Ezekiel 29:6-7

29:6 Then all those living in Egypt will know that I am the Lord

because they were a reed staff ¹  for the house of Israel;

29:7 when they grasped you with their hand, ²  you broke and tore ³  their shoulders,

and when they leaned on you, you splintered and caused their legs to be unsteady. ⁴ 

[29:6]  ¹ sn Compare Isa 36:6.

[29:7]  ² tn The Hebrew consonantal text (Kethib) has “by your hand,” but the marginal reading (Qere) has simply “by the hand.” The LXX reads “with their hand.”

[29:7]  ³ tn Or perhaps “dislocated.”

[29:7]  ⁴ tn Heb “you caused to stand for them all their hips.” An emendation which switches two letters but is supported by the LXX yields the reading “you caused all their hips to shake.” See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:103. In 2 Kgs 18:21 and Isa 36:6 trusting in the Pharaoh is compared to leaning on a staff. The oracle may reflect Hophra’s attempt to aid Jerusalem (Jer 37:5-8).