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, 1 Libya, and the people 2 of the covenant land 3 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. 4
From Migdol to Syene 5 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. 6
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; 7 for beware – it is coming!
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).
4 tn Heb “come down.”
5 sn Syene is known as Aswan today.
6 tn Heb “all who aid her are broken.”
7 tn Heb “in the day of Egypt.” The word “doom” has been added in the translation to clarify the nature of this day.