Ezekiel 30

2. Woe worth the day! “Woe be to the day!” (“worth” = German werden). Cp. Scott, Lady of the Lake, i. 9.

3 the time of the heathen. The time of God’s judgements against idolatrous nations.

5. Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia. Heb., “Cush, and Put, and Lud.”

Chub. Recent scholars, following the Septuagint, read “Lub” or Libya.

6 from the tower of Syene. Rather, “from Migdol to Syene”: see on xxix. 10.

9 the careless Ethiopians. The Ethiopians on the Upper Nile thought themselves secure from danger.

12 the rivers. i.e., the canals, on which Egypt depended for its irrigation.

of the wicked. That is, “of cruel,” or destructive men," as in v. 16, 17: see Isa. xix. 4. This epithet has been justly applicable to the successive conquerors and oppressors of Egypt through all subsequent ages, Chaldeans, Medo-Persians, Greeks, Romans, Mamelukes.

13. Noph. Memphis. See note on Isa. xix. 13. no more a prince, etc. That is, no native ruler.

14. No. Thobes. See notes on Psa. lxxviii. 12 and Jer. xlvi. 25.

15. Sin. the strength of Egypt. Sin, or Pelusium, is called the “strength,” or in other writers the “key” of Egypt, because of its position and fortification as a frontier-town.

17. Pi-beseth. Aven or On (now Heliopolis; see note on Gen. xli. 45), Pi-beseth or Bubastis, and Teshaphnelles or Tahpanhes (see note on Jer. ii. 16), all lay in Lower Egypt between Pelusium and Memphis.

18 the yokes of Egypt. The yokes imposed by her.

VERS. 20-26. This short prophecy declares that the reverses which the Egyptians have suffered (perhaps in their unsuccessful attempt to relieve Jerusalem, 2 Kings xxiv. 7; Jer. xxxvii. 7, 8)

are only the beginning of the destruction of their power by the Chaldeans. The prophecy was uttered between three and four months before the fall of Jerusalem.

21. I have broken the arm, etc. One “arm” had been “broken” at Carchemish. The other was now to be shattered.

roller. Or, “bandage.”

23. I will scatter the Egyptians, etc. (also in ver. 26). See xxix. 12, note.