Ezekiel 29:11

Translation
King James Version
No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.
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KJV (with Strong's)
No foot H7272 of man H120 shall pass through H5674 it, nor foot H7272 of beast H929 shall pass through H5674 it, neither shall it be inhabited H3427 forty H705 years H8141.
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Complete Jewish Bible
No human foot will pass through it, and no animal foot will pass through it; it will be uninhabited for forty years.
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Berean Standard Bible
No foot of man or beast will pass through, and it will be uninhabited for forty years.
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American Standard Version
No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.
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World English Bible Messianic
No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of animal shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
No foote of man shall passe by it, nor foote of beast shall passe by it, neither shall it be inhabited fourtie yeeres.
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Young's Literal Translation
Not pass over into it doth a foot of man, Yea, the foot of beast doth not pass into it, Nor is it inhabited forty years.
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See also
Ezekiel 32:13Jeremiah 43:11Jeremiah 43:12Jeremiah 29:102 Chronicles 36:21Ezekiel 31:12Ezekiel 36:28
In the KJVVerse 21,195 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezekiel 29:11 delivers a profound prophetic declaration of divine judgment against Egypt, foretelling an unprecedented period of desolation. This verse specifically states that for forty years, the land will be utterly devoid of human and animal presence, impassable and uninhabited. This comprehensive and prolonged humiliation serves as a stark testament to God's absolute sovereignty over all nations and the severe consequences of national pride and unfaithfulness, particularly in opposition to His divine will and chosen people.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezekiel 29:11 is intricately woven into a larger tapestry of prophecies against foreign nations, with a concentrated focus on Egypt spanning Ezekiel 29-32. The preceding verses in Ezekiel 29 introduce Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, as a formidable "great dragon" or "crocodile" (Hebrew: tannin) in the Nile, whose immense pride and self-exaltation are the primary catalysts for God's impending judgment, as explicitly stated in Ezekiel 29:3. The prophecy graphically details God's intention to drag Pharaoh from his watery domain and leave both him and his nation in utter desolation. Verse 11 precisely defines the scope and duration of this desolation, emphasizing its absolute nature as a direct consequence of Egypt's treachery and its unreliable role as an ally to Israel, often likened to a "staff of reed" that would pierce the hand of those who leaned on it, a warning echoed in Ezekiel 29:6-7 and Isaiah 36:6.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: This prophecy was delivered around 587-586 BC, a tumultuous period when the kingdom of Judah found itself precariously positioned between the burgeoning Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar and its long-standing, yet often undependable, ally, Egypt. Judean monarchs frequently sought military assistance from Egypt against the Mesopotamian powers, often in defiance of prophetic warnings against such alliances (e.g., Isaiah 30:1-7). Egypt, with its ancient and revered civilization, formidable military, and the life-sustaining Nile, harbored a deep-seated belief in its own invincibility and superiority. Pharaoh Hophra (Apries) reigned during this era, known for his hubris. The judgment described in Ezekiel 29:11 likely refers to the profound devastation inflicted by Nebuchadnezzar's subsequent campaigns against Egypt. While historical records do not indicate a complete depopulation, these campaigns certainly led to significant periods of subjugation, economic ruin, and a severe loss of national sovereignty, which aligns perfectly with the prophetic description of a land "not inhabited" in its former glory or independence.
  • Key Themes: The prophecy in Ezekiel 29, particularly verse 11, powerfully articulates several foundational biblical themes. Firstly, it underscores Divine Judgment and Desolation, portraying God's righteous wrath against national pride and unfaithfulness, which inexorably leads to comprehensive ruin. The vivid imagery of no human or animal foot passing through the land vividly signifies utter devastation and abandonment. Secondly, it highlights God's Sovereignty Over Nations, unequivocally demonstrating that Yahweh is not merely the God of Israel but the supreme ruler of all kingdoms, possessing the ultimate authority to raise and bring down empires according to His divine will and perfect justice. Pharaoh's audacious self-exaltation is directly confronted by God's unequivocal declaration, "I am against you, Pharaoh" (Ezekiel 29:3). Finally, the passage powerfully conveys the Consequences of Pride and Unreliability, as Egypt's arrogance and its consistent failure to be a trustworthy ally to God's people directly brought about this severe and prolonged period of national humiliation and subjugation.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • foot (Hebrew, regel', H7272): Meaning a foot as used in walking, and by implication, a step. In this context, the phrase "no foot" powerfully emphasizes the absolute cessation of all movement, traffic, and life within the land. It denotes a complete absence of passage, signifying that the land will be utterly deserted and impassable, a desolate wasteland devoid of any living presence, whether human or animal. This highlights the extreme nature of the judgment.
  • pass through (Hebrew, ʻâbar', H5674): A primitive root meaning to cross over, used broadly for any transition, literal or figurative. Here, it signifies the complete inability of anyone or anything to traverse or move through the land. This reinforces the idea of extreme desolation, indicating not merely that the land is uninhabited, but that it is so utterly ruined and dangerous as to be impassable, painting a picture of complete abandonment and ruin.
  • inhabited (Hebrew, yâshab', H3427): A primitive root meaning to sit down, and by implication, to dwell or to remain. This word directly addresses the state of habitation and settlement. The declaration that the land "shall not be inhabited" means that people will neither settle, live, nor reside there. This points to a complete and prolonged depopulation or abandonment, rendering the land a desolate wilderness for the specified duration.

Verse Breakdown

  • "No foot of man shall pass through it,": This clause initiates the prophecy of utter desolation, specifically targeting the complete absence of human presence. It signifies that the land will be so thoroughly ravaged and rendered uninhabitable that no human being will be able to traverse it, let alone establish residence. This implies a comprehensive cessation of all human activity, trade, and the rhythms of daily life.
  • "nor foot of beast shall pass through it,": Following the declaration concerning humanity, this clause expands the scope of desolation to encompass the animal kingdom. It underscores that even animals, which often find refuge and sustenance in desolate places, will not be found passing through or living in this land. This further intensifies the imagery of absolute barrenness and lifelessness, painting a vivid picture of an ecological wasteland.
  • "neither shall it be inhabited forty years.": This concluding clause specifies both the nature and the precise duration of the divine judgment. "Neither shall it be inhabited" reiterates the complete absence of dwelling, confirming the depopulation and abandonment. The "forty years" provides a biblically significant timeframe, indicating a prolonged and substantial period of judgment, purification, and national humiliation, after which a measure of restoration, albeit diminished, might occur.

Literary Devices

Ezekiel 29:11 masterfully employs several potent Literary Devices to convey the profound severity and comprehensive nature of God's judgment. Hyperbole is strikingly evident in the absolute declaration, "No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall pass through it." This exaggerated statement emphasizes the unparalleled extent of desolation, conveying an overwhelming and unprecedented emptiness, even if not literally meaning zero passage. The Repetition of the phrase "foot... shall pass through it" for both man and beast serves to powerfully underscore the thoroughness and totality of the impending judgment, reinforcing the idea that no living thing will traverse or settle in the land. Furthermore, the specific mention of "forty years" functions as rich Symbolism, drawing upon a recurring biblical motif where this duration represents a significant period of testing, divine judgment, or purification (e.g., the wilderness wandering of Israel). This symbolic period highlights the divine decree's certainty and measured nature, indicating a time of profound national humiliation leading to a subsequent, if limited, recovery.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezekiel 29:11 profoundly illustrates the theological truth that God's sovereignty extends over all nations, not merely over Israel. The divine judgment against Egypt serves as a powerful and enduring reminder that national pride, self-sufficiency, and unfaithfulness to God's purposes—especially in how nations interact with and treat His people—will inevitably incur divine wrath. This prophecy unequivocally demonstrates God's unwavering justice in holding even the most powerful empires accountable, revealing that worldly strength and human alliances are ultimately fleeting and unreliable when compared to the steadfastness and omnipotence of the Almighty. The comprehensive desolation described is a tangible, physical manifestation of spiritual abandonment, a dire consequence of turning away from the true source of blessing, stability, and enduring power.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezekiel 29:11 stands as a timeless and poignant warning against placing ultimate trust in human power, national strength, or worldly alliances. Just as ancient Egypt, a formidable empire, faced a period of profound desolation due to its overweening pride and unreliability, so too can individuals and societies experience severe consequences when they prioritize self-reliance and human ingenuity over divine providence. This verse calls believers to cultivate a deeper, unwavering reliance on God's unfailing faithfulness and absolute sovereignty, rather than on the fleeting strength of human achievements, political maneuvering, or economic might. It serves as a potent reminder that true security, lasting flourishing, and genuine peace emanate solely from aligning with God's will and acknowledging His supreme authority over all creation. Our trust should be exclusively in the Lord, for He alone is the steadfast rock in a world characterized by shifting sands and transient powers.

Questions for Reflection

  • Where in my life or within our contemporary society might we be placing implicit or explicit trust in "staffs of reed" rather than in God's unfailing strength?
  • How does the divine judgment on Egypt's pride challenge my own personal tendencies towards self-sufficiency, arrogance, or a reliance on my own abilities?
  • What profound lessons does the "forty years" of desolation impart regarding the nature of God's discipline, His purposes for purification, and the duration of His judgments?
  • In what practical ways can I better live out a profound reliance on God's sovereignty in my daily decisions, long-term plans, and responses to global events?

FAQ

What is the significance of "forty years" in this prophecy?

Answer: The period of "forty years" holds profound and recurring biblical symbolism, frequently representing a generation, a time of intense testing, purification, or divine judgment. For instance, the Israelites famously wandered in the wilderness for forty years as a direct consequence of their disobedience and lack of faith. In Ezekiel 29:11, it denotes a specific, prolonged period of Egypt's weakness, subjugation, and national humiliation. This precise duration emphasizes the certainty and measured nature of God's decree, indicating a time of recovery from the devastating impact of Babylonian invasions and a period during which Egypt would be unable to exert its former influence or pride. It signifies a complete, divinely ordained cycle of judgment and subsequent, albeit diminished, restoration.

Why was Egypt judged so severely by God?

Answer: Egypt's severe judgment, as meticulously detailed in Ezekiel 29 and Ezekiel 30, was primarily due to its profound pride and self-exaltation, particularly personified by Pharaoh, who audaciously boasted of creating the Nile for himself (see Ezekiel 29:3). Furthermore, Egypt consistently proved to be an unreliable and treacherous ally to God's covenant people, Israel, often leading them astray from trusting solely in the Lord (as seen in Isaiah 30:1-7). This pervasive unfaithfulness, combined with its widespread idolatry and its active opposition to God's divine plans, inevitably incurred divine wrath. God's judgment served to demonstrate His absolute sovereignty over all nations and His unwavering commitment to upholding justice against those who defy Him and mislead His chosen people.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While Ezekiel 29:11 speaks of a specific historical judgment upon ancient Egypt, its profound underlying themes of divine sovereignty, the ultimate desolation of opposing powers, and the dire consequences of pride find their ultimate and redemptive fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The temporary desolation of Egypt serves as a powerful foreshadowing of the definitive and eternal judgment that Christ, as the righteous King and supreme Judge, will execute upon all powers, principalities, and nations that set themselves in defiance against God. Just as no foot of man or beast was prophesied to pass through the desolate land of Egypt, so too will every rebellious power and every vestige of sin be utterly removed and rendered uninhabitable in the new heavens and new earth, where righteousness dwells (see Revelation 21:1-4). Christ's decisive victory on the cross disarmed and triumphed over all spiritual adversaries, making a public spectacle of them (see Colossians 2:15). The "forty years" of Egypt's judgment, a period of purification and humbling, points to the broader biblical narrative of God's redemptive plan, which culminates in Christ's final, eternal reign. In His perfect kingdom, all opposition will be brought to nothing, and His dominion will endure forever, a realm where sin and rebellion can never "pass through" or "inhabit" its sacred bounds (see Revelation 19:11-16).

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Commentary on Ezekiel 29 verses 8–16

This explains the foregoing prediction, which was figurative, and looks something further. Here is a prophecy,

I. Of the ruin of Egypt. The threatening of this is very full and particular; and the sin for which this ruin shall be brought upon them is their pride, Eze 29:9. They said, The river is mine and I have made it; therefore their land shall spue them out. 1. God is against them, both against the king and against the people, against thee and against thy rivers. Waters signify people and multitudes, Rev 17:15. 2. Multitudes of them shall be cut off by the sword of war, a sword which God will bring upon them to destroy both man and beast, the sword of civil war. 3. The country shall be depopulated. The land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste (Eze 29:9), the country not cultivated, the cities not inhabited. The wealth of both was their pride, and that God will take away. It shall be utterly waste (wastes of waste, so the margin reads it), and desolate (Eze 29:10); neither men nor beasts shall pass through it, nor shall it be inhabited (Eze 29:11); it shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are so, Eze 29:12. This was the effect not so much of those wars spoken of before, which were made by them, but of the war which the king of Babylon made upon them. It shall be desolate from one end of the land to the other, from the tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia. The sin of pride is enough to ruin a whole nation. 4. The people shall be dispersed and scattered among the nations (Eze 29:12), so that those who thought the balance of power was in their hand should now become a contemptible people. Such a fall does a haughty spirit go before.

II. Of the restoration of Egypt after awhile, Eze 29:13. Egypt shall lie desolate forty years (Eze 29:12) and then I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, Eze 29:14. Some date the forty years from Nebuchadnezzar's destroying Egypt, others from the desolation of Egypt some time before; however, they end about the first year of Cyrus, when the seventy years' captivity of Judah ended, or soon after. Then this prediction was accomplished, 1. That God will gather the Egyptians out of all the countries into which they were dispersed, and make them to return to the land of their habitation, and give them a settlement there again, Eze 29:14. Note, Though God will find out a way to humble the proud, yet he will not contend for ever, no, not with them in this world. 2. That yet they shall not make a figure again as they have done. Egypt shall be a kingdom again, but it shall be the basest of the kingdoms (Eze 29:15); it shall have but little wealth and power, and shall not extend its conquests as formerly; it shall be the tail of the nations, and not the head. It is a mercy that it shall become a kingdom again, but, to humble it, it shall be a despicable kingdom; it shall be a long time before it recover any thing like its ancient lustre. For two reasons it shall be thus mortified: - (1.) That it may not domineer over its neighbours, that it may not exalt itself above the nations, nor rule over the nations, as it has done, but that it may know what it is to be low and despised. Note, Those who abuse their power will justly be stripped of it; and God, as King of nations, will find out a way to maintain the injured rights and liberties, not only of his own, but of other nations. (2.) That it may not deceive the people of God (Eze 29:16): It shall no more be the confidence of the house of Israel; they shall no more be in temptation to trust in it as they have done, which is a sin that brings their iniquity to remembrance, that is, provokes God to punish them not for that only, but for all their other sins. Or it puts them in mind of their idolatries to return to them, when they look to the idolaters, to repose a confidence in them. Note, The creatures we confide in are often therefore ruined, because there is no other way effectually to cure us of our confidence in them. Rather than Israel shall be ensnared again, the whole land of Egypt shall be laid waste. He that once gave Egypt for their ransom (Isa 43:3) will now give Egypt for their cure; and it shall be destroyed rather than Israel shall not in this particular be reformed. God, not only in justice, but in wisdom and goodness to us, breaks those creature-stays which we lean too much upon, and makes them to be no more, that they may be no more our confidence.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 8–16. Public domain.
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JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 35, 36, and following) And I will bring you into a desert of peoples, and there I will judge you face to face. Just as I contended with your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, says the Lord. And I will subject you to my scepter, and I will bring you into the bonds of the covenant, and I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked: from their place of residence I will bring them out, and they will not enter the land of Israel, and you will know that I am the Lord. Thus says the Lord: I will do for you who are in Babylon, and now serve idols, what I did for your ancestors in Egypt. I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and there I will judge you face to face, just as I contended with them in judgment when they came out of Egypt. And after I have judged you, I will subject you to my scepter and rule, and I will make a covenant with you and bring you into your land with the bonds of love, so that bound by my love, you will never be able to depart from me. But I will choose from among you the transgressors and the wicked, who persist in the hardness of their hearts in evil deeds, not for possession, but for rejection. And I will indeed bring them out of the land of their dwelling, so that when they are brought out, they will not enter the land of Israel; but they will perish in various regions. And by the distinction between good and evil, you shall know that I am the Lord, who judges all things. The rest of the discourse hastens, and we briefly go through each point, in order to provide only the meaning to the readers.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 27, 29 onwards) Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them: Thus says the Lord God: Moreover, your fathers have blasphemed against me and have treated me with contempt, even as they spurned me. And I brought them into the land that I had lifted my hand to give them ((Vulgate adds: that land)): they saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices and presented there the irritation of their offerings, and they placed there the fragrance of their sweetness, and they poured out their ((Vulgate is silent on this)) libations there. And I said to them, 'What is the high place to which you are going?' And its name was called the High Place until this day. Therefore speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: As for your fathers, they have provoked Me to anger by their iniquities, by the fact that they have fallen away from Me. So I brought them into the land that I had lifted My hand in an oath to give them.' They saw every high hill and every leafy tree, and there they offered their sacrifices. They also presented there the provocation of their gifts, and they set there their pleasing aroma, and they poured out there their drink offerings. And I said to them: What is abbana, because you enter there? And they called its name abbana until this day. I wanted, he said, to scatter them in the wilderness, and to give them not good precepts, so that they would sacrifice to idols what they should have offered to me, and consecrate all their first-fruits to them by fire, so that I might kill them and destroy them. But when he says, I wanted, he shows that he did not do what he wanted. And that which follows: 'And they shall know that I am the Lord,' is not found in the Septuagint. For it did not seem fitting to them to know after their destruction that he himself is the Lord. But you, son of man, speak again to them, that is, to the elders of the house of Israel, who have come to inquire of you: Your fathers, from whom you have descended, have also blasphemed against me and held me in contempt; after I brought them into the land which I had given them to possess, they turned against me to provoke me. For when they saw every high hill and leafy tree, they would sacrifice on the mountains and in the groves and thickets, and offer victims to the idols, and pour out libations. And when I saw this, I said to them: What is this, Bama? for it is called high: or why do you enter into such a place which you have chosen for yourselves in all the hills, so that even today these places are called Bamoth, and the ancient error retains its original name? Regarding Bama, which we translate as excelsum, there is an error in the Septuagint edition, where it is written as ἀββανὰ, which does not resonate in the Hebrew language. Bama can mean 'in which' if the two syllables are divided into two words, but in the present context, that sense does not fit. However, wherever it is written in the Books of Kings and Chronicles: 'The people still sacrificed and offered incense on the high places,' Bama in the singular and Bamoth in the plural mean 'high places.'
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Ezekiel
(Verse 8 and following) Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will bring a sword upon you, and will cut off from you man and beast. And the land of Egypt shall become a desolation (or destruction) and a wilderness: and they shall know that I am the Lord: because he (or you) said, My river is mine, and I have made it (or My rivers are mine, and I have made them). Therefore behold, I am against you and against your rivers: and I will make the land of Egypt desolate, cut off by the sword from Migdol to Syene (or from Migdol to Syene and beyond) to the border of Ethiopia. The foot of man shall not pass through it, nor shall the foot of beast tread upon it; it shall not be inhabited for forty years. And I will make the land of Egypt a desolation in the midst of desolated countries, and her cities shall be desolate for forty years. And I will scatter (or disperse) the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them among the countries. For thus says the Lord God: After the end of forty years, I will gather Egypt (or the Egyptians) from the peoples (or nations) among whom they were scattered. And I will bring back the captivity of Egypt, and I will place them in the land of Phatures, in the land of their birth (or in the land from which they were taken). And there they shall be in a humble kingdom (or principality), among the other kingdoms it shall be the most humble (or lowest). And they shall no longer be elevated above the nations, and I will diminish them so that they will not rule over the nations (or so that there are not many among the nations). And they shall no longer be a confidence (or hope) to the house of Israel, teaching iniquity in order to flee and follow them (or in order to remember the iniquity and follow them). And they shall know that I am the Lord God. You were a reed staff to the house of Israel, and not only were you broken in his hand, but according to Isaiah (Isa. XXXVI), you pierced his hand, and now you have torn his shoulder, and you yourself are broken, and you have loosened the loins of those who leaned on you. Therefore, I will bring the sword of the enemies upon you, and I will devastate both men and animals, and the land of Egypt will be reduced to desolation, and the Egyptians will know for the second time that I am the Lord. But I will not be content with this; but because he burst forth into such great blasphemy, that he said his own rivers were gods, and all the abundance of Egypt: therefore I will take away him who said he was the Creator, and the rivers which he had boasted were created by him, and I will reduce the land of Egypt to a long wilderness, and it will be destroyed by the sword, from the tower of Syene to the borders of Ethiopia. They called the tower, which in Hebrew is called Magdal (), 'the tower of the LXX,' so that they would write Μαγδαλὸν. However, the tower of Syene still stands today, a fortress subject to Roman rule, where the cataracts of the Nile are located, and up to which place our sea is navigable. Therefore, he says that the whole of Egypt must be depopulated until the borders of Ethiopia, where the outermost region of Egypt is joined, so that the chief priests may not cross into Egypt, nor may any animals be found there, and it may not be inhabited for forty years. For Egypt is spared, and because the Israelites were once guests there, the punishment is of shorter duration. Tyre celebrated its sabbaths for seventy years, and thus it was restored to its former state. The captivity of Judah and the destruction of the temple lasted for seventy years, until the reign of Cyrus, king of Persia. For the mighty will endure mighty torments (Wisdom 6:7). And when it says, 'I will make the land of Egypt a desolation, in the midst of desolated countries,' it refers to the Philistines, Edomites, Moabites, and all the other regions against which the prophecy of the prophets was given. Then he will scatter or disperse the Egyptians into nations, and will scatter them into lands. Because the Lord is merciful and compassionate, patient and full of mercy, after forty years the restoration of Egypt will occur, and all the captivity will be brought back to the ancient land, and will be placed in the metropolis city, which is called Phaturos, where it originated and from where it set forth: but only in such a way that it loses its ancient pride for its own benefit, and becomes a humble kingdom, or rather the humblest of all nations: so that it does not elevate itself above other peoples, nor have dominion over them; but reduced to a small number, it will by no means deceive the house of Israel with its confidence, nor teach them wickedness; whether it brings them to remembrance of their wickedness, that they sought the aid of Egypt by abandoning the help of God. And all these things will happen so that the Egyptians may know on the third day that He Himself is the Lord. We have briefly explained these matters, laying the foundations of history. Now the cloud of allegory must be discussed, and we will try to avoid both brevity and the lengthiness of this explanation. This is a discourse about the dragon, who said: 'The rivers are mine, and I made them.' (Above, same.) May the Lord Himself bring a sword upon him, as it is written in Isaiah: 'My sword is intoxicated in the sky; now it will descend to the earth to destroy humans and animals from it.' (Isaiah 34:5) Whatever the dragon seems to possess, whether of reason or simplicity, should be destroyed, not absolutely, but by the dragon itself, so that the dragons may perish and God may live, and the land of Egypt may become a wasteland, according to the higher understanding, whatever the dragon may perish by, and after its destruction, be reduced to solitude, ceasing to have the worst guest. And then shall men and beasts know, and the earth, being ruined, that He is the Lord, in that sense in which it is written in the seventy-seventh Psalm: When He slew them, then they sought Him (Ps. LXXVII, 34). For everyone who seeks, finds. It is indeed an act of God's mercy that the abundance of this world perishes, and the rivers of Egypt are dried up, and even their land becomes a desert, and the purpose of the Lord is scattered from the Tower of Syene, which means a circle, so that it may not have any righteousness in itself, even to the land of the Ethiopians, who are called the humble ones, so that every pride that had exalted itself against the knowledge of God may be destroyed and humbled for its own salvation. Neither the foot of man, that is, anything rational, passes through Egypt, nor does the foot of an animal walk in it: so that it does not hold even the simple ones, whom Pharaoh desired to keep in Egypt after dismissing the people, Moses objecting, and desiring that even the animals be liberated from the captivity of Egypt. And it shall not be inhabited for forty years, which number is always one of affliction and punishment. Hence Moses, and Elijah, and the Savior himself, fasted for forty days and nights, and the people were in the wilderness for forty years, so that afterwards they would be freed in Gilgal, having been circumcised, from the reproach and shame of Egypt (Exod. XXXIV; III Reg. IX; Matth. IV; Num. XIV). In the sacrament of this number, the prophet of the tribe of Judah also slept on the right side for forty days, and it was announced that the people would serve in Egypt for four hundred years (Gen. 7). They make forty decades, or four hundreds. The rains of the flood last for forty days and bring shipwreck to the world. For it was just that the one who offends God by loving and cherishing the four elements of the world, which are said to constitute everything, should be punished in that very number. And Israel, who sinned on the Sabbath, would endure the punishment of seventy years, which is the punishment of seven decades. And the barren land of Egypt is given, and its cities in the midst of the lands and of the subverted cities, which are not built of stones, but of mud and straw, so that Egypt, which was joined together poorly, may be dispersed and scattered into the lands, and so that the wheat may be separated from the straw, and when the completion of forty years is reached, there may be restitution of Egypt, and its captivity may be brought back, and it may be placed in the land of Phatures, which is interpreted as trampled bread; where that bread which said, 'I am the bread that came down from heaven' (John 6:5), was trampled upon by heretical wickedness: so that when they come to the Church, they may dwell in trampled bread, and may not be lifted up in pride, but may be in a humble kingdom. And also, when they are restored to their previous state, they should humble themselves, because they lived in Egypt and built brick cities, and among many kingdoms they should be humble in the Church, and they should know whom they have sinned against, and Egypt should no longer be exalted above the Churches throughout the divided world, but should be reduced to a few, and only a few should remain among the nations, according to what is written: Give them, O Lord. What will you give them? Give them a barren womb and dried-up breasts (Hosea 9:4), so that they may not rejoice and exalt themselves in the multitude of deceivers, but be reduced to a few: For many are called, but few are chosen (Matthew 20). And let them no longer deceive the house of Israel, that is, the Church; nor promise them vain hope and confidence, teaching iniquity, so that they may avoid the discipline of the Church and pursue Egyptian pleasures. But these things will happen so that the Egyptians may know for the third time that He Himself is the Lord. This, it seems to me, is said for this reason: that the first knowledge of the Egyptians is in the flesh, the second in the soul, the third in the spirit. First, upon the earth; second, after the completion of the conversation of this world; third, after the resurrection.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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