mh_parser/vol_split/26 - Ezekiel/Chapter 30.xml

<div2 id="Ez.xxxi" n="xxxi" next="Ez.xxxii" prev="Ez.xxx" progress="61.47%" title="Chapter XXX">
<h2 id="Ez.xxxi-p0.1">E Z E K I E L.</h2>
<h3 id="Ez.xxxi-p0.2">CHAP. XXX.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ez.xxxi-p1" shownumber="no">In this chapter we have, I. A continuation of the
prophecy against Egypt, which we had in the latter part of the
foregoing chapter, just before the desolation of that once
flourishing kingdom was completed by Nebuchadnezzar, in which is
foretold the destruction of all her allies and confederates, all
her interests and concerns, and the several steps which the king of
Babylon should take in pushing on this destruction, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.1-Ezek.30.19" parsed="|Ezek|30|1|30|19" passage="Eze 30:1-19">ver. 1-19</scripRef>. II. A repetition of a
former prophecy against Egypt, just before the desolation of it
begun by their own bad conduct, which gradually weakened them and
prepared the way for the king of Babylon, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.20-Ezek.30.26" parsed="|Ezek|30|20|30|26" passage="Eze 30:20-26">ver. 20-26</scripRef>. It is all much to the same
purport with what we had before.</p>
<scripCom id="Ez.xxxi-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30" parsed="|Ezek|30|0|0|0" passage="Eze 30" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ez.xxxi-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.1-Ezek.30.19" parsed="|Ezek|30|1|30|19" passage="Eze 30:1-19" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Ez.xxxi-p1.5">
<h4 id="Ez.xxxi-p1.6">Prophecy against Egypt; Destruction of Egypt
Foretold. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p1.7">b. c.</span> 572.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ez.xxxi-p2" shownumber="no">1 The word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p2.1">Lord</span> came again unto me, saying,   2 Son of
man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p2.2">God</span>; Howl ye, Woe worth the day!   3 For
the day <i>is</i> near, even the day of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p2.3">Lord</span> <i>is</i> near, a cloudy day; it shall be
the time of the heathen.   4 And the sword shall come upon
Egypt, and great pain shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall
fall in Egypt, and they shall take away her multitude, and her
foundations shall be broken down.   5 Ethiopia, and Libya, and
Lydia, and all the mingled people, and Chub, and the men of the
land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.   6
Thus saith the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p2.4">Lord</span>; 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 <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p2.5">God</span>.   7 And
they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries <i>that
are</i> desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the
cities <i>that are</i> wasted.   8 And they shall know that I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p2.6">Lord</span>, when I have set
a fire in Egypt, and <i>when</i> 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.
  10 Thus saith the Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p2.7">God</span>; I
will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease by the hand of
Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon.   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 all that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p2.8">Lord</span> have spoken <i>it.</i>  
13 Thus saith the Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p2.9">God</span>; I will
also destroy the idols, and I will cause <i>their</i> 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
Sin, 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 <i>shall have</i> distresses
daily.   17 The young men of Aven and of Pi-beseth shall fall
by the sword: and these <i>cities</i> 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 <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p2.10">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxi-p3" shownumber="no">The prophecy of the destruction of Egypt is
here very full and particular, as well as, in the general, very
frightful. What can protect a provoking people when the righteous
God comes forth to contend with them?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxi-p4" shownumber="no">I. It shall be a very lamentable
destruction, and such as shall occasion great sorrow (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.2-Ezek.30.3" parsed="|Ezek|30|2|30|3" passage="Eze 30:2,3"><i>v.</i> 2, 3</scripRef>): "<i>Howl you;</i>
you may justly shriek now that it is coming, for you will be made
to shriek and make hideous outcries when it comes. Cry out, <i>Woe
worth the day!</i> or, <i>Ah the day! alas because of the day!</i>
the terrible day! <i>Woe and alas!</i> For <i>the day is near;</i>
the day we have so long dreaded, so long deserved. It is the <i>day
of the Lord,</i> the day in which he will manifest himself as a God
of vengeance. You have your day now, when you carry all before you,
and trample on all about you, but God will have his day shortly,
the day of the revelation of his righteous judgment," <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.37.13" parsed="|Ps|37|13|0|0" passage="Ps 37:13">Ps. xxxvii. 13</scripRef>. It will be <i>a
cloudy day,</i> that is, dark and dismal, without the shining forth
of any comfort; and it shall threaten a storm—<i>fire, and
brimstone, and a horrible tempest. It shall be the time of the
heathen,</i> of reckoning with the heathen for all their heathenish
practices, that time which David spoke of when God would <i>pour
out his fury upon the heathen</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.79.6" parsed="|Ps|79|6|0|0" passage="Ps 79:6">Ps.
lxxix. 6</scripRef>), when <i>they should sink,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:Ps.9.15" parsed="|Ps|9|15|0|0" passage="Ps 9:15">Ps. ix. 15</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxi-p5" shownumber="no">II. It shall be the destruction of Egypt,
and of all the states and countries in confederacy with her and in
her neighbourhood. 1. Egypt herself shall fall (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.4" parsed="|Ezek|30|4|0|0" passage="Eze 30:4"><i>v.</i> 4</scripRef>): The <i>sword shall come upon
Egypt,</i> the sword of the Chaldeans, and it shall be a victorious
sword, for the <i>slain shall fall in Egypt,</i> fall by it, fall
before it. Is the country populous? They shall <i>take away her
multitude.</i> Is it strong, and well-fixed? <i>Her foundations
shall be broken down,</i> and then the fabric, though built ever so
fine, ever so high, will fall of course. 2. Her neighbours and
inmates shall fall with her. When the slain fall so thickly in
Egypt <i>great pain shall be in Ethiopia,</i> both that in Africa,
which is in the neighbourhood of Egypt on one side, and that in
Asia, which is near to it on the other side. When their neighbour's
house was on fire they could not but apprehend their own in danger;
nor were their fears groundless, for they shall all <i>fall with
them by the sword,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.5" parsed="|Ezek|30|5|0|0" passage="Eze 30:5"><i>v.</i>
5</scripRef>. <i>Ethiopia and Libya</i> (Cush and Phut, so the
Hebrew names are, two of the sons of Ham who are mentioned, and
Mizraim, that is, Egypt, between them, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Gen.10.6" parsed="|Gen|10|6|0|0" passage="Ge 10:6">Gen. x. 6</scripRef>), <i>and the Lydians</i> (who were
famous archers, and are spoken of as confederates with Egypt,
<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.9" parsed="|Jer|46|9|0|0" passage="Jer 46:9">Jer. xlvi. 9</scripRef>), these shall
fall with Egypt and <i>Chub</i> (the Chaldeans, the inhabitants of
the inner Libya); these and others were the <i>mingled people;</i>
there were those of all these and other countries who upon some
account or other resided in Egypt, as did also <i>the men of the
land that is in league,</i> some of the remains of the people of
Israel and Judah, the <i>children of the covenant,</i> or league,
as they are called (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:Acts.3.25" parsed="|Acts|3|25|0|0" passage="Ac 3:25">Acts iii.
25</scripRef>), the <i>children of the promise,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p5.6" osisRef="Bible:Gal.4.28" parsed="|Gal|4|28|0|0" passage="Ga 4:28">Gal. iv. 28</scripRef>. These sojourned in Egypt
contrary to God's command, and these shall <i>fall with them.</i>
Note, Those that will take their lot with God's enemies shall have
their lot with them, yea, though they be in profession the men of
the land that is in league with God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxi-p6" shownumber="no">III. All that pretend to support the
sinking interests of Egypt shall come down under her, shall come
down with her (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.6" parsed="|Ezek|30|6|0|0" passage="Eze 30:6"><i>v.</i>
6</scripRef>): <i>Those that uphold Egypt shall fall,</i> and then
Egypt must fall of course. See the justice of God; Egypt pretended
to uphold Jerusalem when that was tottering, but proved a deceitful
reed; and now those that pretended to uphold Egypt shall prove no
better. Those that deceive others are commonly paid in their own
coin; they are themselves deceived. 1. Does Egypt think herself
upheld by the absolute authority and dominion of her king? The
<i>pride of her power</i> shall <i>come down,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.6" parsed="|Ezek|30|6|0|0" passage="Eze 30:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. The power of the king of
Egypt was his pride; but that shall be broken, and humbled. 2. Is
the multitude of her people her support? These shall <i>fall by the
sword,</i> even <i>from the tower of Syene,</i> which is in the
utmost corner of the land, from that side of it by which the enemy
shall enter. Both the <i>countries</i> and the <i>cities,</i> the
husbandmen and the merchants, shall be desolate, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.7" parsed="|Ezek|30|7|0|0" passage="Eze 30:7"><i>v.</i> 7</scripRef>, as before, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p6.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.29.12" parsed="|Ezek|29|12|0|0" passage="Eze 29:12"><i>ch.</i> xxix. 12</scripRef>. Even <i>the multitude
of Egypt shall be made to cease,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p6.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.10" parsed="|Ezek|30|10|0|0" passage="Eze 30:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. That populous country shall be
depopulated. The land shall be even <i>filled with the slain,</i>
<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p6.6" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.11" parsed="|Ezek|30|11|0|0" passage="Eze 30:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>. 3. Is the
river Nile her support, and are the several channels of it a
defence to her? "<i>I will make the rivers dry</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p6.7" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.12" parsed="|Ezek|30|12|0|0" passage="Eze 30:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), so that those natural
fortifications which were thought impregnable, because impassable,
shall stand them in no stead." 4. Are her idols a support to her?
They shall be destroyed; those imaginary upholders shall appear
more than ever to be imaginary, for so images are when they pretend
to be deliverers and strongholds (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p6.8" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.13" parsed="|Ezek|30|13|0|0" passage="Eze 30:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>): <i>I will cause their images
to cease out of Noph.</i> 5. Is her royal family her support?
<i>There shall be no more a prince in the land of Egypt;</i> the
royal family shall be extirpated and extinguished, which had
continued so long. 6. Is her courage her support, and does she
think to uphold herself by the bravery of her men of war, who have
now of late been inured to service? That shall fail: <i>I will put
a fear in the land of Egypt.</i> 7. Is the rising generation her
support? is she upheld by her children, and does she think herself
happy because she has her quiver full of them? Alas! <i>the young
men shall fall by the sword</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p6.9" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.17" parsed="|Ezek|30|17|0|0" passage="Eze 30:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>) and <i>the daughters shall go
into captivity</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p6.10" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.18" parsed="|Ezek|30|18|0|0" passage="Eze 30:18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>), and so she shall be robbed of all her hopes.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxi-p7" shownumber="no">IV. God shall inflict these desolating
judgments on Egypt (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.8" parsed="|Ezek|30|8|0|0" passage="Eze 30:8"><i>v.</i>
8</scripRef>): <i>They shall know that I am the Lord,</i> and
greater than all gods, than all <i>their</i> gods, when I have
<i>set a fire in Egypt.</i> The fire that consumes nations is of
God's kindling; and, when he sets fire to a people, <i>all their
helpers shall be destroyed.</i> Those that go about to quench the
fire shall themselves be devoured by it; for who can stand before
him when he is angry? When he <i>pours out his fury</i> upon a
place, when he sets fire to it (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.15-Ezek.30.16" parsed="|Ezek|30|15|30|16" passage="Eze 30:15,16"><i>v.</i> 15, 16</scripRef>), neither its strength
nor its multitude can stand it in any stead.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxi-p8" shownumber="no">V. The king of Babylon and his army shall
be employed as instruments of this destruction: <i>The multitude of
Egypt shall be made to cease</i> and be quite cut off <i>by the
hand of the king of Babylon,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.10" parsed="|Ezek|30|10|0|0" passage="Eze 30:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. Those that undertook to
protect Israel from the king of Babylon shall not be able to
protect themselves. It is said of the Chaldeans, who should destroy
Egypt, 1. That they are <i>strangers</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.12" parsed="|Ezek|30|12|0|0" passage="Eze 30:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), who therefore shall show no
compassion for old acquaintance-sake, but shall behave strangely
towards them. 2. That they are <i>the terrible of the nations</i>
(<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.11" parsed="|Ezek|30|11|0|0" passage="Eze 30:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), both in
respect of force and in respect of fierceness; and, being terrible,
they shall make terrible work. (3.) That they are <i>the
wicked,</i> who will not be restrained by reason and conscience,
the laws of nature or the laws of nations, for they are without
law: <i>I will sell the land into the hand of the wicked.</i> They
do violence <i>unjustly,</i> as they are wicked; yet, so far as
they are instruments in God's hand of executing his judgments, it
is on his part justly done. Note, God often makes one wicked man a
scourge to another; and even wicked men acquire a title to prey,
<i>jure belli—by the laws of war,</i> for God <i>sells it into
their hands.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxi-p9" shownumber="no">VI. No place in the land of Egypt shall be
exempted from the fury of the Chaldean army, not the strongest, not
the remotest: <i>The sword shall go through the land.</i> Various
places are here named: <i>Pathros, Zoan, and No</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.14" parsed="|Ezek|30|14|0|0" passage="Eze 30:14"><i>v.</i> 14</scripRef>), <i>Sin and Noph</i>
(<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.15-Ezek.30.16" parsed="|Ezek|30|15|30|16" passage="Eze 30:15,16"><i>v.</i> 15, 16</scripRef>),
<i>Aven and Pi-beseth</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.17" parsed="|Ezek|30|17|0|0" passage="Eze 30:17"><i>v.</i>
17</scripRef>), and <i>Tehaphnehes,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.18" parsed="|Ezek|30|18|0|0" passage="Eze 30:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. These shall be made desolate,
shall be fired, and God's judgments shall be executed upon them,
and his fury poured out upon them. Their strength and multitude
shall be <i>cut off;</i> they shall have <i>great pain,</i> shall
be <i>rent asunder</i> with fear, and shall <i>have distresses
daily.</i> Their <i>day shall be darkened;</i> their honours,
comforts, and hopes, shall be extinguished. Their <i>yokes</i>
shall be <i>broken,</i> so that they shall no more oppress and
tyrannize as they have done. The <i>pomp of their strength shall
cease,</i> and <i>a cloud shall cover them,</i> a cloud so thick
that through it they shall not see any hopes, nor shall their glory
<i>be seen,</i> or <i>shine further.</i> And, <i>lastly,</i> the
Ethiopians, who are at a distance from them, as well as those who
are mingled with them, shall share in their pain and terror. God
will by his providence spread the rumour, and the <i>careless
Ethiopians</i> shall be <i>made afraid,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p9.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.9" parsed="|Ezek|30|9|0|0" passage="Eze 30:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Note, God can strike a terror
upon those that are most secure; fearfulness shall, when he
pleases, surprise the most presumptuous hypocrites.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxi-p10" shownumber="no">The close of this prediction leaves, 1. The
land of Egypt mortified: <i>Thus will I execute judgments on
Egypt,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.19" parsed="|Ezek|30|19|0|0" passage="Eze 30:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>.
The destruction of Egypt is the <i>executing of judgments,</i>
which intimates not only that it is done justly, for its sins, but
that it is done regularly and legally, by a judicial sentence. All
the executions God does are according to his judgments. 2. The God
of Israel herein glorified: <i>They shall know that I am the
Lord.</i> The Egyptians shall be made to know it and the people of
God shall be made to know it better. <i>The Lord is known by the
judgments which he executes.</i></p>
</div><scripCom id="Ez.xxxi-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.20-Ezek.30.26" parsed="|Ezek|30|20|30|26" passage="Eze 30:20-26" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Ez.xxxi-p10.3">
<h4 id="Ez.xxxi-p10.4">Destruction of Egypt
Foretold. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p10.5">b. c.</span> 572.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ez.xxxi-p11" shownumber="no">20 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in
the first <i>month,</i> in the seventh <i>day</i> of the month,
<i>that</i> the word of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p11.1">Lord</span>
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 to bind it, to make it strong to hold the
sword.   22 Therefore thus saith the Lord <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p11.2">God</span>; Behold, I <i>am</i> 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, and put my sword in his
hand: but I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he shall groan before
him with the groanings of a deadly wounded <i>man.</i>   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 I <i>am</i>
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p11.3">Lord</span>, when I shall put my sword
into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out
upon the land of Egypt.   26 And I will scatter the Egyptians
among the nations, and disperse them among the countries; and they
shall know that I <i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.xxxi-p11.4">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxi-p12" shownumber="no">This short prophecy of the weakening of the
power of Egypt was delivered about the time that the army of the
Egyptians, which attempted to raise the siege of Jerusalem, was
frustrated in its enterprises, and returned <i>re infectâ—without
accomplishing their purpose;</i> whereupon the king of Babylon
renewed the siege and carried his point. The kingdom of Egypt was
very ancient, and had been for many ages considerable. That of
Babylon had but lately arrived at its great pomp and power, being
built upon the ruins of the kingdom of Assyria. Now it is with them
as it is with families and states, some are growing up, others are
declining and going back; one must increase and the others must of
course decrease.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxi-p13" shownumber="no">I. It is here foretold that the king of
Egypt shall grow weaker and weaker. The extent of his territories
shall be abridged, his wealth and power shall be diminished, and he
shall become less able than ever to help either himself or his
friend. 1. This was in part done already (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.21" parsed="|Ezek|30|21|0|0" passage="Eze 30:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>): <i>I have broken the arm of
Pharaoh,</i> some time ago. One arm of that kingdom might well be
reckoned broken when the king of Babylon routed the forces of
Pharaoh-Necho at Carchemish (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Jer.46.2" parsed="|Jer|46|2|0|0" passage="Jer 46:2">Jer.
xlvi. 2</scripRef>), and made himself master of <i>all that
pertained to Egypt from the river of Egypt to Euphrates,</i>
<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p13.3" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.24.7" parsed="|2Kgs|24|7|0|0" passage="2Ki 24:7">2 Kings xxiv. 7</scripRef>. Egypt had
been long in gathering strength and extending its dominions, and
therefore, that there may be a proportion observed in providence,
it loses its strength slowly and by degrees. It was soon after the
king of Egypt slew good king Josiah, and in the same reign, that
its arm was thus broken, and it received that fatal blow which it
never recovered. Before Egypt's heart and neck were broken its arm
was. God's judgments come upon a people by steps, that they may
meet him repenting. When the arm of Egypt is broken <i>it shall not
be bound up to be healed,</i> for none can heal the wounds that God
gives but he himself. Those whom he disarms, whom he disables,
cannot again hold the sword. 2. This was to be done again. One arm
was broken before, and something was done towards the setting of
it, towards the healing of the deadly wound that was given to the
beast. But now (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p13.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.22" parsed="|Ezek|30|22|0|0" passage="Eze 30:22"><i>v.</i>
22</scripRef>), <i>I am against Pharaoh, and will break both his
arms,</i> both <i>the strong</i> and that <i>which was broken</i>
and set again. Note, If less judgments do not prevail to humble and
reform sinners, God will send greater. Now God will <i>cause the
sword to fall out of his hand,</i> which he caught hold of as
thinking himself strong enough to hold it. It is repeated
(<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p13.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.24" parsed="|Ezek|30|24|0|0" passage="Eze 30:24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>), <i>I will
break Pharaoh's arms.</i> He had been a cruel oppressor to the
people of God formerly, and of late the <i>staff of a broken
rod</i> to them; and now God by breaking his arms reckons with him
for both. God justly breaks that power which is abused either to
put wrongs upon people or to put cheats upon them. But this is not
all; (1.) The king of Egypt shall be dispirited when he finds
himself in danger of the king of Babylon's forces: he <i>shall
groan before him with the groaning of a deadly wounded man.</i>
Note, It is common for those that are most elated in their
prosperity to be most dejected and disheartened in their adversity.
Pharaoh, even before the sword touches him, shall groan as if he
had received his death's wound. (2.) The people of Egypt shall be
dispersed (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p13.6" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.23 Bible:Ezek.30.26" parsed="|Ezek|30|23|0|0;|Ezek|30|26|0|0" passage="Eze 30:23,26"><i>v.</i> 23 and again
<i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>): <i>I will scatter them among the
nations.</i> Other nations had mingled with them (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p13.7" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.5" parsed="|Ezek|30|5|0|0" passage="Eze 30:5"><i>v.</i> 5</scripRef>); now they shall be
mingled with other nations, and seek shelter in them, and so be
made to know that the Lord is righteous.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.xxxi-p14" shownumber="no">II. It is here foretold that the king of
Babylon shall grow stronger and stronger, <scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.30.24-Ezek.30.25" parsed="|Ezek|30|24|30|25" passage="Eze 30:24,25"><i>v.</i> 24, 25</scripRef>. <i>Put strength</i>
into the king of Babylon's arms, that he may be able to go through
the service he is designed for. 2. That he will <i>put a sword,</i>
his sword, into the king of Babylon's hand, which signified his
giving him a commission and furnishing him with arms for carrying
on a war, particularly against Egypt. Note, As judges on the bench,
like Pilate (<scripRef id="Ez.xxxi-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:John.19.11" parsed="|John|19|11|0|0" passage="Joh 19:11">John xix.
11</scripRef>), so generals in the field, like Nebuchadnezzar, have
no power but what is given them from above.</p>
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