Ez 29:1-16

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Judgement on Egypt (Eze 29:1-16)

At the time Ezekiel delivered this prophecy against Egypt, Jerusalem was besieged by the Babylonian armies (Eze 29:1; see 2 Kings 25:1-2).

The Judean king Zedekiah depended upon Egyptian aid in rebelling against Babylon, but Ezekiel knows that to depend on Egypt is to invite defeat.

By his condemnation of Egypt in this message, he shows how unacceptable any Judean-Egyptian alliance is in God’s sight (Eze 29:2; cf. Eze 17:15-18; Jer 37:6-10).

In this very pictorial prophecy, Egypt is likened to the mythical monster who thought he owned the Nile. God says he will catch this monster, drag it out of the river and leave it to lie in the fields, where it will become food for foul birds and animals.

Egypt will fall to foreign powers (Eze 29:3-5).

Ezekiel then gives another illustration. Judah at times had depended on Egypt for help, as a cripple depends on a walking stick. Egypt, however, proved to be not a walking stick but a reed, which broke and brought injury to the person who depended on it.

For its treachery to Judah, Egypt will be punished (Eze 29:6-9a; cf. Isa 36:6).

For its pride also it will be punished, and its land will be left desolate (Eze 29:9b-12).

Although God will later restore Egypt, it will never regain its former power (Eze 29:13-16).