Behold, therefore I [am] against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste [and] desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia.
Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers {H2975}, and I will make {H5414} the land {H776} of Egypt {H4714} utterly {H2721} waste {H2723} and desolate {H8077}, from the tower {H4024} of Syene {H5482} even unto the border {H1366} of Ethiopia {H3568}.
So I am against you and your Nile; and I will make the land of Egypt a totally desolate waste from Migdol to S'venah, all the way to the border of Ethiopia.
therefore I am against you and against your rivers. I will turn the land of Egypt into a ruin, a desolate wasteland from Migdol to Syene, and as far as the border of Cush.
therefore, behold, I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from the tower of Seveneh even unto the border of Ethiopia.
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Ezekiel 30:12
And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand of the wicked: and I will make the land waste, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I the LORD have spoken [it]. -
Exodus 14:2
Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea. -
Ezekiel 30:6
Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD. -
Ezekiel 30:9
In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid, and great pain shall come upon them, as in the day of Egypt: for, lo, it cometh. -
Jeremiah 44:1
¶ The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes, and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying, -
Ezekiel 29:11
No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years. -
Jeremiah 46:14
Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Noph and in Tahpanhes: say ye, Stand fast, and prepare thee; for the sword shall devour round about thee.
Ezekiel 29:10 delivers a powerful declaration of God's impending judgment against ancient Egypt, specifically targeting its pride and the source of its prosperity. The verse emphasizes the divine resolve: "Behold, therefore I [am] against thee, and against thy rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste [and] desolate, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia." This pronouncement underscores God's absolute sovereignty over nations and His justice against those who oppose His will or mislead His people.
Context
The prophecy in Ezekiel 29 is part of a series of oracles against foreign nations delivered by the prophet Ezekiel, who ministered to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. These prophecies against Egypt, given around 587-586 BC, immediately precede the final fall of Jerusalem. Egypt, a powerful neighbor, had often been a source of false hope and unreliable alliance for Judah, tempting them to trust in human strength rather than God (see Ezekiel 29:6-7). God declares His opposition to Egypt and its Pharaoh because of their arrogance and their view of the Nile as their own creation, rather than a gift from God. This specific verse highlights the comprehensive nature of the coming desolation.
Key Themes
Geographical Significance
The phrase "from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia" precisely defines the geographical extent of the judgment.
Practical Application
Ezekiel 29:10 offers timeless lessons for believers today:
This verse powerfully declares God's unwavering control over history and His commitment to justice, even against the most formidable powers of the ancient world.