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Commentary on Ezekiel 30 verses 20–26
This short prophecy of the weakening of the power of Egypt was delivered about the time that the army of the Egyptians, which attempted to raise the siege of Jerusalem, was frustrated in its enterprises, and returned re infect - without accomplishing their purpose; whereupon the king of Babylon renewed the siege and carried his point. The kingdom of Egypt was very ancient, and had been for many ages considerable. That of Babylon had but lately arrived at its great pomp and power, being built upon the ruins of the kingdom of Assyria. Now it is with them as it is with families and states, some are growing up, others are declining and going back; one must increase and the others must of course decrease.
I. It is here foretold that the king of Egypt shall grow weaker and weaker. The extent of his territories shall be abridged, his wealth and power shall be diminished, and he shall become less able than ever to help either himself or his friend. 1. This was in part done already (Eze 30:21): I have broken the arm of Pharaoh, some time ago. One arm of that kingdom might well be reckoned broken when the king of Babylon routed the forces of Pharaoh-Necho at Carchemish (Jer 46:2), and made himself master of all that pertained to Egypt from the river of Egypt to Euphrates, Kg2 24:7. Egypt had been long in gathering strength and extending its dominions, and therefore, that there may be a proportion observed in providence, it loses its strength slowly and by degrees. It was soon after the king of Egypt slew good king Josiah, and in the same reign, that its arm was thus broken, and it received that fatal blow which it never recovered. Before Egypt's heart and neck were broken its arm was. God's judgments come upon a people by steps, that they may meet him repenting. When the arm of Egypt is broken it shall not be bound up to be healed, for none can heal the wounds that God gives but he himself. Those whom he disarms, whom he disables, cannot again hold the sword. 2. This was to be done again. One arm was broken before, and something was done towards the setting of it, towards the healing of the deadly wound that was given to the beast. But now (Eze 30:22), I am against Pharaoh, and will break both his arms, both the strong and that which was broken and set again. Note, If less judgments do not prevail to humble and reform sinners, God will send greater. Now God will cause the sword to fall out of his hand, which he caught hold of as thinking himself strong enough to hold it. It is repeated (Eze 30:24), I will break Pharaoh's arms. He had been a cruel oppressor to the people of God formerly, and of late the staff of a broken rod to them; and now God by breaking his arms reckons with him for both. God justly breaks that power which is abused either to put wrongs upon people or to put cheats upon them. But this is not all; (1.) The king of Egypt shall be dispirited when he finds himself in danger of the king of Babylon's forces: he shall groan before him with the groaning of a deadly wounded man. Note, It is common for those that are most elated in their prosperity to be most dejected and disheartened in their adversity. Pharaoh, even before the sword touches him, shall groan as if he had received his death's wound. (2.) The people of Egypt shall be dispersed (Eze 30:23 and again Eze 30:26): I will scatter them among the nations. Other nations had mingled with them (Eze 30:5); now they shall be mingled with other nations, and seek shelter in them, and so be made to know that the Lord is righteous.
II. It is here foretold that the king of Babylon shall grow stronger and stronger, Eze 30:24, Eze 30:25. Put strength into the king of Babylon's arms, that he may be able to go through the service he is designed for. 2. That he will put a sword, his sword, into the king of Babylon's hand, which signified his giving him a commission and furnishing him with arms for carrying on a war, particularly against Egypt. Note, As judges on the bench, like Pilate (Joh 19:11), so generals in the field, like Nebuchadnezzar, have no power but what is given them from above.
(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.
(Verse 20 and following) And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month (Vulgate adds 'of the month'), in the seventh month, the word of the Lord came to me, saying: Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and behold it is not bound up, to be healed, that it may be tied with bandages, and clothed with strips (or to receive a healing plaster): and having taken hold of strength, he might hold the sword. Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and I will break his strong arm, and shall cause the sword to fall out of his hand, and I will scatter (or scatter abroad) Egypt among the nations, and disperse them (or winnow them) into the lands (Vulgate: 'countries'). And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and I will place my sword in his hand, and he will break the arms of Pharaoh, and they will groan with the groans of the slain before him. (or as it is in the Septuagint: And he will bring a sword over Egypt, and he will plunder its spoils, and take its plunder. It follows:) And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the arms of Pharaoh will fall, and they will know that I am the Lord, when I give my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he extends it over the land of Egypt, and I will scatter Egypt among the nations, and disperse them into the lands, and they will know that I am the Lord. He returns to the order of prophecy; for after the twenty-seventh year he now places the eleventh. This question is also addressed in the previous passages. For when the word of the Lord was spoken against Tyre in the eleventh year, which was mentioned earlier, in the subsequent passages He speaks to Pharaoh in the tenth year. And again, He places the twenty-seventh year, as we have said, and now the eleventh. Leaving aside the other things that are contained in the order of the Psalms: the question is, how is the third Psalm placed before these Psalms in which David changed his appearance before Abimelech, and about Doeg the Edomite, and when he was found in the cave, and the fiftieth of penitence, in whose title it is shown that he came to Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, although these previous Psalms come before the third, in which it is noted that he fled from the face of his son Absalom. But in the Psalms the response is simple, for it is a lyric poem, and in such a work the order of history is not sought; rather, it is the songs of individual events. But in history, it must be said that those things which have been said about one thing at different times should not be divided by speech, but concluded by the narrative of one place. For example, so that those things which have been said about Egypt at different times may be known in one order of reading. When we have said these things, nevertheless the question remains: Why in this same place was the word of the Lord to Pharaoh first spoken in the eleventh year, and later in the twenty-seventh, and then in the tenth year, when certainly according to the order, the eleventh year should have been first, the twenty-seventh second, and the tenth year third, and each prophecy should have been designated by year? To which we can respond: O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable are his ways! (Romans 11:33). And in another place: Who can search out the depths of knowledge? (Sirach 1:2-3). However, we can say this, that the order of history is not observed in the prophets, at least not in all cases, for they do not narrate the past, but they foretell the future, according to the will of the Holy Spirit. But in history, the books of Moses, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Esther, Samuel, Malachi, Chronicles, and Ezra, together with Nehemiah, do not contain a chronological account. Let it suffice to say this about the order of years. Now let us examine the prophecies against Pharaoh or concerning Pharaoh. It is said that God broke his arm and it was not bound up or healed, nor did he receive any ointment, according to what is written: 'There is no ointment to be applied, nor oil, nor bandages' (Isaiah 1, sec. 70). But if it had happened that, with courage regained, he could hold the sword and proceed to war. Therefore, God, who is merciful and compassionate, once again shattered his arm or arms, so that the sword may completely fall from his hand, and be scattered among the people of Egypt, and be dispersed among the nations. But in your arm, receive strength and courage, as the Scripture says: 'Break the arm of the sinner and the evildoer' (Psalm 9:15). This arm is broken in our adversaries, when they pursue us, but cannot overcome us. And for the salvation of the servants of God against Pharaoh, the king of Babylon often rises up to oppress the powerful oppressor, and the wicked are handed over to the more wicked, with God strengthening the arms of the worst, so that the one who is set free may know that He is the Lord. Indeed, it is an achievement of virtue to know that He is the Lord. On the contrary, we can say: The sons of Eli, the sons of pestilence, not knowing God (1 Samuel 2:22). And concerning the good kings who did what was right in the sight of God, it is written that they may know the Lord. But that which is said in the Septuagint: 'I will break his strong and appointed arms', which in Greek is said 'τεταγμένα', has been corrupted by the fault of copyists. For they interpreted it not as 'τεταγμένα', but as 'τεταμένα', which means not appointed, but stretched out. For this reason, according to their custom, other interpreters have put 'exalted' instead.
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SUMMARY
Ezekiel 30:22 presents a stark divine declaration against Pharaoh, king of Egypt, revealing the Lord GOD's unwavering resolve to utterly dismantle Egypt's military and political might. Through powerful metaphorical imagery, God announces His direct opposition to Pharaoh, vowing to "break his arms"—signifying the complete shattering of both his existing formidable strength and any potential for future recovery—and to decisively disarm him by causing the sword, the very symbol of his power, to fall from his grasp. This prophecy underscores God's absolute sovereignty over all nations and His impending, comprehensive judgment upon Egypt for its pride, self-reliance, and unreliability as an ally.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Ezekiel 30:22 is exceptionally rich in Metaphor and Symbolism, which are fundamental to conveying its profound and impactful message. Pharaoh's "arms" serve as a clear and powerful metaphor for the entirety of Egypt's military and political strength, and their "breaking" symbolizes the complete and irreversible incapacitation of that power. The "sword" functions as a potent symbol of military might, sovereign authority, and the capacity to wage war; its falling from Pharaoh's hand vividly symbolizes his disarming, utter defeat, and profound humiliation. The phrase "the strong, and that which was broken" employs a powerful form of merism, encompassing the totality of Egypt's power—both its current formidable might and any past or potential future strength—thereby emphasizing the comprehensive and absolute nature of God's judgment. Furthermore, the entire declaration is a prime example of Divine Anthropomorphism, where God is described as directly acting upon Pharaoh (breaking arms, causing the sword to fall), emphasizing His personal, active, and decisive involvement in human history and the affairs of nations.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse profoundly reinforces the foundational biblical truth of God's absolute and unchallenged sovereignty over all earthly powers and dominions. No nation, no matter how mighty, proud, or self-assured, can ultimately withstand the righteous judgment of the Lord GOD. Pharaoh, the quintessential embodiment of Egyptian pride, military might, and self-reliance, serves as a stark and enduring example that human strength, strategic alliances, and nationalistic arrogance are ultimately futile and destined to crumble when they stand in defiance of God's sovereign purposes. The vivid imagery of broken arms and a fallen sword speaks to the divine dismantling of human arrogance and misplaced self-reliance, demonstrating unequivocally that true, enduring power resides solely with the Creator of the heavens and the earth. It also highlights God's unwavering justice, as He consistently brings low those who oppress, who trust in their own fleeting might, and who refuse to acknowledge His supreme and rightful authority over all creation.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezekiel 30:22 stands as a timeless and potent reminder that all earthly power, no matter how imposing or seemingly invincible, is inherently temporary and ultimately subject to the sovereign will of the Almighty God. In a contemporary world often characterized by complex political maneuvering, the flexing of military might, and the pursuit of economic dominance, this verse profoundly calls believers to place their ultimate trust not in the fleeting strength of nations or the transient authority of human leaders, but in the unwavering and absolute sovereignty of the Lord. It challenges us to deeply examine the true source of our security and stability—do we place our ultimate reliance on human institutions, financial prosperity, personal influence, or do we truly trust in the God who can effortlessly break the arms of the mightiest empires with a mere word? This passage also offers profound comfort and assurance to those who feel oppressed, marginalized, or overwhelmed by powerful systems, assuring them that God sees every injustice and will ultimately bring down those who defiantly oppose His righteous standards and oppress His people. Furthermore, it encourages a deep sense of humility within us, reminding us that pride invariably precedes a fall, and that true, enduring strength is found not in self-reliance but in complete dependence on God.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who is Pharaoh in this context, and why is God "against" him?
Answer: In the book of Ezekiel, "Pharaoh" functions as a general, dynastic title for the reigning king of Egypt, rather than referring to a single individual. While the specific Pharaoh during a significant portion of Ezekiel's ministry was Hophra (also known as Apries), the prophecy often addresses Pharaoh as the personification of the entire nation of Egypt and its ruling authority. God declares Himself "against" Pharaoh and Egypt primarily due to their pervasive pride, their arrogant self-reliance on their own formidable military strength, and their long history of being an unreliable, deceitful, and ultimately treacherous ally to the nation of Israel. Egypt's broken promises and its consistent tendency to draw Israel away from placing their trust solely in Yahweh provoked God's righteous and inevitable judgment, a theme consistently highlighted throughout the prophetic books (e.g., Isaiah 30:1-7 and Jeremiah 37:5-10).
What does "break his arms, the strong, and that which was broken" specifically mean?
Answer: This vivid and powerful imagery signifies a complete, comprehensive, and irreversible dismantling of Egypt's power and influence. The "arms" are a potent metaphor for Egypt's entire military and political strength, representing its capacity for action, defense, and dominion. "The strong" refers to Egypt's current, formidable, and seemingly invincible might. "That which was broken" can be interpreted in a few interconnected ways: it could refer to the arm already weakened or injured (as explicitly mentioned in Ezekiel 30:21), or it could encompass any previously diminished power, or even any potential for future recovery or resurgence that Egypt might have hoped for. The phrase, therefore, effectively means that God will utterly destroy all of Egypt's power—both its existing strength and any capacity it might have had to recover, rebuild, or exert influence. It ensures total and absolute incapacitation and profound humiliation, leaving no room whatsoever for resurgence or effective opposition.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Ezekiel 30:22, with its profound declaration of God's decisive judgment on earthly power and the dismantling of human might, finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest spiritual resonance in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. While the prophecy directly concerns the literal breaking of Pharaoh's temporal power, it powerfully points to a far greater and eternal reality: the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom over all opposing forces, both temporal and spiritual. Just as God sovereignly disarmed Pharaoh, Christ, through His sacrificial death on the cross and His glorious resurrection, definitively "disarmed the powers and authorities" (see Colossians 2:15). The "arms" of Satan, the dominion of sin, and the sting of death—the very spiritual forces that held humanity in bondage—were decisively broken and rendered powerless at Calvary. The "sword" of their oppressive dominion was caused to fall from their hand, rendering them utterly impotent against those who are united with Christ. Furthermore, this passage profoundly foreshadows the ultimate and eternal reign of Christ, who alone possesses all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). Earthly kings and empires, no matter how "strong" or seemingly invincible in their time, are temporary and will ultimately bow before the supreme authority of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (see Revelation 19:16). Believers are therefore called to place their trust not in the fleeting strength of human institutions or their own limited abilities, but in the invincible and everlasting power of Christ, who has already overcome the world and its spiritual rulers (John 16:33). The breaking of Pharaoh's arms serves as a powerful and enduring testament to the truth that all earthly dominion is subordinate to the sovereign will of God, a will fully revealed and perfectly executed in His Son, Jesus Christ, who reigns eternally.