Ezekiel 30:18

At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt: and the pomp of her strength shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity.

At Tehaphnehes {H8471} also the day {H3117} shall be darkened {H2821}{H2820}, when I shall break {H7665} there the yokes {H4133} of Egypt {H4714}: and the pomp {H1347} of her strength {H5797} shall cease {H7673} in her {H1931}: as for her, a cloud {H6051} shall cover {H3680} her, and her daughters {H1323} shall go {H3212} into captivity {H7628}.

At T'chafn'ches the day will grow dark when I break the yokes of Egypt there, and the pride she takes in her power ceases. A cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity.

The day will be darkened in Tahpanhes when I break the yoke of Egypt and her proud strength comes to an end. A cloud will cover her, and her daughters will go into captivity.

At Tehaphnehes also the day shall withdraw itself, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt, and the pride of her power shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity.

Context of Ezekiel 30:18

Ezekiel 30:18 is part of a series of prophecies (chapters 29-32) delivered by the prophet Ezekiel against ancient Egypt, a powerful and often arrogant nation that frequently served as a deceptive ally or oppressor to Israel. These prophecies detail God's impending judgment upon Egypt, demonstrating His absolute sovereignty over all nations. The specific mention of Tehaphnehes (also known as Tahpanhes, a significant border city in the eastern Nile Delta) indicates the widespread and comprehensive nature of this judgment. It was a strategic location, sometimes a place of refuge, but here marked for divine retribution, highlighting that no part of Egypt would escape God's hand.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Divine Judgment and Humiliation: The verse vividly portrays God's direct intervention to dismantle Egypt's power. "The day shall be darkened" signifies a period of profound sorrow, loss, and despair, marking the end of Egypt's glory.
  • Breaking of Oppressive Power: When God declares, "I shall break there the yokes of Egypt," it signifies the shattering of Egypt's dominance and its oppressive control over other nations and its own people. This divine act liberates those under its sway and strips Egypt of its might.
  • End of Arrogance and Pomp: The phrase "the pomp of her strength shall cease in her" directly addresses Egypt's pride, military might, and self-glorification. God's judgment aims to humble this arrogance, proving that earthly strength and splendor are transient before His ultimate authority. This theme is common in prophetic literature, reminding us that pride goes before destruction.
  • Widespread Desolation and Captivity: The "cloud shall cover her" further emphasizes the obscuring of Egypt's former brilliance, symbolizing divine judgment and gloom. The mention of "her daughters" (referring to dependent towns or smaller regions) going into captivity indicates that the judgment would not be confined to major cities but would affect the entire nation, leading to widespread exile and subjugation.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "the day shall be darkened" uses the Hebrew word qadar, which means to be dark, mourn, or be gloomy. It often describes a state of deep sorrow or a prophetic sign of impending judgment, where light and hope are extinguished. The "yokes" (Hebrew motah) literally refer to a wooden bar, symbolizing control, burden, or oppressive power. God breaking these yokes here refers to His dismantling of Egypt's ability to exert its power over others.

Related Scriptures

This prophecy aligns with other biblical accounts of God's judgment on powerful nations. The concept of a "day being darkened" is a common prophetic motif, often signifying a time of intense judgment and distress, similar to descriptions found in the 'day of the Lord' prophecies. God's breaking of "the yokes of Egypt" illustrates His supreme authority over all nations, a theme consistently highlighted throughout the prophetic books, including prophecies against Tyre and Babylon.

Practical Application

Ezekiel 30:18 serves as a timeless reminder that all earthly power, wealth, and pride are temporary and subject to God's ultimate authority. It teaches us that nations and individuals who rely solely on their own strength or display arrogance will eventually face a reckoning. This verse encourages humility, a reliance on God rather than human might, and an understanding that true and lasting security comes only from Him. It also reinforces the truth that God is just and will bring down those who oppress or exalt themselves against His divine will.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Ezekiel 30:3

    For the day [is] near, even the day of the LORD [is] near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.

  • Jeremiah 2:16

    Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.

  • Isaiah 10:27

    And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

  • Ezekiel 29:15

    It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.

  • Ezekiel 31:18

    To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with [them that be] slain by the sword. This [is] Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD.

  • Exodus 10:15

    For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.

  • Isaiah 14:11

    Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, [and] the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back