 .Jeremiah 2:36 ; Jeremiah 37:7 .
the house of Israel . See note on Exodus 16:3 .
7.
When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest, and madest all their loins to be at a stand.
to be at a stand = to come to a stand, or to halt. Ginsburg thinks, to shake" ( Isa 69:2 ).
8.
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring a sword upon thee, and cut off man and beast out of thee.
I Will bring a sword. This phrase is peculiar to Ezekiel. See Ezekiel 5:17 ; Ezekiel 6:3 ; Ezekiel 11:8 ; Ezekiel 14:17 ; Ezekiel 29:8 ; Ezekiel 33:2 ; In Leviticus it is: "I will draw out the sword after you". Compare Leviticus 26:33 .
man. Hebrew, 'adam . App-14 .
9.
And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall know that I am the LORD: because he hath said, The river is mine, and I have made it.
10.
Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia.
from the tower of Syene = from Migdol to Syene. Compare Ezekiel 30:6 .
the tower = Migdol. See note on Exodus 14:2 for "Migdol", and compare Jeremiah 44:1 . In the north of Egypt.
of Syene = to Syene. Hebrew. Seveneh. Now Assouan, in the south.
11.
No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.
12.
And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.
13.
Yet thus saith the Lord GOD; At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered:
will I gather . Therefore they could not be the people known as gipsies.
people = peoples.
14.
And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom.
bring again, &c = turn the fortunes, &c. See note on Deuteronomy 30:3 ,
the captivity of Egypt or, the Egyptian captives. Note the discrimination shown in these prophecies. Some were never to be restored; others were to be resuscitated.
Pathros = Upper, or Southern Egypt.
habitation = nativity.
base = low.
15.
It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.
basest = lowest.
16.
And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
iniquity. Hebrew ` avah . App-44 .
they shall know, &c. See note on Ezekiel 6:10 .
17.
And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
the seven and twentieth year . See the table, p. 1105.
18.
Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it:
Nebuebadrezzar. caused his army , &c. That this was fulfilled is shown by Prof. Sayre, The Egypt of the Hebrews (1896), p. 130, who quotes an inscription which describes this campaign, which took place (it says) in the thirty = seventh year of his reign. He defeated Pharaoh Amasis. For this spelling ("Nebuchadrezzar ") see note on Ezekiel 26:4 .
head was made bald. Probably from the helmet worn in so long a war.
shoulder was peeled . From bearing arms so long.
19.
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.
I will give . See note on Ezekiel 29:18 , above. it shall be the wages. See the Structure on p. 1147.
20.
I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he served against it, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord GOD.
saith the Lord GOD [is) Adonai Jehovah's oracle.
21.
In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.
in the midst. Compare Ezekiel 3:26 , Ezekiel 3:27 ; Ezekiel 24:27 .