EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 29:1 The seventh and last of the nations addressed, Egypt (like Tyre) receives seven oracles. If the chief interest in Tyre was economic, the leading issue for Egypt is military power. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length,... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 29:3 The phrase BEHOLD, I AM AGAINST YOU also appears in Ezekiel 28:22. There it is addressed to Sidon. The figure of the DRAGON has both natural and supernatural elements. At one level, it is a symbolic name for the Nile crocodile (also Ezekiel 32:2). At another level it rep... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 29:6 The second accusation against Egypt is given in the BECAUSE... THEREFORE form seen often in Ezekiel. A river-related metaphor appears again. This time, however, Egypt is the STAFF OF REED (that is, a useless staff made from a flimsy reed) that fails to give support. ⇐ ⇔... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 29:9 A brief BECAUSE section (v. Ezekiel 29:9) repeats the accusation against Egypt from v. Ezekiel 29:3. A much longer and literal judgment speech (vv. Ezekiel 29:10) follows. The judgment has elements (vv. Ezekiel 29:10) that match those pronounced against Israel and Judah.... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 29:10 The DESOLATION of Egypt, which lasts FORTY YEARS, reminds Egypt that God rules their future (see v. Ezekiel 29:9). This “forty years” is probably a symbolic number that parallels Israel’s wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElements... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 29:17 This is the latest-dated oracle in the book, coming in April 571 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Tyre had ended with Tyre still in existence but subject to the Babylonians (see Ezekiel 26:1). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=ima... [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 29:19 I WILL GIVE THE LAND OF EGYPT TO NEBUCHADNEZZAR KING OF BABYLON. This prophecy was given in 571 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar conquered Egypt in 568 (Jeremiah 43:1). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
EZEKIEL—NOTE ON EZEKIEL 29:21 The final promise appears to be for Ezekiel himself. The phrase OPEN YOUR LIPS confirms that, after all those years, Ezekiel’s prophetic ministry was to be proven correct. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]