Description
This chapter prophesies the conquest of Egypt, which will lie desolate for 40 years before being restored as a lowly nation. It is likely that its ultimate fulfilment will occur in the end times when Egypt is invaded by the Antichrist.
Commentary
In this chapter, Ezekiel prophesies the conquest of Egypt, which will lie ruined and uninhabited for 40 years, with the Egyptians being killed or scattered as refugees among the nations (v10-12). Verses 13 to 16 prophesy its restoration after 40 years, but as a lowly nation that will never again exalt itself over other nations.
Verses 17 to 21 then prophesy Egypt's conquest by Nebuchadnezzar that occurred in 568 BC. Ezekiel prophesied that he would carry off the wealth of Egypt as payment for his long and fruitless siege of Tyre. Although some historical evidence exists outside the bible for Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of Egypt, it does not support a 40 year period of desolation (see my commentary on Jeremiah 46). However, Daniel 11:42 prophesies that the Antichrist will conquer Egypt in the end-times, and Isaiah 19 prophesies that Egypt will then be conquered by Jesus and the Jews. Joel 3:19 says "Egypt will be desolate", in a passage that describes the beginning of the Millennium. So it is likely that Egypt's 40 year desolation will occur during the first 40 years of the Millennium. Verse 5 describes the Egyptians being given as food to the beasts of the earth (wild animals) and to the birds of the skies. In Matthew 24:28, Jesus uses similar language, describing vultures circling over the end-time battlefields and being visible from east to west. It is a picture of great end-time carnage.
The chapter ends in verse 21 with the statement, “On that day I will make Israel powerful, and I will give you the right to be heard among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord". This agrees with Isaiah 19:21-25, according to which God will first strike Egypt, but then heal them and listen to their prayers, ultimately making Egypt a blessing to the nations, alongside Israel. This is further evidence that the invasion of Egypt envisioned by Ezekiel relates to an end-time context. In that case, Egypt's invasion by Nebuchadnezzar in 568 BC merely foreshadows the end-time invasion of Egypt by the Antichrist.
Verses 17 to 21 then prophesy Egypt's conquest by Nebuchadnezzar that occurred in 568 BC. Ezekiel prophesied that he would carry off the wealth of Egypt as payment for his long and fruitless siege of Tyre. Although some historical evidence exists outside the bible for Nebuchadnezzar's conquest of Egypt, it does not support a 40 year period of desolation (see my commentary on Jeremiah 46). However, Daniel 11:42 prophesies that the Antichrist will conquer Egypt in the end-times, and Isaiah 19 prophesies that Egypt will then be conquered by Jesus and the Jews. Joel 3:19 says "Egypt will be desolate", in a passage that describes the beginning of the Millennium. So it is likely that Egypt's 40 year desolation will occur during the first 40 years of the Millennium. Verse 5 describes the Egyptians being given as food to the beasts of the earth (wild animals) and to the birds of the skies. In Matthew 24:28, Jesus uses similar language, describing vultures circling over the end-time battlefields and being visible from east to west. It is a picture of great end-time carnage.
The chapter ends in verse 21 with the statement, “On that day I will make Israel powerful, and I will give you the right to be heard among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord". This agrees with Isaiah 19:21-25, according to which God will first strike Egypt, but then heal them and listen to their prayers, ultimately making Egypt a blessing to the nations, alongside Israel. This is further evidence that the invasion of Egypt envisioned by Ezekiel relates to an end-time context. In that case, Egypt's invasion by Nebuchadnezzar in 568 BC merely foreshadows the end-time invasion of Egypt by the Antichrist.
Tags
Places: Egypt, Israel
Symbols:
Tags: Antichrist invades Egypt, Antichrist as Nebuchadnezzar, Armageddon, Jesus fights muslim nations, Jesus conquers Egypt, 40 year desolation for Egypt
Symbols:
Tags: Antichrist invades Egypt, Antichrist as Nebuchadnezzar, Armageddon, Jesus fights muslim nations, Jesus conquers Egypt, 40 year desolation for Egypt
A Prophecy Against Egypt
1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the Lord’s message came to me:
2 “Son of man, turn toward Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.
3 Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘Look, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster lying in the midst of its waterways, who has said, “My Nile is my own, I made it for myself.”
4 I will put hooks in your jaws and stick the fish of your waterways to your scales. I will haul you up from the midst of your waterways, and all the fish of your waterways will stick to your scales.
5 I will leave you in the wilderness, you and all the fish of your waterways; you will fall in the open field and will not be gathered up or collected. I have given you as food to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the skies.
6 Then all those living in Egypt will know that I am the Lord because they were a reed staff for the house of Israel;
7 when they grasped you with their hand, you broke and tore their shoulders, and when they leaned on you, you splintered and caused their legs to be unsteady.
8 “‘Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will kill every person and every animal.
9 The land of Egypt will become a desolate ruin. Then they will know that I am the Lord. Because he said, “The Nile is mine and I made it,”
10 I am against you and your waterways. I will turn the land of Egypt into an utter desolate ruin from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border with Ethiopia.
11 No human foot will pass through it, and no animal’s foot will pass through it; it will be uninhabited for forty years.
12 I will turn the land of Egypt into a desolation in the midst of desolate lands; for forty years her cities will lie desolate in the midst of ruined cities. I will scatter Egypt among the nations and disperse them among foreign countries.
13 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: At the end of forty years I will gather Egypt from the peoples where they were scattered.
14 I will restore the fortunes of Egypt, and will bring them back to the land of Pathros, to the land of their origin; there they will be an insignificant kingdom.
15 It will be the most insignificant of the kingdoms; it will never again exalt itself over the nations. I will make them so small that they will not rule over the nations.
16 It will never again be Israel’s source of confidence, but a reminder of how they sinned by turning to Egypt for help. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’”
17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the Lord’s message came to me:
18 “Son of man, King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre. Every head was rubbed bald and every shoulder rubbed bare; yet he and his army received no wages from Tyre for the work he carried out against it.
19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to give the land of Egypt to King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon. He will carry off her wealth, capture her loot, and seize her plunder; it will be his army’s wages.
20 I have given him the land of Egypt as his compensation for attacking Tyre, because they did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord.
21 On that day I will make Israel powerful, and I will give you the right to be heard among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the Lord’s message came to me:
2 “Son of man, turn toward Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.
3 Tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “‘Look, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster lying in the midst of its waterways, who has said, “My Nile is my own, I made it for myself.”
4 I will put hooks in your jaws and stick the fish of your waterways to your scales. I will haul you up from the midst of your waterways, and all the fish of your waterways will stick to your scales.
5 I will leave you in the wilderness, you and all the fish of your waterways; you will fall in the open field and will not be gathered up or collected. I have given you as food to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the skies.
6 Then all those living in Egypt will know that I am the Lord because they were a reed staff for the house of Israel;
7 when they grasped you with their hand, you broke and tore their shoulders, and when they leaned on you, you splintered and caused their legs to be unsteady.
8 “‘Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will kill every person and every animal.
9 The land of Egypt will become a desolate ruin. Then they will know that I am the Lord. Because he said, “The Nile is mine and I made it,”
10 I am against you and your waterways. I will turn the land of Egypt into an utter desolate ruin from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border with Ethiopia.
11 No human foot will pass through it, and no animal’s foot will pass through it; it will be uninhabited for forty years.
12 I will turn the land of Egypt into a desolation in the midst of desolate lands; for forty years her cities will lie desolate in the midst of ruined cities. I will scatter Egypt among the nations and disperse them among foreign countries.
13 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: At the end of forty years I will gather Egypt from the peoples where they were scattered.
14 I will restore the fortunes of Egypt, and will bring them back to the land of Pathros, to the land of their origin; there they will be an insignificant kingdom.
15 It will be the most insignificant of the kingdoms; it will never again exalt itself over the nations. I will make them so small that they will not rule over the nations.
16 It will never again be Israel’s source of confidence, but a reminder of how they sinned by turning to Egypt for help. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’”
17 In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the Lord’s message came to me:
18 “Son of man, King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon made his army labor hard against Tyre. Every head was rubbed bald and every shoulder rubbed bare; yet he and his army received no wages from Tyre for the work he carried out against it.
19 Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look, I am about to give the land of Egypt to King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon. He will carry off her wealth, capture her loot, and seize her plunder; it will be his army’s wages.
20 I have given him the land of Egypt as his compensation for attacking Tyre, because they did it for me, declares the Sovereign Lord.
21 On that day I will make Israel powerful, and I will give you the right to be heard among them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
(NET)