Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river [is] mine own, and I have made [it] for myself.
Ver. 3. The great dragon.] Or, Whale, or crocodile, the figure of Pharaoh; whose princes also and people are fitly compared to lesser fishes, and Egypt to waters, wherewith it aboundeth. These shall all suffer together, saith the prophet: Principis enim calamitas, populi clades est. a Compare Psalms 74:13,14 .
That lieth in the midst of his rivers.] That lieth at ease in the swollen waters of his Nile, and battleth.
Which hath said, My river is mine own.] The river Nile watereth Egypt, and maketh it fruitful beyond credulity. They do but cast in the seed, and have four rich harvests in less than four months, say travellers. Hence the Egyptians were generally proud, riotous, and superstitious above measure:
“ Nequitias tellus scit dare nulla magis. ”
- Plin., Paneg.
The most poisonous flies are bred in the sweetest fruit trees. See on 1 Timothy 6:17 .
And I have made it for myself,] i.e., Useful and serviceable to my country with much pains and expense, by ditches, channels, water courses, &c. These were cleansed and repaired by the command of Augustus Caesar, when he had subdued Egypt, and reduced it into a province. b Some render it, Ego feci me ipsum, I have made myself; a most arrogant speech!
“ Sum felix; quis enim neget hoc? felixque manebo;
Hoc quoque quis dubitet? tutum me copia fecit.
Maior sum quam cui possit fortuna nocere. ” - Ovid.
a Oecolamp.
b Sueton.