Ethiopia and Egypt [were] her strength, and [it was] infinite; Put and Lubim were thy helpers.
Ver. 9. Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength] No was the metropolis of Egypt, and knew no end of her power, as bearing rule over Ethiopia the strong and Egypt the infinite, Chus valida et Egyptii infiniti (some read this text), and as having all the rest of the peoples inhabiting Africa and Libya for her confederates. See Jeremiah 46:9, where the prophet speaketh of such people as brought aid to Egypt against the Chaldees, but were foiled and worsted. Of the huge armies that Ethiopia was able to raise see 2 Chronicles 14:9; 2 Chronicles 16:8. Egypt for her strength was called Rahab, Psalms 87:4; Psa 89:10 that is, mighty and proud.
Put and Lubim were thy helpers] By Put Jerome understandeth Africa (which was over beside Alexandria, the sea between), a waste continent, thrice as big as Europe; and by Lubim Libya, a considerable part of that continent sometimes put for the whole. These would have been helpers to No, but could not; because overpowered by Nebuchadnezzar, sent against them by God. Leagues entered into with wicked men profit not those whom God will punish. The Grecian Churches, A.D. 1438, being afraid of the Turks, sent and subjected themselves to the Bishop of Rome, that they might have the help of the Latin Churches; but shortly after they were destroyed, and their empire subdued, and swallowed up in the Turkish greatness. It is gathered by some out of Revelation 16:14,16, that the Pope and his adherents shall, towards the end of the world, for the restoring of his decayed authority, call in the help not only of Popish princes, but of foreign states, out of Asia, Africa, and America, to suppress the heretics (as they call us) and to root out religion; but with evil success, for they shall associate themselves only to be broken in pieces, Isaiah 8:9; these auxiliaries, shall, speed no better than those subsidiary Syrians did, 2 Samuel 10:18,19; they shall receive a famous foil at Armageddon, such as Sisera did at the waters of Megiddo, Judges 5:19, and a voice from the throne shall say, "It is done," Nahum 3:16,17 .