Text -- Ezekiel 30:1-11 (NET)

A Lament Over Egypt

30:1 The word of the Lord came to me: 30:2 “Son of man, prophesy and say, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: “‘Wail, “Alas, the day is here!” 30:3 For the day is near, the day of the Lord is near; it will be a day of storm clouds, it will be a time of judgment for the nations. 30:4 A sword will come against Egypt and panic will overtake Ethiopia when the slain fall in Egypt and they carry away her wealth and dismantle her foundations. 30:5 Ethiopia, Put, Lud, all the foreigners, Libya, and the people of the covenant land will die by the sword along with them. 30:6 “‘This is what the Lord says: Egypt’s supporters will fall; her confident pride will crumble. From Migdol to Syene they will die by the sword within her, declares the sovereign Lord. 30:7 They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will be among ruined cities. 30:8 They will know that I am the Lord when I ignite a fire in Egypt and all her allies are defeated. 30:9 On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten overly confident Ethiopia; panic will overtake them on the day of Egypt’s doom; for beware– it is coming! 30:10 “‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt, by the hand of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon. 30:11 He and his people with him, the most terrifying of the nations, will be brought there to destroy the land. They will draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with corpses.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Eze 30:2

¹ tn Heb “Alas for the day.”

NET Notes: Eze 30:3

¹ tn Heb “a day of clouds.” The expression occurs also in Joel 2:2 and Zeph 1:15; it recalls the appearance of God at Mount Sinai (Exod 19:9, 16, 18).

² tn Heb “a time.” The words “of judgment” have been added in the translation for clarification (see the following verses).

NET Notes: Eze 30:5

¹ tn The same expression appears in Exod 12:38; Jer 25:20; 50:37; Neh 13:3. It may refer to foreign mercenaries serving in the armies of the nations listed here.

² tn Heb “sons.”

³ tn The expression “sons of the covenant land” possibly refers to Jews living in Egypt (Jer 44).

NET Notes: Eze 30:6

¹ tn Heb “come down.”

² sn Syene is known as Aswan today.

NET Notes: Eze 30:8

¹ tn Heb “all who aid her are broken.”

NET Notes: Eze 30:9

¹ tn Heb “in the day of Egypt.” The word “doom” has been added in the translation to clarify the nature of this day.

NET Notes: Eze 30:10

¹ tn Heb “Nebuchadrezzar” is a variant and more correct spelling of Nebuchadnezzar, as the Babylonian name Nabu-kudurri-usur has an “r” rather than an “n.”

NET Notes: Eze 30:11

¹ tn The Babylonians were known for their cruelty (2 Kgs 25:7).