Ezekiel 30 - Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Bible Comments
  • Ezekiel 30:5 open_in_new

    Libya, and Lydia - Or, as in Ezekiel 27:10, Phut and Lud.

    The mingled people - Foreigners, who settled in Egypt. The Saite dynasty of Egyptian kings were especially favorable to foreign immigrants. Hophra employed many of them in his armies, and in this way, according to Herodotus, lost the affections of his Egyptian subjects. See Jeremiah 25:20 note.

    Chub - The word occurs here only. It was some tribe in alliance with Egypt, either of African race like Lud and Phut, or settlers like the “mingled people.” A not-improbable suggestion connects it with Coptos, of which the Egyptian form was Qeb, Qebt or Qabt.

    The men of the land that is in league - Rather, the children of the land of the covenant, i. e., of Israel (see Ezekiel 16:8). After the destruction of Jerusalem Jews withdrew into Egypt Jeremiah 43:7. Many of them would naturally enough be found in the Egyptian armies. This is in favor of the later date assigned to this section.

  • Ezekiel 30:17 open_in_new

    Aven - The same as “On” Genesis 41:45, or “Heliopolis.” The word “Aven” means also “transgression” (compare Hosea 10:8). Some have thought that here too Ezekiel substituted the word “Aven” for “On” to mark the “sin” of idolatry there in full vogue.

    Pi-beseth - The Bubastis of Herodotus. The hieroglyphic name is “Pe-bast,” the house of Bast (the Egyptian Artemis, the cat-headed goddess). Bubastis was situated on the easternmost, the Pelusian, branch of the Delta. The road from Pelusium to Memphis lay through Bubastis and On. In the days of Herodotus Bubastis was the seat of one of the chief annual festivals of the Egyptians. The Persians took the town and razed the walls. The ruins bear the modern name Tel-Basta.

  • Ezekiel 30:18 open_in_new

    Tehaphnehes - See the marginal reference note. “break the yokes of Egypt” i. e., break the yokes imposed by Egypt, or break up the tyrannous dominion of Egypt over other lands.

  • Ezekiel 30:20-26 open_in_new

    Fourth prophecy against Egypt spoken three months before the capture of Jerusalem Ezekiel 26:1, and three months after the prophecy of Ezekiel 29:1. Meantime, Pharaoh-Hophra’s attempt on Jerusalem had been foiled, and the Egyptians driven back into their own country (Jeremiah 37:5 note).

    Ezekiel 30:21

    I have broken - Especially by the defeat at Carchemish.

    A roller - Or, a bandage.

    Ezekiel 30:22

    The strong - Such power as Egypt yet retained at home and abroad.

    That which was broken - The power which Egypt aimed at ineffectually, the conquest of Palestine and Syria.